5 Interesting Facts about Kani Wool
Pashmina Shawls are a dream to possess for many. They are a symbol of luxury and one such kind is Kani Shawls. Kani Wool is considered as the purest form of cashmere pashmina. Kani shawls will make you look versatile, whether for a casual look, a party or a function. These shawls are very warm, soft and have a fine texture. Weaving of kani shawls is a centuries old process.
The origin of Kani shawls lie in the Kashmir valley. The beauty of Kashmir is manifested via the intricate and aesthetic patterns woven on these shawls. No wonder kani shawls have remained popular among Sufis, Mughals, Aibaks, Parsis, Europeans and of course Hindus.
A vogue for Kani shawls online is gaining acclamation. The varieties of kani shawls include- Kani jamawar/Pur Mattan Kani shawls, Palladaar Kani Pashmina Shawls, Chand-daar or Moon shawls. You can also check out for kani shawls online.
Here are some awe-striking facts about the Kani shawls.
- Nomenclature of Kani Shawls:
The name ‘Kani’ is derived from the Kanihama village located about 20 kms from the Kashmir city. In Kashmir, ‘Kani’ also means wooden sticks.
The small eyeless wooden sticks that are used to weave the Kani shawls are called ‘Kanis’ or ‘Tujis’. The forest wood ‘poos tul’ is used to make ‘kanis’. Kani shawls online are in a great demand in Kashmir and worldwide.
- Handmade design and pattern:
As a carpet is woven, so are kani shawls. The design is neither imprinted nor stamped. Rather, the ‘Talimguru’ prepares a code (Talim) of the pattern on a graph paper. Colourful threads are used to weave Kani shawls.
The colorful bobbins (sticks) are arranged after the warp is made. Thereafter, as per the design, two bobbins are joined together. This process continues till the shawl is completely woven. Every kani shawl has a distinctive Mughal pattern on them. Knots are tied at the end/borders of the shawls.
- Weaving of Kani Shawls is a time-consuming process:
Hand weaving Kani shawls is a cumbersome process. Kani shawls can only be woven by trained, patient, skillful and devoted weavers. The finest expression of art on the Kani shawls is painstaking for its weavers.
On an average, the labyrinth patterns of design are woven merely one inch a day. Some shawls take three 3 months to 3 years to get completed. An average time span is 6 months and 5-7 hours a day.
- Kani Shawls are very expensive:
Kani shawls take months to years to be hand-woven. These are exceptionally light weight and natural. There are Kani shawls online which range around 1 lakh. The price of these shawls is worth the amount of time, effort and labor spent weaving each kani shawl.
The weavers toil hard and their eyes are impending towards doom. Though expensive, Kani shawls are a magical creation of the artisans. Buy shawls online to contribute to these workers’ livelihood.
- GI Registration Status:
To protect its originality, the government of J&K has registered Kashmiri Kani Shawls under the Geographical Indication (GI) Act. No other country can copy/produce these shawls under the same name.
Check out for kani shawls online. GI tags on your shawls ensure that their testing is done and originality certified. Beware 100% Pashmina does not equate to 100% cashmere. The GI specifications for kani shawls follows-
- The shawls date back to the Mughal era.
- The wool comes from the Changthangi goat found. It is found in the specific Kashmiri climate.
- The shawls are made using a distinctive Talim.
- The terminology of the kani shawls is of local origin.
Kani shawls provide you with great comfort and concomitantly demand great care. A tip would be to only hand wash your shawls.
Additionally, you should store it wrapped inside a muslin cloth to keep it preserved. Buy shawls online to own this luxury piece of fabric. Keep yourself warm from winter chills.
