Our expert craftsmen take pride in every thread, every twist, every yarn and every stitch, from raw fibre in the wool store to perfected garment on the showroom floor. From dyeing to blending, carding to spinning, warping to weaving,and cutting to folding – it all happens in our own mills in the heart of Kashmir.
COLORING PROCESS.
There are four different, but equally effective, ways to dye our fibre: in its natural state, when it has been spun into yarn or woven into cloth and where smaller quantities are needed, hand dying. Our dedicated dye technicians have worked tirelessly over the years to perfect our signature colour recipes, according to the character of the raw materials. Some of the dyes that we use today were developed as long ago as 1956. There are currently around 300 shades in our colour library, ranging from soft subtle tints to strong, vivid hues.
UNIFICATION PROCESS
Blends can be made of different colour of the same fibre or of the same fibre or of different types of fibre, e.g. cashmere and merino or cashmere and silk.
WHIRLING PROCESS
The rovings are then spun to transform them into yarn. Spinning twists the fibres together to give them strength and prepare them for weaving. The thickness of the yarn is determined at this stage by drawing the rovings out to a pre-determined degree. The yarn is expertly checked by hand at regular intervals throughout the carding and spinning process to ensure it has an even consistency.

WEAVING PROCESS
The weaving process begins with laying out the warp of the pattern. The warp consists of the threads which run vertically from the top to the bottom of the cloth. The number of threads in the warp varies according to the fineness of the yarn and the density and width of the fabric required. When the warp is ready it is wound onto a circular beam and transferred to the loom for weaving. Weaving is the introduction of the weft yarn, the thread that runs horizontally across the cloth. The colour, pattern and design of the weave is pre-determined by our team of passionate designers, who look to Himalayan landscapes and heritage for endless inspiration. We have two different kinds of weaving loom: Handlooms and Jacquard looms. The Handlooms weave our signature styles of squares, checks and stripes whereas the Jacquard looms can create much more intricate patterns.
FINISHING PROCESS
When cashmere pashmina has been woven, its appearance is rough. There are many processes involved in transforming the cashmere pashmina into a luxurious finished product, many of which have remained unchanged for hundreds of years. We use only the softest, natural water to scour our fabric, ensuring that it is gently restored to its natural, super-soft state. Scouring removes the oil applied to protect the fibre during the manufacturing processes, while milling shrinks and thickens the fabric. After wet finishing, the fabric is dried by passing it over rollers steaming machine Depending on the end use of the fabric, further finishing processes are carried out, such as cropping, raising and pressing before final inspection. Whether it’s a scarf, shawl, every piece is made to last. From accessories to fabrics, our products, made from start to finish in Kashmir, define luxury and quality.

Our responsibility is to encourage craftsmen of Kashmir find critical means of support to achieve their dreams and aspiration in enhancing their skills and artistry. We consider that such promotions will change the lives of artists of Kashmir valley in bring certainty in future jobs. The decorative charmingly handmade products shown in our stores are a testimony to the brilliant talent of these artists and our desire is driven by seeing them busy and doing their jobs at their best. Our aim is to help and partner with the artisans of Kashmir in exploring new frontier of Kashmir art and craft using their sheer skills and dedication. Here at Designer Kashmir we are committed to reducing our environmental impact and making sure that we treat our employees, suppliers and partners in a positive and responsible way. We aren’t doing this because we believe that all modern businesses should (though it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge that lightening a company’s social and environmental footprint makes good economic and business sense in the world we now live in).

We’re doing it because it is a philosophy that has been deeply ingrained in our company’s culture since its founding over 46 years ago. Given this heritage, we thought it was time we shouted a little louder about the things we’re doing right and tried to pinpoint those areas in which improvements can still be made. Our objective is to pass this beautiful Kashmir crafts for next generation and so our motivating passion is to help this artist community of Kashmir to present their work to rest of the world. It would have been impossible without the immense and on-going courageous effort of all our master craftsmen who over the generations have passed down the sophistications of Kashmir craft to their peers. The Designer Kashmir strives to make a transformation in the living standard of Kashmiri society and this tune is rooted in our work.

Our Sustainable Initiatives We realize that the selections we create today will effect the future of our sphere. As a result, we are steadfast to constantly improving our sustainability and are proud to work with natural, renewable and eco-friendly fibres including Cashmere and wool. We aggressively reduce our ecological impression by developing Kashmir’s soft, free-flowing water in our processes and using energy from renewable sources wherever possible. In Kashmir, we work with groups to upkeep sustainable practices in Cashmere production, we invest in our people, understanding that they are at the very heart of everything we do. We know that today's actions will shape the future, which is why sustainability has always been a part of our story. Today, the textile and the fashion industry understand the urgent need to change the ways clothes are manufactured. Today's fashion industry offers shoppers more choice than ever before, but many of these choices come at considerable cost to the environment. Considering the long-term impacts of high-fashion throw-away clothing it's no wonder so many people continue to invest in well made, high-quality products that will stand the test of time. When choosing the fibres of your future wardrobe, cashmere and fine wools are smart choices. Air dyeing has become an outstanding feature in designing for the designers. This is a one step process which saves 7-75 gallons of water in dyeing a pound of fabric. It uses 85% less energy compared to the traditional dyeing methods and most importantly does not release harmful waste. Similarly, in our digital printing, the prints are directly applied to the fabric. .

Designer Kashmir is official registered member of Geographical Indications (GIs) for shawls and scarves of ‘Kashmir Sozani’ and ‘Kani Shawl’. The protection of Geographical Indications (GIs) has, over the years, emerged as one of the most contentious intellectual property right (IPR) issues in the realm of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). It has gained more interest since its protection has been ensured multilaterally under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement of the World Trade Organisation. ‘Kashmir Sozani’ and ‘Kani Shawl’ are the officially registered items in GI registry of India under Handicraft goods form Jammu and Kashmir. A GI certification is licensed to the producers and other business operators of the GI production line through a membership application in a GI club. .

We are proud to announce that we recently launched our brand-new premises on the 1st November 2019 in Kashmir. This new factory will help us better serve expectations and will optimize the logistical flow. We will take constantly steadfast measures in our new premise to improving our sustainability and work with natural, renewable and eco-friendly fibres of cashmere and wool. The improved facility will also undoubtedly prove very useful for new design and development of our various range of product in term of their design, fabric quality, fabric printing, workmanship, embroidery and more..