Pashmina - A Distinctive Drape

Changthang is the easternmost region of Ladakh and parts of it mark the Indo-China border. Considered to be one of the most ecologically harshest environments in the world, Changthang has preserved the age-old tradition of leading a nomadic way of life. 

Pashmina goats are the mainstay of the Changthang economy and each family owns about 200-300 goats. In the winters when the temperature drops down to -30 to -40 degrees at an altitude of about 17000 ft in Changthang is when these fibres grow on the pashmina goats, nature’s way of protecting them from these harsh winters. The goats feed on the plants and herbs that grow at that elevation like marigold and arnebia often containing medicinal properties. This is believed to be one of the main contributing factors to the high quality of pashmina.

With the onset of spring, the goats naturally shed these heavy coats they had grown and the shepherds comb off the molted fibre which means that these goats are never sheared. The annual yield of the raw pashmina fibre from one goat is about 250-300 gm. However, only about 30% of this fiber is usable.

The most striking quality of pashmina fiber is that it is an unparalleled natural insulator. The hollow, ultra fine fibers produce the light and soft weave that is renowned the world over.

The people of Kharnak are nomadic pastoralists whose lives completely depend on their livestock consisting of pashmina goats, sheep and yak. They migrate about seven times a year in the valleys of Kharnak depending on the availability of pastures and water.

The weavers in our partner organization have been trained in basic weaving techniques by the government’s handloom department. The spinners, knitters and backstrap loom weavers in the team work from home, keeping their traditional skills alive.

The team includes young mothers and college students who take up spinning as a part-time job. This flexible opportunity allows them to earn an income while balancing their studies or family responsibilities. 

At Adjective, we believe that handlooms are heirlooms, brimming with the energy of the hands they were woven with. They are indeed alive. 

As a brand we aim to embody the magnificence of the life of our products and their makers.

Our women artisans are the backbone of our small enterprise and the reason for everything we do. Our partner organization, Lena in Ladakh makes this all possible for us.

The journey of a pashmina weave starts with combing off the layers of wool that the goats naturally shed. As spring comes and the days become warmer the goats shed these heavy coats that they grow over the winter. The annual yield from one goat is about 250-300 gm of which only about 30% is usable. 

Our women artisans spin and ply the wool into yarn, using traditional tools like the whorless spindle and the drop spindle getting them ready to dye and weave into beautiful heirloom pieces.

This age-old technique, along with hand-spun warp and weft threads, lends that signature softness and graceful drape that you see in a Pashmina shawl, an inimitable natural elegance.

The art of hand-spinning the Pashmina, is a rare skill that only a limited number of women practice. Majority of the women spinners are from the most remote parts of Ladakh, called ‘Zanskar’ which remains cut off from Leh during the winters for almost half of the year, with the only means of commute being the frozen Zanskar river. To escape the harsh winters and due to the lack of medical facilities, families from Zanskar move temporarily to Leh. 

Some families have settled almost permanently in Leh because of the employment opportunities, and better healthcare and education for their children. 

The women are skilled in spinning and twisting pashmina and yak wool and this provides them with a means of livelihood. Some spinners also hail from ‘Paldar’, which is another distant village in a district outside Ladakh. They have formed small groups of 6 to 7 women who spend almost all of their year spinning pashmina and knitting other wool. The group has artisans spanning the ages of early twenties to late sixties working together, with the elders passing on their skill to the young.

In Ladakh the pashmina is handspun in the traditional technique of using a wooden whorless-spindle as seen in the above photo.

 The next chapter in the Pashmina story is about plying or twisting. In this meditative process the spun threads are doubled and twisted to be used as the warp of the fabric (the horizontal part of the weave that becomes the length of the textile). This process strengthens the yarns, making them durable enough for your heirloom-worthy weaves. Twisting is also done using a wooden spindle called ju-phang and these handspun, handplied warps display a drape, distinctive to pashmina shawls.

All our yarns are hand dyed using natural dyes extracted from local herbs like Himalayan walnut, marigold, Himalayan rhubarb, arnebia and Indian madder. We also source some plant based dyes like lac, sappanwood and indigo from other parts of India. 

The sunset vibes of Marigold as seen in our Marigold shawl.
The deep brick red of Madder as seen in our Flame shawl.
The incomparable indigo can be seen in our Indigo shawl while traces of Indigo are also seen in our Marigold and Meadow shawls.

The warping truly determines the story of that piece of Pashmina. Its drape, its character and its life. As you can see on our artisan’s face, this meditative practice is immersive and carries the energy from her hands, the feelings in her heart and the dreams she births during the creation of this heirloom piece. Its quiet whispers will be woven in for many lifetimes to come.

All our pashmina fabrics are woven on the fly-shuttle 4-pedal loom. The weavers have been trained in basic weaving techniques by the government’s handloom department. The spinners, knitters and backstrap loom weavers, work from home, keeping their traditional skills alive. 

The thrill of giving life to a pashmina shawl from spinning, plying, dyeing and weaving is truly incomparable for its maker and something they wish to come back to again and again.