How to tell what you are buying: reading a pashmina label
"Pashmina" is used loosely in the market, for anything from fine cashmere to viscose. You cannot tell by touch alone, and price is not proof either. What you can do is read the label and ask three questions.
What the word means
Pashmina is a fine cashmere fibre from the undercoat of the pashmina goat, combed out in spring. The fibre is finer than ordinary wool, which is why a pashmina shawl feels light and warm at the same time. Finished pieces are also made from blends: pashmina with fine wool, cashmere with silk, or fine wool with silk. A blend is not a fake; it is a different product, and it should be sold as one.
Question 1: what is the exact composition?
An honest label states it: "100% pashmina" only when the piece is pure, otherwise the exact split, for example "30% pashmina · 70% fine wool" or "85% fine wool · 15% silk". If the seller cannot tell you the percentage, treat the piece as unlabelled.
Question 2: how was it made?
Hand-woven or machine-woven. Hand embroidery or machine embroidery. Hand block print or screen print. Each is legitimate; each costs a different amount of work. The label should say which, and the seller should be able to show you the difference on the piece itself.
Question 3: can it be tested?
Fibre content and fineness can be measured in a textile laboratory. At Leh Pashmina we can arrange a fibre and fineness test at the IICT laboratory in Srinagar on request for pure pashmina pieces. A seller who refuses any test is telling you something.
What not to rely on
The "ring test" (pulling a shawl through a ring) only proves the piece is thin and smooth; many fine synthetics pass it. The burn test damages the piece and is unreliable in a shop. Softness can be produced chemically. The label, the maker's answers and, when it matters, a lab test are what count.
About our name
"Leh Pashmina" is our brand name since 2010. It is not a claim that a piece comes from Leh or Ladakh. Our pieces are made with partner karigars in Kashmir and in our Ghaziabad design house, and every piece carries a label with its exact composition and technique.