Pashmina passion
The world's finest fibres, prized above all others, are those that are soft, supple and sensuous and are produced from animals living at high altitudes. The thin mountain air, sparse vegetation and frigid temperatures at heights over 5,000m produce the thin under coat of hair that, for centuries, has been so highly sought after from Himalayan goats, the endangered species of Chiru antelope of Tibet and the Vicuña camelid of the Andes.
Cashmere
Over the last century the main producers of cashmere have been China (90%), Mongolia, Iran, Turkey and India. Total world production is now over 5,000 tonnes each year. But demand for cashmere continues to increase and cashmere goats can now be from the hot plains of Texas to the cold heights of the Himalayas. But the thicker atmosphere and richer vegetation at lower altitudes produce much thicker, coarser hair; it is far softer than any sheep wool but not as fine or as valuable as hair harvested from the Himalayan goats and woven by Kashmir weavers for Pashmina shawls.
Any goat fibre less than 19 microns can be classified as cashmere but Pashmina is 10-14 microns and, ounce for ounce, is the warmest insulation in the world. Twice a year the goats of Ladakh are combed as they shed their light downy underhair and this fleece sold in the markets of Leh, which lies on the silk road to China. As less than 80gm of hair is harvested from each goat, it takes the yield of three goats to make one small scarf and over thirty to make a small blanket. Total production from Ladakh is a tiny fraction of that from China and Mongolia but a Pashmina shawl is so light it is said to float on the shoulders and yet be as warm as a coat. Now favoured in high fashion circles, Pashminas are simply known to be made from the best cashmere in the world.
Shahtoosh - king of fibres
Pashmina wool may be fine but it is not the finest; the most precious natural fibre in the world comes from a small Tibetan antelope known as the Chiru. Half as thin as Pashmina cashmere, the hair is woven to produce Shahtoosh - meaning the king of wools. Shahtoosh shawls were regarded as family heirlooms in the royal and wealthy families of India. Today a pure shahtoosh shawl can cost up to 20,000 dollars on the international market. But the 'lure' of huge profits, has made shahtoosh a favoured bartering item for Tibetan smugglers who trade the wool for tiger parts, bear gall bladder and musk used in Chinese medicine. Despite a global CITES trade ban in shahtoosh and shahtoosh products, shawls are exported and marketed illegally throughout the world. With the availability of high-powered rifles and all terrain jeeps, whole herds have been wiped out and less than 3,000 animals remain on the trans-Himalayan plains. Far fewer would exist without the sustained efforts of several wildlife organisations, including the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI). Feasibility studies for the domestication of the Chiru are currently being conducted to try and ensure that this endangered species has a future.
Camelid wool
At the time of the Spanish conquistadors, 1.5 million vicuna, (Vicugna vicugna) the smallest camelid species, ranged on the high altitude grassland plateaux of the Andes from Ecuador to Argentina. But, until 1825 when a law protecting the species was passed, more than 8000 a year were killed for their soft wool and meat. Despite protection, demand for skins from Europe and the USA continued and, with the spread of domesticated livestock, the numbers were reduced to 6000 by 1965. Today, through conservation efforts, their numbers are rising and, in some areas, the vicuna is once more being rounded up, shorn and re-released. In other parts of its range, a few are even having to be culled to protect the grassland habitat. Numbers of vicuna are now around 125,000 but the species is still classified as endangered. Protection continues to be provided by Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina and export of Vicuna products is still banned.
In contrast, Alpaca, a relation of the vicuna, has been domesticated for over 2000 years and continues to be farmed for its wool. Once thought to have been bred from the wild guanaco, the alpaca is now thought to have been derived from a cross between the domesticated llama and the vicuna. Domesticated by the Incas around 500 BC, the alpaca (Lama pacos) has been an important livestock animal for its wool, meat, skin and milk, as well as for its dung, which is dried for fuel. It is still a vital subsistence animal to the native Andean Indians of Peru, Chile and Argentina. But, with the growing demand for alpaca wool, large herds are now being built up throughout South America and the United States. Peru produces almost all of the world's alpaca fibre, exporting 90% of its output with the remainder used for weaving native ponchos, blankets and rope. Alpacas are very efficient at utilizing fodder. The natural vegetation of the Andean plains is tussock grass but some farmers have begun to improve the pasture with rye-grass, alfalfa and white clover to raise productivity. In winter, some additional fodder, such as grass or alfalfa hay may be provided. Today alpacas are raised worldwide and they have proven exceptionally healthy and disease resistant in a range of climates. Scarcity of alpacas and demand for their luxury fibre has kept alpaca breeding and sales strong around the world. This interest makes these easily managed animals a great prospect, even on small acreages, and it is claimed that few animals are more suited to run alongside existing cattle or dairy farms than the alpaca.
