How to read a GI tag (and why it matters)
A short primer on what a Geographical Indication actually protects — and what it doesn't.
You'll see four letters and a number on the tax invoice of an authentic Kashmir Pashmina shawl: GI-46. On Pampore saffron, it's GI-635. On Walnut Wood, GI-176.
This short note explains what these numbers actually mean — and the two big things they don't mean.
What a GI tag is
A Geographical Indication is a Government of India certificate, issued under the GI Act of 1999, that legally restricts a product name to its place of origin. Once "Kashmir Pashmina" is GI-registered, only pashmina that was hand-spun, hand-warped, hand-woven and hand-finished inside the Kashmir valley can legally be sold under that name.
It's the same legal mechanism that protects Champagne, Parma ham and Darjeeling tea.
What the tag protects
Three things:
- The name. No one outside the registered region can call their product "Kashmir Pashmina" or "Pampore Saffron". It's enforceable in court.
- The process. The GI specification spells out how the product must be made. For pashmina, that means hand-spinning is mandatory. For walnut wood, that means the wood must come from valley trees.
- The maker community. Authorised users — usually a cooperative or registered artisan body — control who's allowed to issue the tag. It puts the money back in the maker community's hands.
What it doesn't protect
Two things people often assume:
- Quality grade. A GI-tagged Mongra saffron and a GI-tagged Lacha saffron are both authentic, but their crocin content (and price) differ substantially. The GI confirms origin and process, not premium grade.
- The fibre or material itself. Cashmere from Mongolia and Iran can still be sold — it just can't be called "Kashmir Pashmina". The tag is on the name, not the substance.
How to read it on an invoice
A genuine piece carries the GI registration number in two places: on the cooperative's stamped certificate, and printed on the tax invoice itself. If both are absent, the piece may still be authentic — but you have no legal recourse if it isn't.
That's why the GI matters. It moves the burden of trust off the buyer and onto the registry.
About the writer
Kashmir Artisan Journal
The editorial desk at Kashmir Artisan Store. We write about the GI-tagged crafts of the valley, the people behind them, and the trade routes that shaped them.
