A considerable number of pashmina stalls have suddenly sprung up all over malls several years back and judging by the warm welcome it has had with satisfied customers, it would be safe to say that the pashmina fashion is here to say.

In places where winter doesn’t necessarily mean snow, the pashmina reigns without competition. What is it that makes this light and silken piece of fabric better-received by the buying public in compared to its close cousin, the traditional scarf? The simple explanation for this is obvious – it’s all about the material. The pashmina is made from very delicate and smooth textiles while most scarves are knitted. Most women prefer the pashmina to scarves because when folded over a couple of times, these provide just the right amount of warmth they need if the air conditioning in the office or the movie house is a little too much to handle. When outdoors and the temperature is not too chilly, they could simply drape the pashmina over their shoulders and turn it into a sheer, stylish shawl. The lightweight pashmina could even be rolled into one flimsy lump easy to tuck away in any small space in the handbag.

The heavier fabric of the scarf may be too warm to wear outdoors and too bulky to put away in a bag that’s already crammed full.