The original, feather-like motif that forms the basis of the paisley pattern seems to have been developed in Persia (now called Iran). That motif was called the boteh, which comes from the Hindi word for flower, and could be seen in Iran from the middle ages onwards.

The Paisley shawl, however, as it came to be known, was made in India - in Kashmir (the origin of the word 'cashmere'). This started around the 17th century, and the design was later brought to Europe by traders and soldiers taking goods home from India. Eventually the Scottish town of Paisley became a major centre of production, and the distinctive shawls were mainly known as 'paisleys' by the middle of the 19th century. This happened partly because demand was so great that the Indian weavers could no longer keep pace with it, and partly because of the invention of a faster loom, allowing greater production.