Shawls - The Origin of Russian Orenburg Shawls

The Orenburg shawls have unique look because it made through knitting whereas the technique for shawls made up of other materials is weaved. The knitting gives Orenburg shawls a softer touch. There are two techniques for knitting Orenburg shawls either with specialized machines which still leaves a big part to the manual work, or with hand needles in a traditional way. While giving final touches to Orenburg shawls some proportion of silk incorporated in it, which gives them brilliance and improves their esthetic qualities. Knitting is an art from ancient times, it allows fashion designers to make different designs and styles with the help of different fibers and needles.

The Orenburg Shawl, together with Khohloma painting, Matioshaka, Tula Sarnovar, and Vologda lace, are just few of Russia's finest symbols. The down-hair cutting trade originated about two and a half centuries ago in the Orenburg area. This province is well known for its finely knit wraps and pautinkas, known as the Orenburg shawls. These famous wardrobe add-ons have been fashioned in the Orenburg area for more than three centuries.

The fleece of Ural goats is one of the finest natural fibres that have been employed in the manufacture of high quality Russian Orenburg wraps. These are produced using a combination of Ural goat fiber and silk that results in a very high quality product. The silk helps in retaining the form of the fiber and thereby enhances its strength.

The Russian Orenburg shawl is weaved into many shapes and an assortment of geometric designs; square, rectangular and triangular while the color depends on the goat's coloring. These stoles are exceptional products and they require equally exceptional technological process, unique equipment, and highly skilled workers at the factory. The major part of the knitting process is done by hand with only regular operations done on machine. It allows the knitters to focus more on imaginative work of knitting and makes the end product flawless.

The manufacturing technique of the Russian Orenburg is what differentiates it from the Kashmiri and makes them extra special. The knitting of the Orenburg wraps allows for a filing that makes them nicer and softer compared to the others. The Russian Orenburg stoles are produced using two different techniques, namely the classical needles technique and the fork method.

There are many types of Russian Orenburg shawls. The grey thick down hair are the most popular and played a huge part in the popularity of the Orenburg down-hair knitting. The dense pautinkas and kerchiefs can be used as an everyday wear and it gives similar warmth as the stoles. "The spider line" pautinkas and tippets make the third type of Orenburg shawls.

The finest Orenburg wraps are produced in the settlement of Shushma and Zhioltoe of the Sarakhtash District. These pieces are the perfect way to add zing to the evening dress of any style. Each one is an original and truly original piece of art which needed a lot of work and patience of the down-hair knitters, presenting a picture of the Universe as imagined by the knitter.