A quality pashmina shawl is an excellent addition to any wardrobe. Because of confusion over terminology and misleading labling, though, finding a pashmina that's truly high quality isn't always so easy.
Quality material
So why is it some pashmina shawls go for $40 while others cost several hundred dollars? A lot of it has to do with the type of cashmere used to make the shawl. The highest quality pashmina comes from the upper chest and throat area of the goat. This wool is very soft, but it's also quite delicate. It takes great care and time to weave, which raises the price of any product made from it. Lower quality pashmina, on the other hand, is throat wool mixed with coarser wool from the belly and shoulders. Being tougher, this wool is easier to work with, so it takes less effort to weave. This is still considered pure pashmina, though. The most important factor is that the pashmina not be mixed with sheep's wool, which is noticeably coarser, and of course the pashmina is no longer pure.
So why is it some pashmina shawls go for $40 while others cost several hundred dollars? A lot of it has to do with the type of cashmere used to make the shawl. The highest quality pashmina comes from the upper chest and throat area of the goat. This wool is very soft, but it's also quite delicate. It takes great care and time to weave, which raises the price of any product made from it. Lower quality pashmina, on the other hand, is throat wool mixed with coarser wool from the belly and shoulders. Being tougher, this wool is easier to work with, so it takes less effort to weave. This is still considered pure pashmina, though. The most important factor is that the pashmina not be mixed with sheep's wool, which is noticeably coarser, and of course the pashmina is no longer pure.
To be of reasonable quality, a pahsmina shawl or scarf should be either 100% pashmina (cashmere) or a blend of 70% pashmina and 30% silk. Other ratios of pashmina and silk can also be found. There's nothing wrong with a pashmina/silk blend, so long as you know what you're getting. Just be aware that a pashmina shawl's sheen is no indication of quality; it just means the cashmere has been blended with silk.