How Real Pashmina Is Made — From Changthangi Goat to Loom

Twelve to sixteen microns. Finer than the finest human hair.

That's the width of a single Pashmina fibre — the thread at the heart of the world's most coveted shawl. To put it in context, a human hair measures around 70 microns. Pashmina is five times finer. It's so delicate that mechanical spinning breaks it. Every genuine Pashmina is hand-spun, by hand, by people who have been doing this for generations.

But the fibre doesn't start in a workshop in Srinagar. It starts at 4,500 metres above sea level, in one of the harshest inhabited landscapes on earth.

Green Dordar Pashmina Shawl — handwoven from pure Ladakhi Changthangi Pashmina. Shop now

It Starts in the Cold: The Changthangi Goat

The Changthangi goat — also called the Pashmina goat — lives in the Changthang Plateau of Ladakh, a high-altitude desert where winter temperatures can drop to -20°C and below. These goats are raised by the Changpa nomads, a community whose entire livelihood is built around the animals.

To survive the extreme cold, the Changthangi goat grows two coats. The outer coat is coarse and protective. Beneath it grows a fine, downy undercoat — this is Pashm, the raw material of Pashmina. Each goat produces only 150 to 170 grams of usable Pashm per year — roughly the weight of a bar of soap. A single shawl requires the fibre of three to five goats.

Every spring, the Changpa herders comb the animals by hand — not sheared, but gently combed — collecting the loose fibres that come away easily. No harm comes to the animals. The herders’ livelihood depends on the goats’ health.

The raw Pashm is then sold to traders from Leh, who transport it to Srinagar.

The Journey from Raw Fibre to Yarn

What arrives in Srinagar is not yet Pashmina. It’s raw Pashm — dirty, mixed, unrefined. Before it can be spun, it goes through several preparation stages.

Sorting and De-hairing

The raw Pashm is sorted by hand to separate the finest fibres from coarser material. Then comes de-hairing — separating the fine undercoat from the guard hair. The finest Pashmina still relies on manual separation to preserve fibre integrity.

Cleaning

The sorted fibre is washed to remove dust, debris, and vegetable matter. Rough treatment at this stage damages fibres that took months to grow.

Spinning

This is where Pashmina diverges decisively from almost every other textile fibre. Too fine, too fragile for mechanical spinning — every genuine Pashmina thread is hand-spun.

Traditionally done by women across the Kashmir Valley using a yinder — a wooden spinning wheel. The spinner draws the cleaned fibre out by hand onto the spindle, producing a thread so fine it is nearly invisible against a white background. The finer the thread, the finer the shawl.

Weaving: The Loom and the Artisan

Once the yarn is ready, it goes to the weaver — traditionally a man, working at a wooden handloom in a karkhana in Srinagar.

The warp threads are prepared by a specialist called the nakatu. A warp-dresser called the pennakamgur mounts it on the four-shaft treadle loom. The weaver then works the weft threads across the warp, building the fabric row by row.

For embellished Pashminas — with Kani woven patterns, Sozni needle embroidery, or Aari hook-work — the process becomes significantly more involved, often requiring separate artisans at each stage.

Washing on the River

After weaving, the fabric is washed — traditionally in the flowing water of the Jhelum river, struck against smooth stones by a specialist washer. This finishing step softens the fabric and gives Pashmina its characteristic warmth and drape.

Khudrang Kani Paldar Pashmina Stole — handwoven from pure Pashmina. Shop now

Real vs Fake: How to Tell the Difference

The ring test. A genuine Pashmina shawl can be drawn through a ring — the fibre is so fine the shawl compresses easily. Synthetic shawls cannot.
The burn test. Real Pashmina smells of burnt hair and turns to crumbling ash. Synthetic fibres melt and leave a hard plastic bead.
The feel. Genuine Pashmina warms quickly against skin, feels light, not scratchy.
GI certification. Genuine Kashmiri Pashmina carries GI status.
Price. One goat yields barely 150g of fibre per year. Genuine Pashmina cannot be cheap.

Frequently Asked Questions

What animal does Pashmina come from?
The Changthangi goat, native to the Changthang Plateau of Ladakh. The fine undercoat — Pashm — is combed by hand each spring.

How fine is Pashmina fibre?
12 to 16 microns. A human hair is approximately 70 microns — Pashmina is five times finer.

How long does a Pashmina shawl take to make?
Two months to over a year, depending on embellishment.

Is Pashmina the same as Cashmere?
Cashmere is the broader category. Pashmina is a specific type from the Changthangi goat, finer (12–16 microns vs up to 19 for general cashmere) and hand-processed in Kashmir.

How do I care for a Pashmina shawl?
Hand wash in cold water with mild detergent. Press gently, dry flat in shade. Store folded, not hung.

Conclusion

Real Pashmina begins with a goat on a cold plateau and ends in a workshop in Srinagar — after combing, sorting, de-hairing, cleaning, hand-spinning, weaving, and washing. It’s not one craft. It’s a chain of skills, each one as old as the next.

At Kashmir Origin, every Pashmina we carry comes directly from artisans in the Kashmir Valley. No shortcuts. No synthetic blends. Just the real thing — from Ladakh to your hands.

Shop at: www.kashmirorigin.com
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Published by Kashmir Origin — A Brand for Products Originating in Kashmir