This cashmere pashmina is an exquisite example of handwoven and hand-embroidered craftmanship from Kashmir. The design is inspired by the golden reflections of sunlight on the mountains of Ladakh along with big paisley motifs. The golden embroidery is achieved using a technique called 'Tilla' which originated from the requests to combine gold and cashmere for kings of ancient times when 'Tilla' embroidery would have used real gold on a silk thread; today a golden thread is used to create the same effect.
The Embroidery for this stunning shawl took an accomplished craftsperson almost a year to complete, in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir where hand embroidery is an age-old tradition to make WEDDING SHAWLS. Once the embroidery is finished the shawl is carefully checked and washed in crisp Himalayan water.
The raw pashmina wool is collected from private herds of Changthani goats which is then washed, carded, and de-haired. De-hairing is the process of removing the guard hair (thick hair) from the pashmina fibres so that only the finest hairs remain. The baby soft pashmina is then spun by hand converting the soft fibre into an ultrafine yarn that even modern technology would struggle to achieve. Hand spinning is a traditional craft in Kashmir.
The cashmere used in this shawl comes from Changthangi goats in Leh, Ladakh where temperatures can reach minus 35 degrees during winter in this cold desert region of the Himalayas. The cashmere from this region is considered amongst the best in the world, it is combed from the chest and underbelly of the goats. and is light and warm with amazing insulating properties, the fibres are extremely fine, varying between 9 - 16 microns.
