Kashmir, the state of India is a country of rich and diverse tradition, beauty, nature, festivals, colors, fragrances, languages and religions, therefore Kashmiri traditional handicrafts promises everything - beauty, dignity, form and style. The majestic appeal of Kashmiri arts and crafts lies in its exclusivity and mystical tone which leaves people mesmerized. Kashmiri shawls are decorated by var
ious kind of embroideries Art or hook embroidery; motifs are well-known flower designs and 'sozni' or needlework's, is finely done by experienced craftsman's material & fine embroidery causes the hike in prices
You can get three main fibers types from which the Kashmiri shawls are made ,these are - WOOL, PASHMINA and most expensive SHAHTOOSH
*****$***** ( PASHMINA ) *****$*****
PASHMINA refers to a type of fine cashmere wool and the textiles made from it. The name comes from Pashmineh (پشمینه ) , made from Persian pashm (" wool "). The wool comes from CHANGTHANGI or PASHMINA GOAT, which is a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas in Nepal, Pakistan and Northern India. To survive the freezing environment at 14,000 feet altitude, THE GOAT grows a unique, incredibly soft pashm (inner coat) six times finer than human hair. Because it is only 14-19 microns in diameter, it cannot be spun by machines. PASHMINA shawls are hand spun, woven and embroidered in Kashmir. Pashmina is the name given to it as Iranians came to Kashmir via the routes of Drass Ladakh, and found it very soft and tough in quality. Pashmina is the Persian (Farsi) word "pashm" meaning soft and silky. Kashmir pashmina has been famous for centuries due to its quality and products like plain pashmina, woven jamawars, embroided pashmina, ladies and gents 6 & 7 yards. Pashmina accessories are available in a range of sizes, from "scarf" 12 × 60 in (0.30 × 1.5 m) to "wrap" or "stole" 28 × 80 in (0.71 × 2.0 m) to full sized shawl 36 × 80 in (0.91 × 2.0 m). Pure pashmina is a rather gauzy, open weave, as the fibre cannot tolerate high tension. The most popular pashmina fabric is a 70% pashmina/30% silk blend, but 50/50 is also common. The 70/30 is tightly woven, has an elegant sheen and drapes nicely, but is still quite soft and light-weight.They are known for their softness and warmth.Pure Pashmina is expensive but mixed Pashmina with wool is less expensive.
*****$$$***** ( SHAHTOOSH ) *****$$$*****
SHAHTOOSH , the legendary *** ring shawl *** (also written Shahtush, a Persian word meaning
**** KING OF WOO L**** is the name given to a specific kind of shawl, which is woven with the down hair of the Tibetan antelope ( CHIRU ), by the weavers of Kashmir. It is famous for its lightness, softness and warmth. These shawls were originally very few and it took very skilled artisans to weave the delicate hair (which measured between 9 and 11 micrometres). These factors made Shahtoosh shawls very precious. Shahtoosh are so fine that an average size shawl can be passed through a wedding ring, leading to them also being known as ' RING SHAWLS . The Chiru antelope live in one of the harshest environments on earth, at an altitude of over 5,000 metres. Their special type of down fur, which is both very light and warm, allows them to survive in the freezing conditions of the plateau where they gather at one point of the year. They are migratory animals - moving down from Mongolia to Tibet - and traditionally followed closely by the nomads, who also make that journey every year. The incredible fineness makes it virtually impossible to handle - and this is where the weavers of Kashmir played their role. With their experience in handling the finest hand-combed Pashmina wool, they could weave shawls of the most exquisite quality, and thus the Shahtoosh shawl was born.
*****HISTORY*****
When the British (of British India) traveled to Kashmir in Summer, they realised the worth of Pashmina and Shahtoosh shawls and introduced them to the world, which led to greater demand for these products. Subsequently, the antelope was hunted down specifically for its fur and this led to it now being listed as an endangered species and given the highest possible level of legal protection, whereby no commercial trade in Shahtoosh is permitted. This also led to the demise of the skill of the Kashmir weavers, who were the only ones in the world who could handle the fibre. The selling or owning of Shahtoosh was made illegal in all countries that signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
