Ladies Fashions Skip Intro, Go shop Shawls and Scarves Kashmir Shawls There are three fibers from which Kashmiri shawls are made - wool, pashmina and shahtoosh. Woolen shawls being within reach of the most modest budget, and shahtoosh being a one-in-a-lifetime purchase. Woolen shawls are popular because of the embroidery, which is unique to Kashmir. Both embroidery and the type of wool used bring about differences in the price. Wool woven in Kashmir is known as raffel and is always pure. Needlework is generally done in a panel along the sides of the shawl. Motifs, usually abstract designs or styled paislies and flowers are worked in one or two, and occasionally three subdued colors. The stitch employed is not unlike stem stitch, and only the outline of the design is embroidered. The fineness of the workmanship and the amount of embroidery determines the value of the shawl. Needlework is often done so skillfully that the motif appears on both sides of the shawl, each side having a different color scheme Another type of needle embroidery is popularly known as 'papièr mâchè' work because of the design and the style in which it is executed. This is done either in broad panels on either side along the breadth of a shawl. Flowers and leaves are worked in chain stitch in bright colors such as those of papier-mâché and each motif is then outlined in black. A third type of embroidery is hook embroidery. Motifs here are the well-known flower design finely worked in concentric rings of chain stitch. Pashmina is unmistakable due to its softness. Pashmina yarn is spun from the hair of the ibex found in the highlands of Ladakh, at 14,000 ft above sea level. It is on pashmina shawls that Kashmir's most exquisite embroidery is executed, sometimes covering the entire surface, earning it the name of Jamawar shawl, by virtue of the embroidery, increase the value of a shawl threefold. Shahtoosh, from which the legendary 'ring shawl' is made, is incredibly light, soft and warm. The astronomical price it commands in the market is due to the scarcity of the raw material. High in the plateau of Tibet and the eastern part of Ladakh, at an altitude of above 15000-17000 ft., roam the Tibetan antelope. During grazing, a few strands of the downy hair from the throat are shed which are painstakingly collected by the nomads to create shahtoosh. Bridal & Bridesmaids shawls How to order: Contact us by email for availability and shipping rates, or delivery time. Quick Links: Shawls & Scarves Woolen Embroidered Jackets, Capes & Ponchos Embroidered Woolen Robes Pant sets & Tunics Suede Embroidered Jackets, Bags and Backpacks Bridal & Bridesmaids shawls Rugs Carpets and Runners Bedspreads, Duvet Covers Pillow and Cushion Covers Tablecloths, Curtain Sets and Drapery, Crewel Fabric by the yard Wall hangings , Tapestries Shipping information

Himalayan International Trading, Inc. 126 Madison Ave., 2nd Floor New York, NY 10016 (212) 564-1468 Fax: 212-564-2188 Toll Free: 1-888-470-3920 Email: homefashionimports@att.net