The cashmere and pashmina fibers are collected from households and village committees and taken to the fiber processing unit. Lomanthang Cashmere has established its own processing unit for pashmina and cashmere fibers, operating in a cooperative model with farmers and various national and international organizations.
The fiber processing involves several steps:
1.Combing or Shearing: The process begins with the combing or shearing of the Pashmina goats.
2. Fiber Sorting: The fibers are sorted according to color, quality, and contamination.
3. Fiber Opening and Dedusting: This step involves opening the fibers and removing excessive sand, dust, dandruff, and other impurities.
4. Fiber Scouring: A biodegradable detergent is used to wash the fibers, further removing dust, sand, and natural animal grease.
5. Final Sorting and Dehairing: Coarse guard hair is separated from the fine down during the final sorting.
6. Carding: The fibers are carded into even strands, preparing them for spinning.
7. Hand Spinning: All fibers are hand-spun into yarn using a charkha.
8. Knitting or weaving: Once the yarn is spun, it can be knitted or woven into various cashmere products.
This comprehensive process transforms raw fibers into high-quality cashmere products, ensuring careful handling at each step.