The Orenburg Gossamer Shawl – What Makes the Down Shawl Unique

Today Orenburg gossamer shawls are as famous as Palekh miniatures, Zhostovo painting, Vologda lace and Gzhel porcelain. Down items by Orenburg craftswomen win prizes at international exhibitions and can be found in the most prestigious museums of the world. Let us try to understand the secret of their popularity.

How the folk craft originated

The city of Orenburg is located in a region with a difficult climate. The moderately continental climate every now and then turns sharply continental. Winter temperatures often drop to minus 40 degrees. Summer here is hot and dry. The differences between day and night temperatures are large. The winds are strong and can blow right through you. But it is precisely this climate that makes it possible to raise rare goats whose finest down has unique properties.

Is it all about the down?

The local goats adapted to the conditions of the Orenburg Region, as a result of which they developed an unusually warm undercoat – soft down. The animals generously shared their "wealth" with people. Goat down was sewn between several layers of fabric and quilted so that it would not clump, and clothing was sewn that reliably protected against winds and cold.

The first shawls were made purely for warmth. They were dense, without patterns in the central part. The Orenburg gossamer shawl as we are used to seeing it appeared more than 250 years ago. At that time only noble ladies bought openwork shawls.

Although the fabric of the gossamer shawl is mostly transparent, it is surprisingly warm. Dignitaries sought to acquire exquisite down accessories, thereby emphasising their status in society. Since olden times, patterned shawls have been presented to foreign ambassadors and other high-ranking guests.

 

Traditional ways of checking quality

Today there are quality control departments and all kinds of laboratories. They determine the composition of the raw material, the thickness of the threads, moisture and so on. Before, when none of this existed, people also sought to determine quality, but they did it in their own way.

An Orenburg gossamer shawl was considered good quality if it met two requirements. Firstly, it had to pass freely through a wedding ring, and secondly, fit into the shell of a goose egg. If both conditions were met, good money was paid for the shawl. Today, with the wider range and knitting methods of gossamer shawls, these criteria have of course ceased to be decisive.

Openwork gossamer shawls for every taste!

Since down knitting was mastered on an industrial level, buying a down gossamer shawl from Orenburg has been no trouble at all. Amazingly beautiful items are sold at markets, in boutiques and in online shops.

Buyers are offered a huge choice. Shawls come in different sizes, shapes and colours. Now an Orenburg gossamer shawl can be matched to any clothing.

When choosing a shawl, remember that the fluff is barely noticeable in a new item. Most of the down will appear on the surface after a while, and only if the shawl is used. A machine-knitted shawl will not compare, even after months, with one knitted by hand. The latter will always be more attractive, not only thanks to a more interesting pattern but also thanks to its unrivalled softness. For this reason, individually handmade Orenburg gossamer shawls will always cost more.

The high price of genuine Orenburg gossamer shawls is fully justified, since the down item does not lose its unique properties for a long time. It often serves not just one woman but her children, and sometimes her grandchildren.

To browse the range or buy a down gossamer shawl from Orenburg visit the pages of our online shop!