The cashmere shawl is one accessory that any woman should have in her wardrobe, particularly the ones who adopt a more feminine look. Cashmere is a high quality fabric made from the wool of a species of goats bred in the Kashmir region in India. There is evidence to suggest that cashmere shawls were weaved in India even in the 11th century, but the industry only appeared in the 15th century. Ever since the 1800s, the cashmere shawl has begun to be worn and appreciated by the high-society ladies in Europe and it has become increasingly popular ever since. Back then, the manufacturing process of a cashmere shawl was a very difficult one, using only first quality wool from the Cashmere goats and it required endless hours of painstaking work. The fact that it was hand made reflected in the price, making a cashmere shawl affordable only for the rich.
Nowadays, the process of making a cashmere shawl is obviously much simpler, relying mostly on machines, but the quality of the fabric still makes it quite expensive compared to similar accessories.
The fact that the fabric is so soft and fragile means that there are certain rules to be followed when cleaning your cashmere shawl. It should be either professionally dry-cleaned or hand washed. If you decide to wash it yourself, you should use lukewarm water and a delicate detergent. To get the water out of it, place it inside a towel and press it. Then it should be left to air-dry laid flat on a surface to make sure it doesn't crease.
Even though it's difficult to find hand-made cashmere shawls nowadays, they still are a precious item to own and you should always remember to care for them properly if you want to have them in your closet for a long time.
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