Pashmina locally known as Lena Cashmere comes from a particular type of goat called Changra that lives in the high altitude regions of Ladakh in northern India and in neighboring Tibet at a height of over 5000 meters. Nature has provided the goats with their thick under coat to protect them from the extreme cold of winter. There is almost no rain in this arid region.
They are raised in herds by caring shepherds who comb the fleece out by hand in the spring. The heavy coarse outer hair is then separated from the fine soft Cashmere under coat.
They graze on the sparse vegetation of the region where no chemicals have ever been used and their water is provided by mineral enriched streams coming down from the high mountains.
Changra goats are not to be found in Kashmir itself, as they cannot tolerate its damp climate but for centuries their fine Fleece has been brought over the high passes from their natural habitat in the high arid Changtung plateau. From here, it has always been brought over the high passes in to the fertile Kashmir valley, as it is only here that exist the talents to prepare and weave it into wonderfully soft luxurious shawls.