Cashmere is an animal fiber culled from goats originally of the Kashmir region in India, Afghanistan, Tibet, and Mongolia and the use dates back several thousand years. Processing the hair into fiber is a complex process but the results, when woven or knitted, produce a garment or accessory that is both warm and soft. The name cashmere was coined by the British in the early 1800s when Kashmir shawls, made from pashm, became the rage. Later, in the late 1990s, the pashmina shawl was popularized but was mostly a blend of silk and pashm. Camel hair is a lesser grade of cashmere, produced from the hair of a camel.
Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry. Francesca Sterlacci and Joanne Arbuckle.