The down of steppe goats is unique, so far such characteristics cannot be achieved anywhere in the world. When trying to export endemics to other regions of the country, abroad, animal down changed its characteristics, becoming unsuitable for the production of shawls of the right quality.

How are shawls made of goat down in Orenburg, how to choose the right one, how to distinguish a fake?
What is it, a real Orenburg down shawl?
Legendary down shawls are overgrown with many myths, which are refuted by the masters. You should figure out the issues yourself in order to buy a warm, high-quality down shawl or an openwork spider web.

Sheds or not
They say that down shawls from Orenburg do not shed, but this is not true. The new product should get rid of a small amount of hard hair, and then fluff.

Smooth or fluffy
If they sell you a fluffy shawl, it means it was treated with a metal brush. Such manipulations lead to damage to the fabric structure, reduce the service life, but give an attractive presentation and additional "warmth" and comfort.
Buy a smooth Orenburg down shawl — over time it will fluff naturally.

Natural base
The yarn from which shawls are knitted may contain natural or synthetic components. The combination of fluff and silk thread is more expensive. Often masters weave fluff with viscose or polyamide, cheaper, base. Experts emphasize that the technical characteristics of down shawls are due to the use of down, and the base is needed for additional strength and shine:

cotton is needed for knitting warm canvases;

viscose replaces natural fiber, gives a gloss to the openwork pattern;

polyamide reduces the cost, is durable and practically invisible.

If you do not accept synthetics, find out when buying what composition the product has.

Ecru
This is the name of the natural shade of down (pale gray-yellow). If the discoloration technology is broken, the structure of the down may be damaged, which reduces the service life and other properties of the material. Even when optical bleaching is performed in compliance with the norms, the down product cannot retain all its original properties.
How to distinguish a real Orenburg shawl from a fake
A real product made of fluff, knitted by hand or on a factory machine, has no long villi and curls.

Only a thin openwork spider web will pass through the ring, insulated thick stoles or shawls are quite thick by themselves, so it is physically impossible to perform such a trick with them.

The main criterion of the original Orenburg product is its lightness. It is checked like this: grab a few fluff in the center of the scarf, it should not fall even if you hold only a couple of hairs.

Features of manual and factory production
Factories in the Southern Urals stamp handkerchiefs mechanically. The thinnest stoles, scarves, vests are not inferior in strength to manual work, but are valued lower. Manufacturers have simplified and automated the painstaking manipulations of manual labor, but deprived their products of something important, visually imperceptible. Prices for the products of Orenburg factory manufacturers are lower than for hand-knitted goods, but you can't exactly call such products "traditional" and 100% natural.

The masterpieces connected by the masters are distinguished by the unique knitting technique, the uniqueness of the patterns. Handmade work carries the warmth of the hands of the woman who created this item.

The masters claim that the healing properties of a stole or shawl are preserved due to the observance of the secrets of the centuries-old technology of hand-made yarn (from twisting, stretching, rinsing to bleaching).