Pashmina, from the Persian word for wool, is popularly known in the west as cashmere wool, from the old spelling for Kashmir. The fine wool comes from the undercoat of the Himalayan mountain goat, which lives in the most remote regions of the Tibetan Plateau. For over a thousand years cashmere has been woven into shawls and blankets, prized by royalty and common people alike for its otherworldly softness, warmth, and long life. For many centuries Kashmir was the only place the fiber could be woven into shawls, according to treaties that gave the Maharaja of Kashmir exclusive rights to Tibet's pashmina supply. Today most of the world's pashmina shawls are woven on handlooms in Kashmir Valley. And most are woven on a warp of spun silk for increased suppleness and strength. In recent years this silk and cashmere blend has become the darling of the western fashion world.