Pashmina - The Pride of Kashmir

Pashm is the raw fiber used to make the famous Kashmiri Pashmina shawls. Kashmiri Pashmina stand out for their role in determining the economic fate of Ladakh in the early twentieth century, and is deeply interwoven with its history. Kashmiri artisans, traders and merchants brought the attention of the world to this fine fabric with their exquisite finished products like shawls and other apparel.

Ignorant to the fibre's origin, the British  adopted the term 'Cashmere' to refer to both the fabric, and the fiber.

Until the twentieth century, Cashmere was painstakingly produced by hand. Later, cashmere yarn was produced mechanically and are stored in clothing factories, like this one in the United Kingdom, ready for mass production.

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons.