Shawl - A History in 7 Interesting Sections

Shawl

The shawl is an important and interesting part of human history and culture. In this guide we will take a look at the origins of the shawl, how it is used and some of the many types that are available today.

View our cashmere and silk shawls or our pure cashmere shawls .

The Origins Of The Shawl

A shawl is simply a woven rectangle of fabric. People have been weaving fabrics for a long time.

The earliest evidence found to date comes from fabric imprints in clay which are about 27000 years old. They were found in the Czech Republic. The article didn’t say where, but I am assuming Pavlov.

Pavlov I in southern Moravia is the most complete and complex Gravettian site to date, and a perfect model for a general understanding of Gravettian culture. Gravettian peoples stretched from Russia to Spain from 29000 to 22000 years ago.

A detailed examination of the impressions reveals a large variety of weaving techniques. There are open and closed twines, plain weave and nets. Twining can be done by hand but plain weave needed a loom. A plain weave piece of fabric could have been a shawl. We will get on to how they might have been used later.

A ring shawl from Mypashmina. Made from 100% Cashmere and 60 count fine guage yarn.

If you prefer to listen to this article, then play this video.

It may be that many stone artifacts found in settlements may not be objects of art as had been supposed but parts of an ancient loom, which should now be considered as the first machine to be made after the wheel and aids such as the axe, club, and flint knife.

The academic who studied this claims that the evidence of net making implies that women were catching foxes with them. Seems like a bit of a leap of faith to fit a cultural marxist feminist agenda, but interesting nonetheless.

History and Etymology for Shawl

The word shawl first appeared in English in 1662. I can’t find the exact source of this, but I assume it came in to use due to trade with Persia or India.

The word comes from the From Persian شال‎ (šâl). It is similar to the Sanskrit शाटी (śāṭī). Some sources claim the word originated in the 14th century. The oversimplified version of that story is that a persian man travelled to Ladakh and made a shawl.

It appears that from quite early on, that a shawl was more than just a regular wrap. It was something more prestigious, and linked to higher quality yarns such as cashmere. Wrap was in English since the early 14th century.

This image came from The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis. These images were published between 1907 and 1930.

Definition of Shawl

Merriam Webster defines shawl as: a square or oblong usually fabric garment or wrapper used especially as a covering for the head or shoulders.

Wikipedia describes a shawl as : A shawl (from Persian: lang-Urdu شال‎ shāl,^[1] which may be from Hindi: दुशाला duśālā, ultimately from Sanskrit: शाटी śāṭī^[2]) is a simple item of clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, which is often folded to make a triangle, but can also be triangular in shape. Other shapes include oblong shawls.

The cloth can be made from almost any fibre or material. The limit to this is that it should be relatively lightweight. Too thick and it is a blanket.

With regards to size, there is no precise definition. If it is too small it is a cashmere scarf and if it is too big then it would be a throw or blanket.

Types of Shawl

There are many types of shawl. The range of possible materials, designs, sizes, shapes and colours is practically infinite. We will look here at some of the more famous types of shawl.

Embroidered Shawls

Kashmir, in India, is famous for these. However, I have to say that finding a genuine high quality cashmere shawl with genuine silk embroidery is very difficult. Kashmir seems to be full of con men and scammers.

Jacquard Shawls

The jacquard loom was invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1804.The loom was controlled by a “chain of cards”; a number of punched cards laced together into a continuous sequence. The resulting pattern in the fabric of the shawl catches the light and looks amazing.  We sell two types of jacquard pashminas.

Cashmere Shawls

Cashmere is often associated with shawls. It is really the ideal material. Soft and light and comfortable against the skin. if you take a shawl on a flight it will keep you warm, but will still pack up small enough to fit in your hand luggage easily.

Ways To Use A Shawl

The primary use for a shawl is to cover and keep warm, but there are a couple more ways they can be used.

1. A baby carry sling. This is a common use in Nepal. A 90x200cm shawl works well enough to carry a baby, either on your side on on your back. In my experience, it is not as comfortable as the long baby carrying slings, but it works fine for short periods of time. I wouldn’t do this with a pure cashmere one, but have done it with a pashmina shawl that is 70% cashmere and 30% silk.
2. A baby hammock . A hammock is a great place for a baby. It keeps the baby clear of the ground and away from ants. Babies like the rocking motion and find it soothing. A shawl can quickly be turned in to a hammock with some bits of rope tied at the ends. You can hang it under a table. I have done this too 🙂
3. As a bag. If it works to carry a baby, think what else you could carry. The advantage is that you can lay it flat, fill it with stuff, then fold it up to close it.  I have also done this. I suppose in 17 years of carrying shawls around, occasionally they have to be put to work in the less luxurious ways.

This portrait of Jacquard was woven in silk on a Jacquard loom and required 24,000 punched cards to create (1839). It was only produced to order. Charles Babbage owned one of these portraits; it inspired him in using perforated cards in his analytical engine.[1] It is in the collection of the Science Museum in London, England.

Shawl Manufacturing In The UK

John Kay invented the flying shuttle in 1733.  The flying shuttle used in Nepal today to weave a pashmina shawl, looks identical to the one John Kay invented all those years ago.

John Kay was born in 1704 in Lancashire. He apprenticed with a hand-loom reed maker, but is said to have returned home within a month claiming to have mastered the business. He designed a metal substitute for the natural reed that proved popular enough for him to sell throughout England. 

He continued to design improvements to textile machinery; in 1730 he patented a cording and twisting machine for worsted.

In 1733,  he received a patent for his most revolutionary device: a “wheeled shuttle” for the hand loom. It greatly accelerated weaving, by allowing the shuttle carrying the weft to be passed through the warp threads faster and over a greater width of cloth.  It was designed for the broad loom, for which it saved labour over the traditional process, needing only one operator per loom – rather than two.

Kay always called this invention a “wheeled shuttle”, but others used the name “fly-shuttle” (and later, “flying shuttle”) because of its continuous speed, especially when a young worker was using it in a narrow loom. The shuttle was described as travelling at “a speed which cannot be imagined, so great that the shuttle can only be seen like a tiny cloud which disappears the same instant.”

 But by September 1733 the Colchester weavers, were so concerned for their livelihoods that they petitioned the King to stop Kay’s inventions.

The flying shuttle was to create a particular imbalance by doubling weaving productivity without changing the rate at which thread could be spun,disrupting spinners and weavers alike. A weaver could now make fabric quicker than a spinner could spin the thread for it.

 Also, fly-shuttle use was becoming widespread in weaving, increasing cotton yarn demand and its price – and Kay was blamed.

Suggested Books About The Shawl

Alfrey, Penelope. “The Social Background to the Shawl.” In The Norwich Shawl. Edited by Pamela Clabburn. London: HMSO, 1995.

Clabburn, Pamela, ed. The Norwich Shawl. London: HMSO, 1995.

Journal de la Mode et du Gout. No. 11 (5 June 1790): 1–3.

Lochrie, Maureen. “The Paisley Shawl Industry.” In Scottish Textile History. Edited by John Butt and Kenneth Ponting. Aberdeen, Scotland: Aberdeen University Press, 1987.

Mackrell, Alice. Shawls, Stoles and Scarves. London: B. T. Bats-ford Ltd., 1986.

Morgan, Kenneth O. The Oxford History of Britain. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, 2001.

Pauly, Sarah. The Kashmir Shawl. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 1975.

Perrot, Philippe. Fashioning the Bourgeoisie: A History of Clothing in the Nineteenth Century. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1994.

Cashmere Scarf

Cashmere Scarf

A GUIDE to choosing a cashmere scarf will contain some unexpected nuggets of information that we have gathered since we started back in 2002.
This guide has been split in to four sections, so you can easily skip to the part which is most useful for you.

• Different types of cashmere scarves. A look at six types of cashmere scarf from Mypashmina and other shops.
  
• How to assess quality. A closer look at the details to look for when trying to work out if a cashmere scarf is good value or not.
  
• Advantages and disadvantages of a cashmere scarf when compare to a scarf made from wool or other materials.
  
• Why buy a cashmere scarf from Mypashmina, when you could buy it from somewhere else ? You are not going to believe that this section is unbiased, but we will try!

Let's start with some definitions. The definition of a scarf is quite subjective, and there is plenty of overlap between what people classify as a scarf, a shawl, a stole or a wrap. I think most people would agree that a scarf is for wearing around your neck rather than around your shoulders or body. This means a scarf is usually not as wide as a stole or shawl. I would say a typical scarf can be up to about 45cm (18") wide. I prefer a longer scarf and most of our scarves are at 170cm. If they are too short, they would be classified as a throatwarmer. So I would say at least 120cm for an adult size scarf.

As for materials, as scarf can be knitted or woven from almost any material. Some examples include wool scarves, cashmere scarves, polyester scarves. Each type has advantages and disadvantages over the others. The winner is cashmere of course.

Six Types Of Cashmere Scarf

1. Seeing as this is Mypashmina, we have to start with our classic pashmina scarf. This comes in either pure cashmere or a mix of 70% Cashmere and 30% Silk. They measure 30x150cm. The ones we have in stock have hand twisted tassels at the ends, but you can also order a bespoke one with either an open fringe or a hemmed edge for no extra charge. Our prices start at under £30. This type of cashmere scarf is quite thin and lightweight. It is the ideal type of scarf to carry anywhere just in case you need it.
   
2. I am always amazed by how much the big brands can charge for items. For a mere £495, you can buy this woven cashmere scarf made from 65% cashmere and 35% silk. It is quite wide, measuring 188x66cm, and meant to be worn folded in half. It is made in Italy. The label is Ralph Lauren.
   
3. This cashmere scarf from The White Company is a double layer scarf, with grey on one side and black on the other. It is made from 47% wool, 45% cashmere, 6% viscose, 2% metallic. It was £85, and now it is half price. This was written at the start of march, so a lot of cashmere scarves are on sale at this time of year.  It measures 30x180cm which is a nice size. A double layer scarf is a good idea. The single layer ones tend to curl up and don't have much substance if they are knitted in a standard way.
   
   
4. This cashmere scarf is one of my favourite things that we have ever made. It is 100% Cashmere. It is double layer. The reason we make it double layer is so that it doesn't roll over and it feels substantial. It is 100% cashmere, so it feels much softer than a scarf that is mixed with sheeps wool. It is available in 10 colour combinations. The price is £94.80. The tassels are little knitted tubes. It is very nicely finished. 
   
5. Here is a very nice cable knit cashmere scarf. It is 3ply and 100% cashmere. The 3ply coupled with the cable knit makes it feel thicker. I would like to see it at least 4ply and 6ply would be ideal. The more ply it is the heavier it is and each gram of cashmere is quite expensive. The scarf come from cashmere.com, which is one of the top US based cashmere online retailers. 170x22cm and the price is £129, which includes shipping to the UK. They have some very nice colours in stock as well.
   
6. This is the Mypashmina version of a cable knit cashmere scarf. It is 6ply, so it is thick and warm. It is 35x180cm. The price is only £82.80. Given the decline of the GBP, i think we will have to increase this price very soon. Buy Bitcoin. Twice as good and about 40% cheaper, than the cashmere scarf above,
   

How To Tell If A Cashmere Scarf Good Quality Before You Buy It ?

1. A quick look around the web of how to tell whether cashmere is good quality or not seems to suggest that you should mainly base it on the country it was made in. Chinese bad, Scottish and Italian good. I can't think of any stage in the process where the nationality makes any physical difference to the quality. This might be a personal preference only.
2. You could send a cashmere scarf to a laboratory to have the yarn tested. For about £200, they will tell you the thickness and length of the cashmere fibres and if there are any impurities. They use a microscope to individually examine 600 fibres. We use SGS labs. Here is an example fro m a recent test. Mean Fibre Diameter (μm) 16.3
   Coarse Hair Content (%) NIL
   Number of Snippetts 600
   Coefficient of Variation (%) 20.1
   Of course you are not going to send your new cashmere scarf to have a hole cut in it for testing, but you can ask any supplier for their testing results. If it is a secret, then that is probably a clue.
   
3. You can look at how long a retailer has been in business. You can only stay in business if you get repeat customers and you can only get repeat customers for cashmere scarves if the quality is good.
4. Check the shops returns policy. Do you have a chance to try out your new cashmere scarf to see if it pills or gets holes. A woven cashmere scarf will actually improve with use. You can buy ready brushed woven cashmere scarves, but this weakens the fibres, so you would be buying it half worn out. An unbrushed scarf will last a lot longer.
   
5. Read reviews. Customers tend to write reviews if they are either really happy or really unhappy. There are a few people who write reviews for almost everything. 10 days after every order ,we ask customers for feedback and we explicitly ask for criticism. I wish we got more.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of A Cashmere Scarf Compared To A Wool Scarf

1. More comfortable - a cashmere scarf will not feel itchy against the skin. Once you try cashmere, you can't go back to wool. I guess that's the disadvantage of any upgrade.
2. Warmer - cashmere is so efficient at keeping the warmth in. I was trying to look for U-values to compare scientifically, but I guess not many people use cashmere to insulate their houses!
3. Lighter weight - You forget you are wearing it. Light weight and smooth touch means that is is comfortable. I have forgotten I was wearing a cashmere hat and jumped in the shower a few times! It's also good for travel, especially flights.
4. More expensive - a cashmere scarf costs more than a woolen one. So if you lose your it, or ruin it in the washing machine, it is more of a problem. This risk can be mitigated by buying your cashmere from a source that has no middlemen  and tiny overheads with a focus only on the product.
5. Reaction of others.
6. Packing size - You can squash a cashmere scarf smaller than a wool scarf, which is also good for travelling by air where space and weight are at a premium.

Why Buy From Mypashmina Compared To Other Online Stores ?

1. If you like quality.
2. If you like consistency since 2002.
3. If you like to buy your cashmere in a way that helps support Nepalese people who suffer under an awful maoist regime.
4. If you want bespoke options without any extra costs.
5. If you want a cashmere scarf that is not mass produced, something rare.
6. If you want to buy with Bitcoin with a discount - there are so many positive externalities for this decision.

Conclusion

We hope you found this guide helpful. Any comments you can add below might be useful for other people, so please don't hesitate to say something. Or you can contact us.

Cashmere Hat

Cashmere Hat

A quick guide to cashmere hats

What are some disadvantages and advantages of a cashmere hat when compared to hats made from regular wool.

3 Disadvantages of a
Cashmere Hat

1. Price – It costs a bit more than a wool hat. Having said that, I have seen plenty of wool hats for higher prices than our cashmere hats, so this is not really a disadvantage if you are buying from Mypashmina.co.uk.
2. People might stroke your head – Yes, they really do.
3. Jealously – people will envy your new cashmere hat.

We have a 50% off sale on our cashmere hats right now... until Friday 8th March.

4ply cable knitted cashmere hat8 Advantages of a Cashmere Hat

1. 8 Advantages of a Cashmere Hat

    Softer – a cashmere hat feels very soft. Do you find that wool hats make you itch ? They make my head itch, that’s for sure. A cashmere hat won’t make your head itch. It’s funny how people find it hard to resist stroking cashmere.
2. Lighter – a cashmere hat weighs less than a wool hat. I don’t think you really notice this unless you have a hat with a giant bobble on top, so it’s a small advantage. Although when packing for a flight when every gram counts, then a cashmere hat could make the difference.
3. Warmer – Due to the very thin thickness and the structure of the cashmere fibre more air is trapped in a more stable way. This insulates. This is what makes a cashmere hat warmer that a wool hat

4. Looks good – There is something about items knitted in cashmere which looks great. Due to the fibre being fine and the knit being small, it means that the final object has quite a smooth finish and a slight sheen. They don’t look unnaturally shiny like some fibres, they just have a lovely soft sheen which says quality.

5. It is the best fibre – Let’s be honest, we all love to have the best of something in any category. A wool or cotton hat might do the job fairly well, but when you can have the best there is for a manageable price increase, then it is hard to resist

6. Durable – A decent cashmere hat will last many hundreds of wearings. I always wear one of our reversible cashmere hats from September to March, and have had my current cashmere hat for about 4 years. That must add up to about 600 days of wearing it. It is still in very good condition.

7. Hard to lose – Maybe just because it is something that is a little more special than a regular hat. Also it looks unique. A cashmere hat from Mypashmina actually is unique to Mypashmina. Maybe we should try getting shops to stock them!

8.Easy to wash – You can just chuck your cashmere hat in the washing machine. MAKE SURE you use the wool or delicates cycle. They come out fresh and like new every time. Do not cook them at 60c and 40c is more likely to fail than succeed.

4 Reasons To Buy A Cashmere Hat From Mypashmina

1. Credibility – We have been in business since 2002. We started with pashminas and added knitwear in about 2004. We still have some of our customers from the very first years buying now. I have seen 2 names I recognise from those early days in the week that I wrote this article.
2. Quality – We regularly send our cashmere for testing at SGS labs. We find out the fibre length, width and whether any other fibres have been mixed. They never are. 
3. Unique designs – very few people will have the same hat as you. 
4. Free shipping and no hassle returns and everything you would expect in terms of service. 

Garden Hammock Guide

Garden Hammock Guide

This is a guest post from our other web shop. We hope it is interesting and useful for you.

What is a Garden Hammock ?

Let’s define garden hammock to start with.

Definition of hammock – a bed made of canvas or rope mesh suspended from two supports by cords at both ends. ( Oxford Dictionary )

Definition of garden – a piece of ground adjoining a house, in which grass, flowers, and shrubs may be grown.

Oh wow! Look how thorough we are being. There is no room for confusion here.

Why Buy A Garden Hammock ?

• A place to relax. If you want to relax in your garden right now, what are you going to lay on ? A hammock is always going to be comfortable and ready. It would usually be placed in such a way that the sunlight is dappled through the leaves. A blanket on the ground will feel cold and damp after a while, and a lounger just is not as comfortable.
• A place for fun. It’s always fun to have more than one person in a hammock. Children love it and the giggles can be heard from miles around!
• A proper hammock makes your garden look nice. Just take a look at our collection for the best looking hammocks available to buy today.
• If you are trying to sell a property, putting a hammock up in the garden makes it more appealing. A garden hammock could be the best investment you even made!
• A focus point – a hammock helps to define part of the garden for relaxing as opposed to cultivation etc.
• As a gift, especially as a house-warming gift. A hammock in the garden helps to make a house in to a home.

Things To Consider When Buying A Garden Hammock

• How big is the space between the trees. Your new hammock should not be too long for the space, but it can be quite a lot shorter. It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit, the ropes will take care of that. You can allow from 0cm to 300cm on each side of the hammock and it will work perfectly.
• If you have only one tree, or no trees then you will need to look at buying a hammock stand. You can always attach one end of the hammock to a tree and the other end to the house or veranda with a hammock hook.
• You should check that the hammock is washable. All hammocks are washable, but it is easier with a hammock that you can put in the washing machine compared to one that you would need to hand wash in a bath. For example a spreader bar hammock.
• If you only have one tree, or if your trees are arranged in such a way that the hammock would be hung across a thoroughfare, then it might be better to get a hanging chair or two.
• If you have a small garden, you will need to consider how much space the hammock takes up. Although it is hard to imagine a garden so small that the hammock won’t be an improvement. Many people use up there balconies with a hammock and just winch it up out of the way when they need the space for other activities.

Some Tips For Using Garden Hammocks

• You don’t have to hang your garden hammock around the main trunk of a tree. If it is a good size tree you might have lots of suitable branches which will increase your options when it comes to finding the perfect angle.
• Think about where the sun will come from at different times of the day and when you are most likely to be relaxing in your hammock. In the hottest part of the day, you might want some leaves between you and the full glare of the sun, whereas in the evening when the sun is low, you might want to feel its full glow.
• Make sure any branches you select are strong and not rotten. They don’t have to be really thick. A healthy tree will have strong branches even if they are quite thin.
• Consider what you will be able to see from your hammock. It is better if you can see what you want from your relaxed position rather than having to move every time you want to see something.

Some Fun Ideas For How To Use A Garden Hammock

• Use as a rain shelter. Just flip it upside down. This idea will work better with polyester or Sunbrella hammocks. The cotton hammocks will only stop the rain for a while.
• Store toys in it off of the ground. It is a quick way to tidy up the garden and stop the lawn getting yellow marks where toys have been abandoned for days.
• Collect fruit in it off the ground and away from the ants. Fill your hammock with apples, un-clip it, and two people can transport hundreds of apples in one heavy journey back to the house.
• Controlling smoke signals – joke!
• Don’t be afraid to adapt and upgrade your hammock. A cotton hammock is a piece of fabric after all, and it is easy to attach accessories such as pockets, buttons. You could add some strings and make it so you can tie it closed at the top. This works well with the biggest hammocks. Maybe you want pockets for drinks and books and everything else you need.

Can I Use A Garden Hammock In Other Places ?

• Well, obviously a hammock can be used anywhere it is hangable. I suppose the real question is whether you would want to.
• One of the good things about hammocks is that they are very portable. Especially the Hamaca hammocks which come with a matching shoulder bag. You can easily set your hammock up in the park. It makes the park feel more like your garden.
• When the weather changes you can move your hammock. First you can move it out of the garden and on to the terrace, then when that is no longer cosy, you can move it indoors. Setting up a hammock in doors is as easy as setting it up outdoors and it makes a great place to read a book.
• You could put a hammock in your workshop. Pretend that you are going to fix or make something, then have a quick nap in your hammock.

Does a Garden Hammock Make A Good Gift ?

• Give it to someone who is moving house. You could even set it up in their garden ready for them. When moving house, the house usually starts off filled with boxes and disorganisation. Whereas the garden has nothing in it. Take a break from the unpacking and feel unburdened in your new hammock in the garden.
• It also makes a house feel a bit more like a home, in about 30 seconds.
• What is more romantic than relaxing together in a hammock. A hammock makes a lovely gift for a happy couple at any of life’s stages.
• A hammock will be a much appreciated gift for someone who is sick or recovering from an injury. If they need peace and rest a hammock in the garden will help that to happen.
• Children love hammocks. A hammock is not only a very well appreciated gift, but it has a number of practical benefits. These range from encouraging reading (this is my own experience and assumption) , to having somewhere peaceful to relax. So, if you are a smart cookie, then get a bunch of hammocks for all those birthday parties your kids get invited to.

Is It Important To Have A Garden ?

NO, you can have a hammock on a balcony, indoors, or in the yard, in the garage, in the workshop. You can pretty much put a hammock anywhere. You could hang it off the back of the car.

If this guide was useful to you or you have anything to add, please contact us. We love to hear feedback on everything.

Hammock Heaven is part of Mypashmina Ltd and has been online since 2004.