About the craft
The Social Mission of Shalnoy Orenburg
Most craftswomen have been knitting Orenburg down shawls since early childhood. For many of them, down knitting has always been their main source of income. Unfortunately, few people today try to set up centralised production of goods from Orenburg goat down, and genuine handmade Orenburg shawls themselves still remain undervalued.
As it happens, while gradually restoring the craft, Shalnoy Orenburg is also fulfilling a very important social mission. It is connected with supporting our wonderful craftswomen.
Despite all attempts to “rejuvenate” the craft, the process is not going as fast as we would like. To this day most knitters are of retirement and pre-retirement age, the most socially vulnerable category of citizens. For many, knitting Orenburg shawls is the only source of a small additional income. At the same time, from the closure of the “Orenburg Shawl Combine” in 1995 until 2009, these women had to look for ways to sell their products on their own, at their own risk, often giving them away for next to nothing. This often meant spending many hours at street markets in any weather, which had a negative effect on their health. We help knitters earn a stable income and return to the work they love, giving all their energy to their favourite craft.
Since its opening, our company has been bringing craftswomen together on the principle of 20th-century down production. Today our production already employs more than 200 home-based knitters and more than 100 spinners, plyers and other down-craft specialists. We provide our production workers with a constant, stable flow of orders, guaranteed income and, of course, comfortable working conditions. We also try to ensure that all craftswomen are paid fairly for their work. The company's production sector is constantly expanding; almost every week we take on new people. It is important to note that our staff reach the most remote villages and hamlets of our region. Often these are settlements where only a few houses remain. Any financial support and attention is priceless for such people.
The second important social area is education. The value, special cultural significance and unique properties of the genuine Orenburg shawl are what we try to convey to as many people as possible. Information work and cooperation with various media and museums make it possible to introduce the down shawl to an ever larger audience. And joint events with educational institutions, including specialised ones, already make it possible to form a young generation of future craftswomen, giving the craft potential in the long term. Social responsibility, guarantees and conveying the value of the genuine Orenburg down shawl to the end consumer are the guarantees of the future prosperity of the craft and everyone involved in it.
To preserve the memory of living and, sadly, departed craftswomen, we constantly record video interviews with knitters, because we believe that future generations should know the names of their modest but — we are not afraid of this word — great ancestors.
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