KVIC launches “Banarasi Pashmina” to boost self-sustainability & Artisanal Creativity

The premium Pashmina products prepared by the highly skilled Khadi weavers of Varanasi were launched by KVIC.

About:

• This is for the first time that Pashmina products are being produced outside the region of Leh-Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
• KVIC will be selling the “Made-in-Varanasi” Pashmina products through its showrooms, outlets and through its online portal.
• Pashmina is famed as an essential Kashmiri art form but the rediscovery of Pashmina in Varanasi, the spiritual and cultural Capital of India, is unique in many ways.
• The production of Pashmina prepared in Varanasi liberates this heritage art from the regional confines and creates a fusion of diverse artistry from Leh-Ladakh, Delhi and Varanasi. 
• The collection of raw Pashmina wool from Ladakh and is then brought to Delhi for de-hairing, cleaning and processing.
  • The processed wool, in the form of roving, is brought back to Leh where it is handspun into yarn by women Khadi artisans.
  • The finished yarn is then sent to Varanasi where it is woven by trained Khadi weavers into final Pashmina products. 

About Pashmina 

• The word Pashmina comes from the Persian word 'Pashm' which means 'soft gold.
• Pashmina comes from an animal fibre Cashmere, derived from the Changthangi goat of Ladakh. 
• It is indigenous to the high altitude regions of Leh-Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
• 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, the finest version of cashmere and it is thinner than human hair and highly prized in the international market.