pashmina, an exceptional wool produced at height

In one of the most hostile landscapes on the planet, at 4,500 meters above sea level, at the top of the Indian Himalayas, precious goats are raised, used to make pashmina. Each spring, a breeder spends a month harvesting this down, more noble than cashmere. The pashmina grows on the changthangi breed of goat. To harvest the pashmina, the legs of the goats are tied, then the animals are combed. “We have to do it with great delicacy, if we pull too hard it damages it”, testifies a shepherd. The pashmina is her main source of income.

The pashmina sells for 50 euros per kilo. “The harsher the conditions, the better”, assures Nawang Phunstong, manufacturer of pashminas. Indeed, if the goats were not confronted with the extreme cold of the mountains, they would not produce pashmina. Once harvested, the pashmina is cleaned. Only the finest fibers are kept. In India, the production of pashmina is still artisanal.