Cashmere is produced from the undercoat of a changthangi goat reared in the Indian Changthang (literally meaning: Tibetan plateau) region, home to the Chang-pa semi-nomadic herders. Chang-pa's have reared these goats in the ecologically sensitive rangelands of Changthang for generations now. This soft fibre grows soft on the pashmina goats in the harsh winters, when temperatures can drop down to - 40 degrees at the altitude of about 17000ft.
Ladakh Pashmina only makes up about 1% of the global cashmere market. The entire cashmere market is rigged against the herders who lose out to middlemen that trade these products in mainland India and abroad. The Changpa have made a pittance for handing over pashmina wool to Kashmiri traders since the 17th century. Ladakh Pashmina also faces immense pressure from Chinese (75% market share) and Mongolian (19% market share) mass-produced cashmere. As opposed to competing with machine-made goods, it stands to be an example of a truly sustainable, labour and wildlife-friendly product.
Through this film, our goal is to give a voice to the entire Pashmina rearing and producing community. If this product and story are successful, it could potentially uplift the last of the Changpa herders by shifting them from being mere producers of raw material to exporters of finished cashmere goods.
A film by Munmun Dhalaria, Moon Peak Films
