Pashmina vs Cashmere: What's the Difference?
The short answer: all pashmina is cashmere, but not all cashmere is pashmina. "Cashmere" is the general name for the soft undercoat of cashmere goats. "Pashmina" is the finest grade of that fibre — traditionally hand-combed from the Chyangra (Changthangi) goat of the high Himalaya, and spun and woven by hand in Nepal.
What is cashmere?
Cashmere is the fine undercoat that cashmere goats grow to survive Himalayan winters. It is separated from the coarser outer hair, then spun into yarn. Its fineness is measured in microns — the lower the micron count, the finer and softer the fibre. Most commercial cashmere sits between 15 and 19 microns.
What is pashmina?
Pashmina is cashmere at its finest. The name comes from pashm, the Persian word for wool, and refers specifically to the ultra-fine down of the Himalayan Chyangra goat — around 16 microns. Genuine pashmina is hand-combed during the goats' natural spring moult, then hand-spun and hand-woven, most famously into shawls. Because the fibre is so fine, true pashmina is lightweight yet warm.
Pashmina vs cashmere: the key differences
| Cashmere | Pashmina | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Soft undercoat of any cashmere goat | The finest cashmere, from the Himalayan Chyangra goat |
| Fineness | ~15-19 microns | ~16 microns, consistently fine |
| Origin | Mongolia, China, Nepal and others | The Himalaya, Nepal and the Changthang plateau |
| Made into | Sweaters, cardigans, accessories | Classically shawls and wraps; also fine knitwear |
| Production | Often machine-processed | Traditionally hand-combed, hand-spun, hand-woven |
How to tell genuine pashmina from an imitation
Many products sold as "pashmina" are actually viscose, silk blends, or lower-grade wool. To check authenticity:
- Look for certification. Genuine Himalayan pashmina can be NPIA-certified (Nepal Pashmina Industries Association) under the Chyangra Pashmina trademark. Lumusae pieces can be verified at our authenticity page.
- Feel the weight. Real pashmina is light and warm, not heavy or slippery.
- Check the price and the story. Hand-combed, hand-woven Himalayan pashmina cannot be produced at fast-fashion prices.
For more tests, see how to tell if cashmere is real and what real pashmina is.
Where Lumusae fits
Lumusae works only with 100% Chyangra cashmere, the pashmina-grade fibre, hand-combed and hand-crafted by artisans in Nepal, and left undyed in its natural colour. Our pashmina shawls are hand-woven; our knitwear is hand-knitted from the same fibre. Every piece is NPIA-certified and shipped duties-paid worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Is pashmina better than cashmere? Pashmina is a finer grade of cashmere, so it is prized for shawls and delicate weaves. For everyday knitwear, high-quality cashmere and pashmina-grade fibre both perform beautifully; the difference is fineness and craft.
Is pashmina real cashmere? Yes. Genuine pashmina is 100% cashmere, specifically the finest down of the Himalayan Chyangra goat.
Why is real pashmina expensive? Each goat yields only a small amount of down per year, it is hand-combed rather than sheared, and traditional pashmina is hand-spun and hand-woven, all of which take time and skill.
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