India is a patron to the traditional arts. One such art is the Art of Pashmina. In recent decades, a renewed interest in the luxurious handmade wonders of Pashmina has emerged. Suitably known as the soft gold of Asia it has fascinated aristocrats and people around the world with its charismatic elegance. From the incredible valleys of Kashmir, a legacy from generations to generations, this traditional practice of handcrafting a shawl has been a representation of exquisite craftsmanship that transforms exceptionally warm and tender threads of the finest Cashmere yarn to plush accessories.
This heritage of shawl making has undergone centuries of experimentation and refinement, evolving from a necessity into a luxurious piece of art fashioned by a laborious and time-consuming process. The picturesque valley of Kashmir is home to the skilled artisans who have mastered the art of handcrafting Pashminas with utmost grandeur and elegance. The regal Pashmina is the finest pashmina woven over the traditional wooden handlooms, ornated with the majestic intricate designs, making it a perfect amalgamation of the rich history of Kashmir and age-old craftsmanship.
The handcrafted beauties of Pashmina were not only supremely charismatic and elegantly gossamer, but they were rare and took years to craft one such delicacy. The ultimate fashion accessory had to go through an impetuous turmoil due to counterfeiting of this pure handicraft when Industrial Revolution brought in the idea of readymade clothing. To make it available and affordable to the world, the power looms were introduced, due to which the market was flooded with cheap copies of Pashmina adulterated with synthetic fibres, making them disposable trendy pieces that never lasted. It became a part of fast fashion which resulted in craftsmen abandoning their crafts and thus, the downfall of this extraordinary art.
To relinquish the melancholy of the artisans of the paradisiacal Kashmir valley, Varun Kumar stepped forward and founded Pashmina.com to emblazon this traditional grace and excellence to the world. A social entrepreneur, a humanitarian, Varun curated this online space to bridge the gap between an art lover who seeks an authentic sustainable masterpiece and the masters of the regal art of Pashmina who want nothing but recognition of their skills and hard work.
In the era of fast fashion, or rightly termed as synthetic fashion, the dedication of the Kashmiri artisans has been completely ignored that is fading away the rich heritage of one of the most exceptional traditional arts. “We made it our mission to re-establish the luxury of sustainable crafting of beauties of Pashmina without sabotaging the environment, and help the artisan community of Kashmir have a better life and secure future,” affirms Varun. In the given times of pandemic, there has been a substantial increase in the number of people who have understood the significance of handicrafts and the dependence of the related communities. One such community is of Kashmiri artisans for whom Pashmina.com has come to rescue and bring their heritage to the world. Varun indicated, “It takes months and years to make one masterpiece that lasts for generations. Investing wisely in such a luxury is all that is required to support this community who has mastered the art of Pashmina without harming the environment.”
It is indeed a myth that anything sustainable will not be a desirable beauty to look at. From the signature collection of Pashmina.com, every piece of Pashmina is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece splendidly handcrafted by the skilled Kashmiri craftsmen and certified by Ministry of Textiles for authenticity. The timeless luxury of Pashmina is an inspiration from the nature of the picturesque valley of Kashmir scripted on the shawl in a way only a true art lover can understand.
By virtue of ethical and fair-trade practices, Pashmina.com has been an immense supporter of authentic sustainability. As a token of gratitude and mark of honour, a contribution of 5% of the proceeds is made for upliftment and welfare of the artisan families for them to have a better today and secured tomorrow.
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