The Rise of Cashmere: India’s Luxury Fabric Revolution

How Cashmere Became The New-Age Indian Luxury Fabric

Cashmere has emerged as a new-age symbol of Indian luxury, driven by a growing return to natural fibres, ethical sourcing, and heritage craftsmanship. While global production is dominated by China, India’s relationship with cashmere is rooted in the Himalayan regions, where the fibre’s rarity, softness, and hand-processing have long defined quiet opulence. As luxury shifts toward sustainability and substance over excess, cashmere’s unmatched warmth, feather-light feel, and artisanal value have positioned it as a fabric of choice for modern Indian luxury.

What is Cashmere Fabric? Origins and Unique Properties

Cashmere fabric traces its origins to the breeding of cashmere goats in Mongolia and the Kashmir region, a practice that predates recorded history, with references appearing as early as the 3rd century BC. Through ancient trade routes linking Turkestan to the Middle East and Europe, this exceptionally soft fibre travelled across continents, eventually becoming prized in European royal courts—particularly in France. By the 19th century, cashmere had grown into a major global industry, supporting economies across regions while remaining deeply rooted in the lives of traditional Central Asian herders. Valued for its feather-light warmth, fine texture, and rarity, cashmere continues to hold an enduring place in the world of luxury textiles.

Cashmere is valued for its ultra-fine fibres, which make it exceptionally soft yet remarkably warm. Lightweight, breathable, and naturally insulating, it offers comfort without bulk, along with a subtle sheen and fluid drape that define its luxurious appeal.

Why Cashmere is Called "Soft Gold"

Cashmere is called “soft gold” because of its rarity, unmatched softness, and luxurious feel. Harvested by hand from the undercoat of cashmere goats, its delicate fibres are limited in supply, making each piece highly valuable. Lightweight yet warm, with a natural sheen and elegant drape, cashmere combines scarcity and comfort, earning it a place among the most coveted fibres in the world.

Advertisment

Cashmere vs Pashmina: Understanding the Key Differences

While often used interchangeably, cashmere and pashmina are not the same. Cashmere refers broadly to the ultra-soft undercoat fibre from certain goat breeds, prized for warmth, lightness, and luxury. Pashmina, on the other hand, is a finer, hand-spun variety of cashmere traditionally sourced from the Himalayan regions of India and Nepal. All pashmina is cashmere, but not all cashmere qualifies as pashmina. The distinction lies in fibre thickness, origin, and artisanal processing, which give pashmina its signature softness and delicate drape.

Sustainability: The Heart of Cashmere Luxury

The true luxury of cashmere today lies in its sustainability. Ethically sourced and hand-combed from goats in the Himalayas, it supports traditional herders and preserves centuries-old weaving techniques. With growing demand for cruelty-free, eco-conscious fashion, responsibly produced cashmere combines heritage craftsmanship with modern values, ensuring that luxury is as mindful as it is timeless.

Ralph Lauren has been pushing responsible and circular approaches in its cashmere supply chain as part of a broader Timeless by Design sustainability strategy. It has committed to sourcing cashmere that meets strict sustainability criteria, such as certification from the Sustainable Fibre Alliance or equivalent, or recycled cashmere, by 2025, ensuring high animal welfare and reduced environmental impact.