Pashmina shawls, famous for their fine quality and softness, are traditionally made from the hair of which animal?

Introduction / Context:
Pashmina shawls are luxury textile products that are highly valued for their softness, warmth, and fine texture. They are associated especially with Kashmir and surrounding high altitude regions. General knowledge questions often test whether you know the exact animal source of the fine fibre used to make these shawls. This question asks you to identify which animal provides the hair or undercoat that is spun into genuine Pashmina yarn.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The product mentioned is the Pashmina shawl.
• The options are Sheep, Goat, Rabbit, and Yak.
• We assume basic knowledge of traditional textiles of India and neighbouring regions.
• We also assume that the question is about authentic Pashmina and not general woollen shawls.

Concept / Approach:
True Pashmina is made from the fine undercoat hair of a special breed of mountain goat, often called the Pashmina goat or Changthangi goat, which inhabits high altitudes in parts of Ladakh and neighbouring areas. While sheep wool and yak hair are also used for making warm clothing, they are not the source of Pashmina. Rabbit fur is used for some types of angora wool, but again not for Pashmina shawls. Therefore, the correct concept is that Pashmina fibre comes from a goat, not from sheep, rabbit, or yak.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify Pashmina as a very fine, soft type of cashmere wool traditionally collected from high altitude regions. Step 2: Recall that this fine fibre is combed from the undercoat of goats adapted to cold mountain climates. Step 3: Compare this with sheep, which provide regular wool but are not the primary source of true Pashmina. Step 4: Note that rabbit provides angora wool and yak yields coarse but warm hair, neither of which is labelled as Pashmina in traditional terminology. Step 5: Conclude that Goat is the correct option because genuine Pashmina shawls are made from goat hair.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by recalling that many articles and labels on authentic Pashmina mention Pashmina goat or cashmere goat as the source of the fibre. The word cashmere itself is linked to Kashmir, yet it specifically refers to fine goat hair. Sheep wool products are usually sold simply as woollen shawls or blankets. Yak hair is used for ropes, tents, and thicker fabrics in Himalayan regions, but not for the finest shawls advertised as Pashmina. These associations confirm that goat is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Sheep is wrong because although sheep wool is widely used for shawls and sweaters, it does not match the special fineness of Pashmina and is not the traditional fibre for this specific product. Rabbit is incorrect because it is associated with angora wool, which is a different category of fibre. Yak is also wrong, as yak hair is coarse and used for strong, heavy fabrics rather than delicate Pashmina shawls. None of these animals provide the precise type of fine goat hair that defines authentic Pashmina.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to assume that all woollen shawls are made from sheep wool and to pick Sheep automatically without noticing that the question specifically uses the term Pashmina. Another mistake is to confuse cashmere, angora, and Pashmina because they are all luxury fibres, and to forget their different animal sources. Organising them mentally, such as cashmere and Pashmina from goats, angora from rabbits, and ordinary wool from sheep, helps to avoid such confusion in exam questions.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Goat, because Pashmina shawls are traditionally made from the fine undercoat hair of special mountain goats, often called Pashmina goats.