Shahtoosh is undeniably the most luxurious fabric present on this blue-green planet. And I hope no one ever seeks a newly made one again. Once you understand the reason, you may feel the same way.
Shahtoosh is the finest type of wool. Comes from a Tibetan antelope named Chiru (scientific name Pantholops hodgsonii). It’s even finer than vicuna, baby cashmere, or any other natural fibers in the world.
But unlike other types of wool, Chiru wool can not be shredded or shorn from a living animal. Historically, the fiber was obtained through killing the animals, which is why the illegal trade became so controversial. To make one Shahtoosh shawl, humans need to kill at least 5 Tibetan antelopes.
It became one of the world’s most expensive fabrics, at a devastating ecological cost. It is expensive, not because it may cost you $20k, but it will cost 5 majestic endangered chirus lives.
Team Muslin Dhaka researches luxury textiles and their histories. We are a heritage luxury brand that speaks about quiet luxury fashion & fabrics. Also we offer our own dhaka muslin & curated classic fashion to selected patrons. With our team of researchers, fashion designers, and fabric experts, we are making a difference in the quiet luxury fashion industry by promoting ethical wool and sustainable practices.
Let us take you on an amazing and tragic journey into the story of Shahtoosh. We will explain characteristics, history, species protection steps, and the tale of the silent luxury.
Sit back and enjoy.
What is Shahtoosh?
The word ‘shahtoosh’ means the Fabric of Kings. The name does a good job of summing up its characteristics. This is made from the fur of the Tibetan antelope, locally called chiru. Chirus have the finest and warmest type of wool in their belly and throat. Only 10-14% of chiru wool can be used to make a shawl or a cloth.
Chirus live in the coldest parts of the Changtang region, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Qinghai regions. In these places, the temperature can easily drop to minus 40 degree. To survive in this harsh winter, Chiru evolved an exceptionally fine insulating coat to survive extreme cold. That creates a super noble fiber. (We will explain the properties in the next section)
This wool used to make shawls and scarves. It’s so expensive and rare, winter wares like sweaters rarely made with it. It is so precious that only kings and the elite could afford it. Shahtoosh is historically compared with only a few legendary textiles for prestige & elegance. Dhaka Muslin is the one that more or equally loved by the Mughal kings! It was more costly than Shahtoosh at the time of Mughal emperor Akbar the Great.
Collecting wool from Chiru is illegal. It also requires a massacre to get a profitable amount of Chiru wool. For the hunters, it’s a hard task indeed, but the reward is super high. In the last hundred years, the chiru population dropped significantly. But a glimpse of hope with strict law enforcement and protection activities, the number of chiru is slowly bouncing back under global conservation efforts.
What are the Characteristics of Shahtoosh? A Real Comparison
Shahtoosh is jaw-dropping soft. It is smooth like silk but many times warmer. It’s so delicate and light — has a cloudy, flowy feel. It was renowned for extraordinary softness, warmth, and lightness.
There are two fabrics that can go through within a finger ring. One is Royal Dhaka Muslin, and the other is silent luxury Shahtoosh. It’s so unique and majestic that it became the mythical praise among textile connoisseurs.
Now the interesting part, Let’s try to find out why?
It is often cited among the finest animal fibers ever measured. It comes with a stunning 11.5 mm average width. Meanwhile, the finest shahtoosh fiber can be 6.25 microns. That is literally the limit of what nature can produce in terms of fiber diameter.
Shahtoosh vs Vicuna vs Cashmere
The second finest wool fabric is vicuna. Vicuna comes at a 12 micron diameter. Vicuna is also a wild animal, but we can harvest their wool ethically. Collect wool without hurting them through the traditional Chaccu ceremony. So you can obviously own a Vicuna with enough money. Read more on luxury Vicuna.
Baby cashmere is very fine. The undercoat of baby cashmere comes with 13.5 microns. As cashmere goats can be farmed, they are slightly less expensive (slightly). Read more on Cashmere wool guide.
But its super fine character does not explain the whole story. We have to get to the microscopic level to understand the whole mystery. Under an electron microscope, we can observe the wool by zooming 50-50 million times.
At the Microscopic level, shahtoosh wool is completely different from vicuna or cashmere. It has a scaly cuticle structure. Every 100 micrometers, there are about 5 scales. The scales are aligned in a way that they have no rough edges. By removing the coarse guard hairs, weavers ensure the final product is incredibly smooth.
This characteristic makes it smooth like silk and different from other types of wool. Look at the images below. Vicuna and cashmere have a bit of uneven parts. That makes the difference in the feel of that wool.
What is the brief history of Shahtoosh?
The history of chiru is the history of hunting. They have been killed for their fur for centuries. But those animals are not easy to catch. So in the past, people could not kill much that cause serious problems in their population.
In the middle of sixteen Century, the first notable mention of shahtoosh was found. Emperor Akbar was passionate about shahtoosh shawls. The name ‘shahtoosh’ was also given by Akbar. In his time, this fashion got exposure to different parts of the world( like muslin, see the history of muslin). More people were interested in shahtoosh as a pure luxury.
Still, the shahtoosh wool was one of the rarest. Only available to royal class fashion. Emperor Shah Jahan made a rule that prohibited the general people using shahtoosh, reinforcing its status as a royal garment.
In the 1950s, over one million chiru roamed the Tibet region. At that time, modern technology easily hunt the antelope. So, more and more hunters were hunting the high-reward prey- Chiru. In 1979, shahtoosh was banned under CITES Appendix, and killing chirus was prohibited.
But still, smugglers and the black market kept the business going. Poachers killed so much Chiru that their number dropped to only 45,000 in the 2000s. It become an endangered species. However, with proper protection, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, their population increased by about 150,000 in 2009 and moved to near Threatened status.
“The prestige factor may be high with shahtoosh, but it is false prestige, standing on the carcasses of dead animals.” Nuzhat Saadia Siddiqi, Environmentalist and activist
The activist always slogan for the animal cruelty. The dark side of this luxury. Much of the chiru population decline for illegal fiber trade; 850,000 Chiru killed within the short time.
How Shahtoosh was produced? Current Industry
After collecting the wool from Chiru, hunters exported the wool to Indian Kashmir. A large industry of Kashmiri shawl weaving developed In Kashmir.
The industry has the legacy for hundreds of years, probably from the time of Akbar. As shahtoosh was very expensive, the weavers also got really handsome payment. Working with this wool required special skills and a lot of time.
After the ban, many workers connected to the trade lost their livelihoods. Still, those people and their children live a hard life. Proper renovations and development efforts are necessary to help those artisans.
Can you have a shahtoosh?
If you are talking about newly produced shahtoosh, the answer is a big ‘NO.’ This is illegal to own in America and many parts of the world. The production has stopped. But there is still a few illegal production and shahtoosh trade. Buying those can cause real legal problems.
In 2017, American celebrity Martha Stewart said she always keeps a shahtoosh shawl in her bag. After mass criticism and backlash, she revealed that her shawl was cashmere and not shahtoosh.
While magazines like ELLE Decor, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair often highlight bespoke menswear and high-end fashion, the use of Shahtoosh remains a legal and ethical “red line.”
However, there is a possibility of getting an antique Shahtoosh from collectors. But that will cost a woo-lot of money. Well, we can not help you with any sources or anything. Why? Read the title.
What is the future of this super Fashion?
The future of shahtoosh should remain in museums, archives, and history books. It should be an item for museums and collections. But not a single shahtoosh should be killed for their fur. No matter how heavenly it is, no matter how luxurious it is, Muslin Dhaka is always against animal cruelty and ecological damage. We should focus on synthetic materials or high-quality pashmina shawl options as ethical alternatives.
Chiru farming
You may ask, can we farm Chiru (the Tibetan antelope)? Well nope. Chinese people tried to domesticate it but failed. They need very cold weather to survive and produce fine coats. So is it a dead end for the majestic shahtoosh? We believe it’s not the end here.
Maybe sometime in the future, shahtoosh-like wool can be produced with genetic engineering. Maybe goats/other antelope cousins of the chiru can produce this highest quality wool! Maybe Shahtoosh wool can be harvested without animal cruelty. Who knows but you can always hope for the best.
( Special Update – Team muslin dhaka is working to produce ethical Shahtoosh alternative. We called it Shahtoosh killer. That can save thousands of Chiru live. Also the ethical luxury lover get something really unique. Stay tuned, Some great news are coming soon!)
FAQ
Here are some of the questions people often ask about this fashion.
Why was Shahtoosh banned?
Tibetan antelopes was hunted in hundreds and thousands, which posed a real threat of extinction. To stop illegal hunting and address conservation concerns, the ban on Shahtoosh was implemented globally.
What is the difference between shahtoosh and pashmina?
Shahtoosh is finer and smoother than real pashmina. They also have differences in microscopic structure. They feel different. Shahtoosh is from chiru while pashmina is harvested from Cashmere goat.
Ending Thoughts
The king of wool, has fallen. But the chirus will run, roam, and live on. Isn’t that amazing? We tried to present the story of shahtoosh in a way that allows you to enjoy it in one sitting. If you realize our strong position against animal cruelty for luxury, please support us. This awareness is our real success.
While this is unavailable, You can still enjoy vicuna and baby cashmere. Check out the best cashmere brands or the best Vicuna brands! Please see Dhaka Muslin & Signature Collections in our SHOP section.
