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As glaciers melt around the world, indigenous herders see their livelihoods threatened. Here’s how you can help.
Handwoven Editors2 min read
Have you heard about this? The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation.
Rapidly melting glaciers endanger not only the environment, but also the indigenous populations who depend on them for their social and economic survival. The nomadic herders in Ladakh, India, along with other communities throughout glacial regions around the world, are feeling the impact of vanishing water supplies that support their crops and fiber-producing animals.
By purchasing and using cashmere in a project, you can provide valuable support directly to fiber producers. With that in mind, we encourage you to design something with cashmere, share your work for everyone to enjoy—and maybe even win a prize in the Cashmere on Ice contest. Keep reading to learn more about that!
To inspire you, we took a look through the Handwoven archives for projects that take advantage of cashmere’s beautifully soft, lofty warmth. Here’s a rundown of some of them to consider as you plan your project.
The Blue Haze Cashmere Scarf. Photo by George Boe
Linda Williams’s twill diamond Blue Haze Cashmere Scarf is woven with a recycled cashmere yarn weft on a merino/Tencel warp. You’ll find the project in Handwoven’s January/February 2018 issue.
The Cashmere Silk and Bamboo Scarf. Photo by Joe Coca
Carry Wilcox’s Cashmere Silk and Bamboo Scarf includes a band of overshot patterning woven with a cashmere/silk blend, on a ground of bamboo. You can download it in the Free 8-Shaft Weaving Patterns eBook (or find it in Handwoven’s September/October 2010 issue).
The “Who Knew It’s Huck” Scarf. Photo by Joe Coca
Katie Allen’s “Who Knew It’s Huck” Scarf is woven in silk and cashmere. You can find it in Handwoven’s May/June 2016 issue.
The Taconic Tonic. Photo by Caleb Young
Elisabeth Hill’s Taconic Tonic scarf, woven in deflected doubleweave on the rigid-heddle loom, uses a wool/cashmere blend. You can access the pattern here.
The One Skein Scarf. Photo by Joe Coca
Liz Gipson’s One Skein Scarf uses (you guessed it) a single skein of precious cashmere in Atwater-Bronson lace on the rigid-heddle loom. It’s in Handwoven’s May/June 2009 issue.
After you’ve headed off on your project design adventure and woven your piece, please submit a picture of it to the gallery at Cashmere on Ice. The contest deadline is September 1, 2025, so you’ve got the summer to design and weave!
Prizes (cash and gift certificates) will be awarded to projects chosen from the gallery. To be eligible to win, items must be handmade, must be at least 50% cashmere, must be your original design, and must fit in at least one of these prize categories:
To learn more about the contest and prizes, or to submit your handwoven piece to the gallery, visit Cashmere on Ice.
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