--By Eliza Tuladhar

 

With the joint efforts of the government and the World Trade Organization (WTO)/ Enhanced Integrated Framework Trading Stories project, a project that aims to improve Pashmina product development and marketing, the Nepali Chyangra Pashmina is finally going to receive a new lease of life. Pashmina product is one of the major exportable products of the country but the export of the product started declining in the early 2000 when the international market started importing Pashmina products from Chinese and the Indian Market. 

 

The loss of reputation has significantly affected the Pashmina that was a very strong export industry for Nepal. In the year 2000, the industry had exported Pashmina worth Rs 15 billion but it has reduced to a mere Rs 1 billion currently due to the cheap fake products that keep the market flooded.

 

However now with the support of WTO/EIF Trading Stories project the Pashmina industrialist are hopeful to revive its international trading and minimize the threat created due to the increasing number of export from the Chinese and Indian market. According to Nepal Pashmina Industries Association (NPIA) President, Pushpa Man Shrestha, the association is hopeful that the project will start from March this year. “The project under the WTO/EIF Trading Stories is a three years long project which will be basically focused on showcasing, Chyangra farming, production of raw material, Pashmina manufacturing process and finally its trading process,” said Shrestha.

 

The ‘Pashmina Enhancement and Trade Support project under WTO aims to respond to trade related priorities in the Nepal Trade Integrated Strategies as well as to build sustainable local capacities and leverage additional resources from development partner pursuant to the goal. The project will contribute to achieving improved and increased export performance by at least 20 per cent. Chyangra Pashmina from Nepal is exported to more than 60 countries and the ‘Chyangra’ trademark is registered in more than 40 of these countries. 

 

Due to weak quality control and nominal productions of domestic raw materials, as well as lack of brand awareness of Nepali ‘Chyangra Pashmina’ in the international market the export of Pashmina has been disturbed. 

 

History of Pashmina

Pashmina is the finest inner wool that grows as layer at the very bottom of thick and coarse fibre of Himalayan goat, locally known as chyangra (Capra Hircus), living above 2000 meter from the sea level. Each chyangra does produce 90 grams of Pashmina once a year. It is extracted from its body either by combing or by cutting during January to February. Pashmina is one of the finest, softest, warmest and lightest wool found in nature. In fact, it is the best wool in the world. Pashmina is known by different names like “Diamond Fibre” and “Soft Gold of High Asia”. It is unparalleled in uniqueness and elegance to any other fibres. The main raw materials used for producing Pashmina products are ‘Pashmina Yarn’ and ‘Silk Yarn’ plus dyes and chemicals. 

 

 

Production of Pashmina 

The production process of pashmina product generally includes weaving, dyeing, processing, fringing, tassels, embroidery, beadwork, printing etc. Nepali Chyangra Pashmina, one of the major exportable product of the country is ‘the softest, exotically, delicate, weightless and the finest insulating fibre of the world with high potential for export to the European market. The outer layer of Chyangra is discarded and only the inner layer of fibre measuring less than 16.5 microns is specified for use as Pashmina. These extraordinary characters of Pashmina fibres have encouraged weavers to produce various types of wraps for warmness. The exquisite characters of Nepali Chyangra Pashmina have established it as the most precious possession. The Pashmina fibre thus obtained from the Chyangra are spun into thin yarn which is woven to make different types of Pashmina products like blankets, shawls, stoles, scarves as well as pullovers, cardigans etc. 

 

Pricing of Pashmina products 

The price of Nepali Pashmina product basically depends upon its quality, ordering size, colour, design and size. Almost all of the Pashmina industries are concentrated in the Kathmandu Valley. They are absolutely export-oriented. However, it has been given the impression that as many as 5 per cent of its products may be consumed within the country. Pashmina products account for more than 50 per cent of the total export figure of the handicraft products. And it is the major export component under the handicraft goods category.

 

The number of international export markets of Nepali Pashmina products exceeds 40 out of which, USA, Italy, Canada, UK, France, Japan, Germany and India are the major ones.

 

Challenges faced by Nepali Chyangra Pashmina

Nepali Pashmina industries need to import all the raw material. Pashmina Yarn and Silk Yarn are imported from China and India and Chemicals and dyes from Europe and India. It can be made of pure Pashmina yarn or by using both Pashmina yarn and Silk yarn in a certain proportion normally in the ratio of 70:30, depending upon the demand of the buyers. Fineness, softness, warmness, lightness, durability and craftsmanship are its inherent features. Shrestha also claimed that lower priced Indian Pashmina products have hit the market of Nepali Pashmina and has made it difficult to survive the growing price competition. Pashmina exporters also say that according to the international buyers, price of Nepali Pashmina products is around 30 per cent more than that of Indian products. Indian exporters can buy huge quantity of raw materials and have started their own spinning that has made their products more competitive in the international market.

 

Pashmina industries in the country 

According to Nepal Pashmina Industries Association (NPIA) there are around 20 industries that have exports of around Rs one billion including exports to India. There are 300 Pashmina exporters registered at NPIA and out of them 20 have high production capacity and with good export figures. There are around two to four industries who also export Pashmina to India.

 

Pashmina was famous across the world for the past couple of decades but with the introduction of low priced and fake Pashmina wool, the original Pashmina industry is fighting for existence. However the product is gradually being reintroduced as the brand ‘Chyangra Pashmina’. “We have tried to reintroduce the Nepali Pashmina with the brand ‘Chyangra Pashmina; and we hope that the WTO/EIF project will give us much required support to move ahead with promotion and development of new products and improvement of the products that will meet the demands of the international market,” said Shrestha. The association along with the government has registered a collective trademark ‘Chyangra Pashmina’ and its logo in the domestic and international markets to get rid of fake pashmina. Chyangra pashmina is now a registered brand in 41 countries. The association has also applied for its registration in South Africa, Brazil, Russia, Taiwan and the UAE.

 

The World Trade Organization has recently developed trading stories of Pashmina to create awareness about the product and bring more opportunities for it in the international market. The Pashmina trading story includes each step of production –– from Chyangra farming to processing –– which will help create awareness about pure Chyangra Pashmina among the people in around 148 countries.