NEW! Maiwa Shawls – Pashmina — From Ladakh
NEW SHAWLS!
The Changtang Plateau is surrounded by the stunning mountain ranges of Ladakh and Zanskar - a vast, arid and breathtaking landscape approximately 4600m above sea level.
It is from this landscape that you find the finest pashmina in the world.
Pashmina goats from Ladakh are raised in natural open areas on one of the highest pastures on the planet. Herded for generations, along with yak and sheep, by the Changpa nomadic families who inhabit the plateau.
It is the region's harsh climate, high altitude and cold temperatures dropping to -40 degrees Celsius that contribute to the ultra fine fibres in the goats wool.
Ladakh pashmina is rare and sought after constituting less than 0.1% of global pashmina production. It takes the entire annual growth of three pashmina goats to make just one shawl. The fibres naturally moult in the arrival of Spring and the goats are not harmed during any of the process of harvesting the pashmina.
When we visited in the Autumn of 2023 we met a wonderful group of local skilled artisans from an organization called Lena Ladakh. Lena is a slow textile label where each stage of production is carried by hand, from spinning to weaving to natural dying.
Artisans use the traditional whorl and whorl-less spindle to work with these fibres. The women spin 25-35g of these fine fibres in one day. Half of these single plied spun yarns are then hand twisted into double plies for their warps. The skeins are then naturally dyed with indigo, lac, madder, walnut and marigold. The shawls are woven on a flying shuttle loom.
Each piece of Lena is an elegant timeless heirloom offering extraordinary warmth and luxury.
To our U.S. customers – don't forget that the exchange rate works in your favour, it's like an extra discount.
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