There is silk and there is silk.. Or Sabra

I bought Vivienne a couple of pashmina's in Fes yesterday and argued with the vendor, who did in fact have a weaving loom, that were these the real thing, that is made from the Agave cactus silk called Sabra , as the labels looked exactly the same as those that I have bought in Singapore cheaply. He assured me these were local although other websites suggest that they might be locally dyed rayon. In any case young Vivienne assure me she loves them.. This is a good explanation of the process

http://quiltstodyefor.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/traveller-has-returned/

Also I do realise that genuine 100% pashmina comes from the rarer Himalayan cashmere goat:"Some manufacturers use the term pashmina to describe an ultra fine cashmere fiber; others use the term to describe a blend of cashmere and silk. The FTC encourages manufacturers and sellers of products described as pashmina to explain to consumers, on a hangtag, for example, what they mean by the term. As with all other wool products, the fiber content of a shawl, scarf or other item marketed as pashmina must be accurately disclosed. For example, a blend of cashmere and silk might be labeled 50% Cashmere, 50% Silk or 70% Cashmere, 30% Silk, depending upon the actual cashmere and silk content. If the item contains only cashmere, it should be labeled 100% Cashmere or All Cashmere. The label cannot say 100% Pashmina, as pashmina is not a fiber recognized by the Wool Act or regulations. From Wikipedia .