Fashionistas will tell you if you truly want to be ‘fabulously fashionable’, a worthy follower of the fashion bible, Vogue and dare declare yourself a faithful worshiper of the fashion ice-queen Anna Wintour, then you not only have to know the latest fashions flooring the runway capitals of the world like the back of your hands but you must own those few items vital to a fashionista’s wardrobe.
You know, the list of basic wardrobe essentials?
Well aside from the infamous Little Black Dress, white button-down shirt, scarves (pashmina in particular) will always make that list.
Pashmina [derived from the Persian word Pashmineh meaning made from pashm ("wool")] actually refers to a type of fine cashmere wool and the textiles made from it. The source of the prized wool is the changthangi or pashmina goat, which is a special breed of mountain goat that is indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas. A lot of work goes into the producing this wool so needless to say pure pashmina clothings are very expensive.
Now if you’re in the market for a pashmina scarf/shawl, it’s worth your time to check if it’s organic pashmina. But before you get to that, I think more important to first find out it is it genuine pure pashmina as many traders today deceit buyers by marketing ‘vicose’ or ‘pashmina silk mix’ textiles under the same name.
Organic pashmina means that the entire process from nurturing the mountain goat all the way to the weaving and colouring of the textile is free from chemicals. However sourcing this eco-friendly version of pashmina might be a daunting task (likely a much more expensive product too, as with anything that comes with an organic certification).
Alternatively, for the animal friendly, strict vegan and green lover who will not settle for anything less than 100% organic, there’s always the option of considering a Pashbu. What’s that you ask? Well, made from the sustainable source of bamboo fibre, Pashbu is a 100% light-weight bamboo scarf by DreamSacks.
Dreamsacks Inc is a green business with the seal of approval by Green America. The bamboo crops used to make their clothing and bedding are certified organic by the Organic Crop Improvement Association International (OCIA) so feel free to wrap that Pashbu around your neck without the green guilt.
