Kashmir Shawl

kashmir shawl, also spelled Cashmere, type of woolen shawl woven in Kashmir. According to tradition, the founder of the industry was Zayn-ul-ʿĀbidīn, a 15th-century ruler of Kashmir who introduced weavers from Turkistan. Although woolen shawls were mentioned in writings of the 3rd century bc and the 11th century ad, it is only in the 16th century that the first specific references to Kashmir work appeared.

The earliest examples have a plain ground with end borders featuring large floral sprays, flower vases, and pinecones. Kashmir shawls are woven partly or wholly from goat hair called pashm. In the 19th century, shawls were classified as pashm shāla (made from the hair of domesticated goats) and aslī tūsh (made from the hair of wild goats). By this time, kashmir shawls had also become fashionable in Europe. In response to foreign tastes, the traditional designs were replaced by or adapted to patterns supplied by foreign dealers. France and Great Britain established mechanized shawl industries, one of the most important centres being Paisley, Scot., where the kashmir—or, rather, cashmere—shawl was imitated and woven entirely by machine. This cheaply produced article offered keen competition to the genuine one and forced Kashmir weavers to compromise on quality and to imitate the designs of the Paisley workshops. These efforts were unsuccessful, and, by about 1870, the Kashmir industry had almost collapsed. A strong effort began in the mid-20th century to revive the industry under government patronage.