Kashmir shawl in the context of "Paisley, Renfrewshire"

Paisley or paisley pattern is an ornamental textile design using the boteh (Persian: بته) or buta, a teardrop-shaped motif with a curved upper end. Of Iranian/Persian origin, paisley designs became popular in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries, following imports of post-Mughal Empire versions of the design from India, especially in the form of Kashmir shawls, and were then replicated locally.

The English name for the patterns comes from the town of Paisley, in the west of Scotland, a centre for textiles where paisley designs were reproduced using jacquard looms.

Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from cashmere goats, pashmina goats, and some other breeds of goat. It has been used to make yarn, textiles and clothing for hundreds of years. Cashmere is closely associated with the Kashmir shawl, the word "cashmere" deriving from an anglicization of Kashmir, when the Kashmir shawl reached Europe in the 19th century. Both the soft undercoat and the guard hairs may be used; the softer hair is reserved for textiles, while the coarse guard hair is used for brushes and other non-apparel purposes. Cashmere is a hygroscopic fiber, absorbing and releasing water from the air based on the surrounding environment. This helps regulate the body in both warm and cool temperatures.

A number of countries produce cashmere and have improved processing techniques over the years, but China and Mongolia are two of the leading producers as of 2019. Afghanistan is ranked third.

Srinagar is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. It is the largest city and summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an Indian-administered union territory. It lies in the Kashmir Valley along the banks of the Jhelum River, and the shores of Dal Lake and Anchar Lakes, between the Hari Parbat and Shankaracharya hills. The city is known for its natural environment, various gardens, waterfronts and houseboats. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts like the Kashmir shawl (made of pashmina and cashmere wool), papier-mâché, wood carving, carpet weaving, and jewel making, as well as for dried fruits. It is the second-largest metropolitan area in the Himalayas (after Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal).

Founded in the 6th century during the rule of the Gonanda dynasty according to the Rajatarangini, the city took on the name of an earlier capital thought to have been founded by the Mauryas in its vicinity. The city remained the most important capital of the Kashmir Valley under the Hindu dynasties, and was a major centre of learning. During the 14th–16th centuries the city's old town saw major expansions, particularly under the Shah Mir dynasty, whose kings used various parts of it as their capitals. It became the spiritual centre of Kashmir, and attracted several Sufi preachers. It also started to emerge as a hub of shawl weaving and other Kashmiri handicrafts. In the late 16th century, the city became part of the Mughal Empire, many of whose emperors used it as their summer resort. Many Mughal gardens were built in the city and around Dal lake during this time, of which Shalimar and Nishat are the most well-known.

The Kingdom of Kashmir made a brief and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to regain its independence. Since 1586, Kashmir had been a part of the Mughal Empire and was run by a viceroy appointed by the monarch. Due to the social unrest after the capture of Kashmir by the Durranis in the Mughal–Afghan War, Sukh Jiwan Mal, the Durrani governor, was unanimously elected as the king in 1754.

Many Kashmiris, motivated by a growing sense of identity and shared cultural heritage (Kashmiriyat), harboured resentment towards the Durranis, who had repeatedly plundered the region and left it in a state of devastation. The rebels under Abu'l Hasan Bandey, a Kashmiri Muslim noble and a revenue officer, declared his and the populace's distrust of the Durranis and demanded Sukh Jiwan to refuse the payment of revenue and tribute. Sukh Jiwan ousted Khwaja Kijak, the deputy governor, and announced the secession of Kashmir from the Durrani Empire.

Termeh (Persian: ترمه) is a type of valuable and traditional fabric, often made from silk, cashmere, or wool, and featuring intricate traditional patterns. This fabric is produced in Iran and Kashmir and is highly popular due to its delicate and complex designs.

The exact origin of termeh is uncertain, and researchers are divided on whether its production first started in Iran or Kashmir. Generally, Iranian designs like paisley were introduced to India during the Safavid period and had a significant influence on the design of Kashmiri shawls.

The boteh (Persian: بوته), is an almond or pine cone-shaped motif in ornament with a sharp-curved upper end. This Persian pattern is one of the national symbols of Iran and also very common and called buta in India, Azerbaijan, Turkey and other countries in the Persianate cultural sphere. In India, the shape is associated more with a mango than with a pine cone, and is called ambi, from āmra (Sanskrit: आम्र) meaning mango. Via Kashmir shawls it spread to Europe at least in the 19th century, where patterns using it are known since 1960s as Persian paisleys, as Paisley, Renfrewshire in Scotland was a major centre imitating them.

In Asian ornament, the boteh motifs are typically placed in orderly rows, though especially in India they may appear in a pattern in a variety of sizes, colours, and orientations, which is also characteristic of European paisley patterns.