Genuine hand-woven Kashmir pashmina shawl (GI-certified)

The genuine article — hand-spun Changthangi cashmere woven in Srinagar — exists almost nowhere else at this price, but only the GI label separates it from a continent of viscose.

Price: 18000 INR (Solid-colour, hand-spun hand-woven 100% pashmina (70x200cm) from GI-registered sellers; embroidered pieces run ₹30,000–150,000+)

Where to buy: GI-registered showrooms in Srinagar, Kashmir Government Arts Emporium, Central Cottage Industries (Delhi/Mumbai), Kashmir Loom — not houseboat vendors or hotel touts.

Price checked 2026-07-03

• WARNING: the vast majority of 'pashmina' sold to tourists across India is viscose or a silk/wool blend — ₹500–2,000 'pashminas' are fakes by definition; real hand-spun pashmina starts around ₹10,000
• Demand the Kashmir Pashmina GI label with hologram/QR from the Craft Development Institute — it certifies hand-spun, hand-woven fibre under 16 microns
• Tell-tales of the real thing: irregular handloom weave against light, matte (not shiny) finish, warmth-to-weight, slight fibre halo; the 'ring test' is unreliable since fine viscose passes it too
• Sellers won't allow burn tests on stock (fair enough) — a fringe thread from a purchased piece burning to powdery ash with a burnt-hair smell confirms animal fibre; plastic smell and hard bead means you were had
• NEVER buy shahtoosh — it's from endangered Tibetan antelope, illegal everywhere, and possession is a crime in the US, UK and India