The Down-Knitting Craft. Trends and Development Prospects.

Let us recall that the gradual revival of the down-knitting craft after the crisis, which nearly dealt a critical blow to Orenburg down knitting, began in the 2000s. A number of organisations, including ours (then only just forming as a down artel), attempted to restore production that had been practically destroyed. Naturally, the enthusiasts faced a whole series of difficulties.

Almost immediately, counterfeits flooded the down goods market. Very enterprising and not very scrupulous people decided that selling items of dubious quality under the guise of Orenburg shawls (and the brand name, despite everything, had not been forgotten) could be a profitable business. Taking advantage of ordinary buyers' very superficial knowledge, they began selling under the Orenburg shawl label everything that even remotely resembled the legend of our region's craft...

The result was deplorable: receiving short-lived products instead of the promised legend, and not understanding that these "knock-offs" had nothing to do with Orenburg, people simply became disappointed in their expectations. The brand's reputation was almost undermined by the efforts of such "dealers", and some of those who had tried to revive the craft honestly simply left, unable to withstand the unfair competition and the stream of negativity directed at the craft. Fortunately, however, not everyone left the niche.

For several years we and a number of similar enthusiasts worked to gradually revive not only the craft itself in its original sense, but also to restore the good name of the "Orenburg down shawl" brand. Gathering the once great craft bit by bit and involving real masters, we produced high-quality goods. At the same time, with the means available to us, we began our own fight against dishonest traders who had for years been parasitising on the name of the Orenburg shawl, the product of the hard work of our Region's craftswomen. We tried to share all the experience we accumulated with people, publishing many recommendations and releases; we did all we could to spread any information about what a genuine Orenburg down shawl is and how to tell it from fakes.

Little by little, this fight also began to bear fruit: we managed to get through to people from all corners of the world what the difference is between genuine down items of the Orenburg region and what those wanting to earn quickly and dishonestly so diligently passed off as such. As people gradually learned to tell quality from counterfeits, it became harder for dishonest dealers to pull the wool over their eyes, and demand for genuine, high-quality Orenburg shawls began to appear again.

The brand not only regained its good name – people began to talk about it; to put it in modern terms, the Orenburg down shawl began to take off.

We remember that by 2015 down shawls had become part of folk craft exhibitions, including international ones, and in 2017 of fashion events, when, thanks to V. Yudashkin, down items "visited" Haute Couture Week in Paris. Other designers, including local Orenburg ones, kept pace, offering new trends and areas of use for goat down items.

The past year, 2018, was especially rich in events significant for the craft. In spring, down items, including a considerable number of items by the Shalnoy Orenburg artel, conquered Italy, being exhibited at 8 museum venues in Prato. And in summer there was, one could say, a "return visit" – that very "Expedition of Folk Artistic Crafts". The event has already received wide coverage, and this is only the beginning, because in spring products made by the participants of the event will be presented at "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week-2019".

Considerable public interest was also aroused by the appearance of hereditary knitter R. Biktagirova on the show "Starshe vsekh" with M. Galkin, where the craftswoman showed live on air how masterpieces of the down-knitting craft are created. The Shalnoy Orenburg staff also managed to talk to and even collaborate with the renowned master.

At the end of November the world took an interest in us again: our artel was visited by journalists from the British TV channel SkyNews, who made a Christmas story about the Orenburg down shawl and those who make it.

A slightly less known but no less significant event was our participation in the Eurasian forum "Orenburg Region – the Heart of Eurasia". And once again down shawls received attention: A. Privolnov, the presenter of "Kontrolnaya zakupka" on Channel One, who visited the forum, later shared his impressions of the Orenburg shawl in particular on his Instagram.

What can be said about the future of the down-knitting craft? It certainly has one. Much remains to be done, but we cannot help being pleased that people have once again realised the value of a genuine Orenburg down shawl and, moreover, have learned to recognise deception, somewhat "cutting the ground" from under the feet of dishonest traders (though it is too early to relax: a large share of counterfeits is still present on this market). Interest in down items of the Orenburg region has flared up again and today continues to grow steadily. It is too early to make a long-term forecast, but we hope that by preserving and reviving classic traditions and bringing in new trends, with the help of modern technologies and communications, one day we will manage to convey to the whole world that the "Orenburg down shawl" is a fully-fledged and very valuable brand, deserving the highest appreciation of people in all corners of the planet and worthy of a place next to already well-promoted and famous names and labels.