Shahtoosh


Shahtoosh is a fine type of wool made from the hair of the Tibetan antelope. It is also a metonym for a type of Kashmir shawl traditionally made of shahtoosh wool. The Shahtoosh shawl is now a banned item with possession and sale being illegal in most countries for the Chiru is an endangered species under CITES. However, the weaving of Shahtoosh shawls continues in secret in Kashmir due to high demand by western buyers. The estimated market value of one Shahtoosh shawl in the western market is around $5,000–$20,000. Shahtoosh is the world's finest wool having the lowest micron count, followed by vicuña.

Characteristics

These shawls were originally very few and could only be woven by master artisans to weave the delicate hair which measured between 7 and 10 microns. These factors made shahtoosh shawls very precious. Shahtoosh shawls are so fine that a large shawl can be passed through a wedding ring, leading to them also being known as "ring shawls".

Types of Shahtoosh shawls

The type of Shahtoosh is determined by the quantum of Toosh or Tibetan Antelope down in the fabric. The measurement system used for determining it is called Dani in Kashmiri, with 1 Dani equal to 1/16 in terms of fibre composition. The typical types of Toosh are:
  1. Shurah Dani or 16 Dani: a 100% Toosh Shawl,
  2. Bah Dani or 12 Dani: a 75% Toosh and 25% Pashmina mixed
  3. Aeth Dani or 8 Dani: a 50% Toosh and 50% Pashmina mixed wherein the warp is generally of Toosh and the weft is Pashmina.

    History

Under Emperor Akbar, the imperial wardrobe began to patronise Tus or Shahtoos on a large scale. It was the costliest, warmest and most delicate shawl. It was so soft so as to pass through a finger ring. Its natural colours were black, white and red. It is said that Akbar once gave orders for the white to be dyed into red but the shawl did not take the colour of the dye. People began to use it simply in its natural colours.
The antelope has been hunted down specifically for its fur, and their numbers have dropped accordingly from nearly a million at the turn of the 20th century to fewer than 75,000 by its end. This led to the antelope now being listed as an endangered species and given the highest possible level of legal protection, whereby no commercial trade in shahtoosh is permitted. Since the start of the 21st century, strong conservation efforts, especially in China, have resulted in significant population recovery, with an estimated 150,000 living by 2010. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature now classifies the antelope as "Near Threatened".
The selling or owning of shahtoosh was made illegal in all countries that signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Many countries have cracked down on those involved in the shahtoosh trade. Although shahtoosh is banned under the agreement, illegal hunting and selling of shahtoosh remain a serious problem in Tibet.