PASHMINA SHAWLS - ART AND CULTURE
News: Kashmir’s
pashmina shawls get new-age French touch
What's in the news?
● Kashmir’s
famed pashmina shawls, known for centuries for their signature intricate buta
or paisley patterns, got a French touch this week.
● Artist
Maximilien Pellet turned the fabric into a canvas for contemporary art forms at
a Parisian exhibition, in a rare bid to cater to Western sensibilities.
Pashmina:
● Pashmina
is obtained from breeds of mountain goats (Capra hircus) found in the
Changthang Plateau in Tibet and parts of Ladakh, in the Himalayan region of
India.
● The
word Pashmina comes from the Persian
word 'Pashm' which means 'soft gold'.
● It
is indigenous to the high altitude
regions of Leh-Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
Features:
● It
is well known for its warmth, lightweight, and softness in addition to its
characteristic dye absorbing property.
● Pashmina
has been accredited by the Guinness Book
of World Records for being the costliest cloth in the world.
● Pashmina
wool is the finest version of cashmere and it is thinner than human hair and highly
prized in the international market.
Usage:
● It
is known for its use in beautiful shawls and other handmade items.
● Manufacture
of Pashmina is a largely unorganized
cottage/handicraft industry providing employment and livelihood to
approximately 6 lakh people, most notably to local skilled villagers and
artisans in Kashmir.
● India
contributes only about 1% of the world’s Pashmina, but the Pashmina produced in
India is considered the best of the lot and occupies a unique position.
BIS for Pashmina:
● Due
to restricted availability and high prices, adulteration of Pashmina with sheep
wool/ultra-fine merino wool is a common practice by manufacturers. In 2019, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
published an Indian Standard for identification, marking and labeling of
Pashmina products to certify their purity.
● In
2021, the BIS released a revised report titled ‘Identification, Labelling and
Marking of Pashmina Products’ that mandated directions for incorporating
qualitative and quantitative identification of Shahtoosh guard hair.
● The
Pashmina traders say the BIS testing standards are still to be implemented by
the forensic authorities.
GI tag:
● Kashmir Pashmina
has been assigned a Geographical indication (GI) tag under the Geographical
Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.