Pashmina: A Legacy Untold
Derived from the word "Pashm" which means the undercoat or the inner layer of hair, Pashmina is a fiber fit for Royalty.
Collected during the natural shedding of the goat's winter coat in spring, Pashmina fiber is upto 6 times finer than human hair.
The Changpa tribe has been rearing the Capra Hircus, or the Pashmina Goats for centuries now. Year after year, they strive to keep this rare breed pure and pedigreed. That is how we get the purest and finest of Pashmina fibers from the Chatang plateau.
The herders comb out the naturally shedding coat and the best quality of fiber is collected from the underbelly of the goat.
The Changpa people care for the animals like their own offspring. Singing to them while collecting the fibers, finding the best of pastures and water supply to keep them healthy and thriving.
For a long time now, the Changpa people have passed on their skills and learnings to their young in an attempt to make sure that this species of Goat: The Capra Hircus, remains pure, unique and special.
But this legacy has been in danger for the past few years. The Changpa Tribe is now dwindling. Less and less number of people wish to involve the next generation in this craft. Because of the recent commercialisation and exploitation, the Changpa are no longer eager to carry on or pass on the traditions to their children. For them, it has become an underpaid and unyielding work.
Pashma is a small but significant step towards preserving this finest of fabrics and encouraging the Changpa Tribe to carry on their centuries old heritage. We've gladly taken it upon ourselves to show the world what beauty lies in a single fiber of Pashmina and the immense hard work that goes behind every such fiber.