Pashmina
Pashmina is the fine undercoat of the Changthangi and related high altitude goats of the Himalaya, combed out in the spring moult. It is the finest of the animal fibres in commercial trade, finer on average than cashmere from the lower Central Asian ranges, and it is grown as insulation against extreme cold, which is why it is so light for the warmth it delivers. The fibre is short and delicate, so it is traditionally hand spun and hand woven into shawls, wraps, stoles and scarves, and it is also used in fine knitwear and in blends with silk where extra strength is needed in the warp. Raw pashmina is traded as combed greasy fibre, as dehaired fibre, and as hand spun yarn.
Listed pashmina markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Pashmina is contracted on verified species and origin, on the instrument measurement of fibre diameter and length, and on the dehaired yield, which is what converts a raw combed weight into a usable one.
Fibre identity and species
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Species and goat typeDeclared | Capra hircus undercoat from the Changthangi and related high altitude Himalayan breeds. Verified by microscopy against ISO 17751 and, where the contract calls for it, by DNA testing. |
| Origin verificationDeclared, with the documentation | Ladakh, Changthang, the Nepali and Kashmiri high pastures or elsewhere. Geographical indication registrations apply to some finished descriptions and origin is a hard contract term for that reason. |
| Adulteration screenDeclared, with the test report | Screening against undeclared blending with sheep wool, yak down, viscose, nylon and low cost cashmere. This is the defining commercial risk in the pashmina trade. |
| Harvest methodDeclared | Combed from the moulting undercoat in spring, not shorn. Shearing cuts the guard hair in with the down and destroys the dehairing economics. |
| Processing stateDeclared | Raw combed greasy fibre, washed fibre, dehaired fibre, hand spun yarn or machine spun yarn. |
Fineness and dimensional measurement
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mean fibre diameterMicrons | Measured by laser scan or projection microscope on a conditioned sample. Pashmina sits at the finest end of the commercial animal fibres and this measurement is the entire price argument. |
| Coefficient of variation of diameterPercentage | The spread around the mean, which decides whether the fibre can be spun to a very fine count. |
| Mean fibre lengthMillimetres | Measured on a straightened sample. Pashmina is short and length limits how fine a yarn can be spun before it breaks. |
| Short fibre contentPercentage by mass | Fibre below the spinnable length, which is lost in carding. |
| Guard hair contentPercentage by mass, maximum, before and after dehairing | Coarse outer hair combed out with the down. The dehairing target and the term that decides handle. |
| Medullated fibre contentCount per unit mass, maximum | Hollow fibres that dye pale and feel harsh. |
| Dehaired yieldPercentage | Clean dehaired down recovered from the raw combed weight. It is the number the trade actually settles on. |
| Fibre strengthNewtons per tex | Determined under ISO 5079 on individual fibres. Pashmina is weak relative to wool and it dictates the spinning route. |
| CurvatureDegrees per millimetre | The crimp measurement, which drives loft and the warmth to weight performance. |
Colour and natural shade
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| WhiteNatural shade | The palest natural fibre, the only one that reaches the full pastel and bright shade range. |
| Light greyNatural shade | Pale grey down, dyeable to mid shades. |
| GreyNatural shade | Mid grey down. |
| BrownNatural shade | Natural brown down, sold undyed or dyed to deep shades. |
| MixedNatural shade | Unsorted natural colours, priced at a discount to sorted lines. |
| Dark and pigmented fibre countCount per unit mass, maximum | Pigmented fibres in a white or pale lot. Contracted on anything destined for a pale shade. |
| Colour consistencyAgainst the reference sample | Shade uniformity across the lot, which decides whether it dyes evenly as one batch. |
Cleanliness, yield and contamination
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Vegetable matter contentPercentage by mass, maximum | Burr, seed, straw and pasture material, determined by chemical digestion or by carding trial. It is the cost the topmaker carries and it is deducted in the price. |
| YieldPercentage, on a stated basis | Clean fibre recovered from the greasy or raw weight, measured against a defined regain and grease basis. It converts a greasy price to a clean price and it is the number the trade actually settles on. |
| Grease and suint contentPercentage by mass | The natural wax and salt fraction removed in scouring. |
| Regain and moisturePercentage, at the standard atmosphere | Measured under ISO 139. Fibre is bought at a contractual regain, not at whatever it weighs on the day. |
| Dark and medullated fibreCount per unit mass, maximum | Pigmented or hollow fibres that will not take dye evenly. Contracted on any lot destined for pale shades. |
| ContaminationDeclared, zero tolerance where specified | Polypropylene twine, synthetic packaging and foreign fibre. It is the single most damaging defect in a bale and the contract treats it as such. |
| Vegetable matter after dehairingPercentage by mass, maximum | Residual pasture material surviving the dehairing line, measured on the finished down rather than on the raw combed fibre. |
Delivery, packing and certification
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Baling and packingDeclared, with the bale weight and the pack material | Pressed bales, hydraulic bales, hanks or bundles, with the wrapping named. Synthetic wrap is excluded where contamination is a contract term. |
| Marking and lot identityDeclared | Bale marks, lot number and the test certificate number, tied to the sample retained by both parties. |
| Test certificateCertificate, with the issuing house | An independent test house certificate is the contract document in this trade and the lot is settled against it. |
| Sampling methodDeclared | Core sampling, grab sampling or full lot testing, with the number of bales sampled written into the contract. |
| Fumigation and phytosanitary treatmentDeclared, with the certificate | Named where the destination requires it for a plant or animal origin fibre. |
| CertificationCertificate, with the scheme and the certificate number | Organic, Responsible Wool, Responsible Alpaca, Responsible Mohair, Fairtrade or a private buyer standard, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| Clip or crop yearDeclared | The shearing season or the harvest year, recorded with the lot. |
| Combing seasonDeclared | The spring moult year the fibre was combed in, recorded with the lot. |
| Dehairing plantDeclared | Where the fibre was dehaired and on what line. Dehairing is where most of the value is made or lost. |
| Hand spun declarationDeclared | Whether the yarn was hand spun on a charkha or machine spun, which is a contract term in the shawl trade and a labelling requirement in several destinations. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| India | Ladakh, Changthang, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh | Origin and destination |
| China | Tibet, Qinghai and Xinjiang | Origin and destination |
| Nepal | Mustang, Dolpa and the northern high pastures | Origin and destination |
| Mongolia | Bayan-Olgii and the western high altitude aimags | Origin and destination |
| Afghanistan | Badakhshan and the central highlands | Origin and destination |
| Bhutan | the northern high pastures | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral | Origin and destination |
| Kyrgyzstan | Naryn and the high Tien Shan | Origin and destination |
| India | Srinagar and Kashmir, hand spinning and hand weaving | Destination |
| Nepal | Kathmandu, spinning and weaving | Destination |
| China | Inner Mongolia and Hebei, dehairing and spinning | Destination |
| Italy | Biella, Prato and Florence | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Scotland and England, knitwear and accessories | Destination |
| France | Paris and Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes | Destination |
| Germany | Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia | Destination |
| Spain | Catalonia and Madrid | Destination |
| Switzerland | Zurich and Geneva | Destination |
| United States | New York and California | Destination |
| Canada | Ontario and Quebec | Destination |
| Japan | Tokyo, Osaka and Aichi | Destination |
| South Korea | Seoul and Gyeonggi | Destination |
| Hong Kong | trading, finance and quality control for the regional knitwear base | Destination |
| Singapore | trading and regional distribution | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai, retail and re-export | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh and Jeddah | Destination |
| Turkey | Istanbul and Bursa | Destination |
| Russia | Moscow and Saint Petersburg | Destination |
| Australia | New South Wales and Victoria | Destination |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam and the distribution cluster | Destination |
| Belgium | Antwerp and Brussels | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the fibre is shorn, cut or retted at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is classing, testing, baling and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Jun, arrival Jul to OctThe Changthang goats moult as the high plateau warms, and the down is combed out from April through June. Sorting, washing and dehairing follow, so usable fibre reaches a spinner from mid year. | |||||
| China | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Jun, arrival Jul to OctThe Tibetan and Qinghai combing runs on the same spring moult, feeding the Inner Mongolian dehairing lines. | |||||
| Nepal | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Jun, arrival Jul to OctHigh pasture combing in late spring, with the fibre moving down to Kathmandu for washing and hand spinning. | |||||
| Mongolia | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to May, arrival Jun to SepA slightly earlier western moult, combed from March, with the fine high altitude lines separated from the general cashmere clip. | |||||
| Afghanistan | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Jun, arrival Aug to NovSpring combing in the central highlands, with a longer route to a dehairing plant and a correspondingly later arrival. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for pashmina. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading5102.11 Fine animal hair of Kashmir (cashmere) goats, not carded or combed
- PackingCompressed bales. Jute and sisal at 180 kg to 250 kg, animal fibre at 100 kg to 300 kg pressed under hessian or polypropylene wrap, silk in cartons. Bale identification must carry the lot and the test certificate number.
- Container loading20ft: 10 t to 18 t depending on bale density. Wool, cashmere and other animal fibres are volume limited well before weight.
- Contract and arbitrationIWTO Blue Book terms with IWTO core test certificates and arbitration under IWTO rules for wool and fine animal hair. Plant fibres on the contract of the origin trade association or on CIF terms with arbitration at the named seat.
- Destination limitsPhytosanitary certification for plant fibres under Regulation 2016/2031 and veterinary health certification for animal fibre under Regulation 2016/429 and Regulation 142/2011. EU REACH restrictions on residual dyes, biocides and azo colourants. CITES prohibits trade in shahtoosh and controls vicuna.
Common questions
What grades of pashmina does SIP Global trade?
We quote 38 published grades of pashmina, including Species and goat type - Declared, Origin verification - Declared, with the documentation, Adulteration screen - Declared, with the test report, Harvest method - Declared, Processing state - Declared and Mean fibre diameter - Microns. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is pashmina graded?
Pashmina is contracted on verified species and origin, on the instrument measurement of fibre diameter and length, and on the dehaired yield, which is what converts a raw combed weight into a usable one. Grading runs on 5 systems: Fibre identity and species, Fineness and dimensional measurement, Colour and natural shade, Cleanliness, yield and contamination and Delivery, packing and certification.
Where does SIP Global trade pashmina?
We trade pashmina in India, China, Nepal, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan and 22 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is pashmina harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are India: harvest apr to jun, arrival jul to oct; China: harvest apr to jun, arrival jul to oct; Nepal: harvest apr to jun, arrival jul to oct; Mongolia: harvest mar to may, arrival jun to sep; Afghanistan: harvest apr to jun, arrival aug to nov. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for pashmina?
Pashmina is normally classified under HS 5102.11 (fine animal hair of kashmir (cashmere) goats, not carded or combed). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for pashmina?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed pashmina market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- ASTM InternationalMaterials and test method standards
- IWTOInternational Wool Textile Organisation test methods
- IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary measures
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.