B L A C K - The Cashmere Story
Pashmina
or
cashmere is the soft downy inner fleece of the Kashmir goat. To withstand
the extremes of temperature in the mountains, dry arid summers and freezing
winters, the animals grow two coats, the outer one hard and wiry and the
inner one soft and
luxurious.
How is it produced?
In springtime, the goats start to moult and it is then that the soft fibre is combed away by hand,
each animal producing just a few ounces of hair. Combing the goats and collecting the fibre is a
family occasion. No harm is done to the goats.
Turning the fibre into cloth is a difficult process and adds to the mystique of the cashmere.
The inner and outer coats have to be separated before the fine fibre can be spun and woven.
This requires immense skill.
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