Have you ever felt the gentle feather-like caress of a pure cashmere shawl? Have you ever been draped in the faintest veils of softness, warmth and comfort? Have you ever been gifted the eternal power to ward off bone-chilling cold? In India, the pure cashmere shawl is a treasured heirloom in many well-to-do-families. In many homes, an old cashmere shawl has more value than possibly family jewels. Mothers have received them from their mothers a half a century only to pass on these timeless masterpieces to their daughters, who in turn will pass the baton on to the next generation – it is akin to a collector’s piece of art that is enjoyed and revered by every passing generation. Much like its familiar characteristics, the cashmere shawl is very similar in nature to cashmere wool that is extracted from Ladakhi goats. These fur clad high range animals have to endure a severe winter (-30°C) as well as a blistering summer. On their underside or under-down as it is known in the trade, is a softer fur that keeps them warm when they possibly cuddle during winter. This fur is the prized cashmere wool. It is now systematically procured by international weavers under the close supervision of international law.
CASHMERE