POSH PASHMINA

The popularity of products marketed as Pashmina have skyrocketed in recent years. Pashmina, a traditional Indian & Nepalese name for the very finest grade of cashmere wool from the chin and the underbelly of the Capra Hircus goat, which thrives in the snow-capped mountains of the Himalayas is indeed a premium fiber, reflecting luxury, warmth, softness and style.

This high altitude, combined with the goat's spartan diet and genetic makeup, enables it to grow a coat, which provides feather-light wool, the finest and warmest on earth. The best grade of cashmere is 14-15.5 microns in diameter and is collected in the high plateau regions of Ladakh, Nepal and the central plains of Inner Mongolia. Pashmina is now an essential part of every chic woman's wardrobe and can be worn anywhere, anytime with just about anything.

PASHMINA WITH SILK

Expert craftsmen hand weave pashmina with fine silt in order to give it strength and that appealing glossy elegant finish. Furthermore it gives the shawl a distinctive character and produces slender drape, elegant silk sheen, and soft delicate feel, which has become a favorite fashion statement amongst its diverse clientele. Pashmina with silk are woven with silk running the length of the weave, and Pashmina on the width of the weave. Next they hand-twist the distinctive tassels.

The shawl is then dyed from a selection of stunning colors. This weave, combining silk and Pashmina, was first produced in the 15th century, and has been hand made in India and Nepal ever since. However, a composition of 50% pashmina 50% silk can be used in temperature zones from early autumn to late spring; 70% pashmina and 30% silk (the traditional composition) is best for use from mid-autumn to mid spring and in the winters. All our pashmina products have undergone the touch and feel test.

A BRIEF HISTORY

History has it that in 1796, the governor of Kashmir gave Pashmina to a visitor from Baghdad who passed it on to the Egyptian royal family. The same garment was then presented to Napoleon Bonaparte who gifted it to his wife Josephine. The Empress liked it so much she immediately sent for more in every available color. From then on Pashmina became an integral part of every European noblewoman's trousseau. They have been popular amongst the Indian aristocracy for over 500 years, and demand in the West has been massively increasing since they were first paraded on the catwalks of New York and Paris back in 1998.

THE PROCESS OF MAKING PASHMINA

The making of a Pashmina is a pain staking process done completely by hand. Pashmina Wool is made from the Capra Hircus Goat, which lives at elevations of 14,000 feet and above, where temperatures rarely rise above minus 30 degrees centigrade in winter. Each goat produces only about 3 ounces or 90 grams of Pashmina wool each year. One woven Pashmina shawl requires the wool from three goats.

• Spinning Pashmina Yarn
The pashmina wool is collected every spring, and is basically spun by hand. The yarn is spun on a spinning wheel locally known as ‘Charkha’. Hand spinning is an extremely painstaking task. It requires immense patience, dexterity and dedication.

• Weaving Pashmina Fabric
Pashmina yarn is too fragile for the vibration caused by power looms, the weaving of the traditional 100% Pashmina shawls are therefore done on handlooms. The weaving process is in itself an art, which has been passed down over generations, to give you the fabulous pashmina shawls.

• Making the Fringes
The making of the distinctive Pashmina fringe is perhaps one of the most interesting stages of shawl making. It takes hours to fringe each Pashmina shawl.

• Dyeing a Pashmina
Dyeing is also done by hand. Dyers with immense patience and generations of experience are the ones who dye the Pashmina shawls, as even the smallest negligence reflects on the quality of the product. Only natural dyes are used, making the shawls completely eco-friendly.

SHOPPING

Shopping with ENP is vary east. Browse our different departments online and just click on any item for more details. To buy online follow the steps in the payment pages for easy purchase. Payment is taken by using the service provider offering the very highest levels of security for your credit card details. Payment will be processed and the actual payment is only deducted from your card when the order is confirmed by us and dispatched to the address you have provided.

Please note that for overseas delivery postage costs will be confirmed by email and taken separately from those of the actual order as costs can vary considerably according to weight and destination. We are unable to confirm these costs on-line. Paymnt will not be taken, however, until you have confirmed your acceptance of these costs.

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