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Business Sections
The artisans of Kullu valley preserve a rich heritage of handlooms and handicrafts. There is an amazing range of beautiful handloom and handicraft products in Kullu.
The traditional brilliant colours of the Handlooms probably manifest people's zest for life and creation. The famous Kullu Shawls are admired for their elegant look. Kullu Caps are widely worn by the local people and are also equally popular among tourists.
Warm local Tweeds, Pattus, Muflars etc. are the other handloom products largely produced in Kullu. Kullu Shawls occupy a place of pride among the Handicrafts of Kullu. They are world famous for their elegant look, brilliant traditional patterns , quality and reasonable cost.
A shawl is a light woolen fabric measuring 1 x 2 meters. It is usually draped around and over the chest and shoulders by women. Generally, the yarn is Merino Wool, Angora Wool, Pashmina Wool, local sheep wool or a combination of any of these. Men also wear shawls, these are known as Loi or Chaddar.
Kullu shawls occupy an imperative position in the economy of the valley and to realize the demand 20000 to 22000 people are partially engaged in this field and about 10000 people fully earn their livelihood from the industry.
The Kullu Shawl owes its origin to the Kinnauri Shawl. The Kullu Shawl's designs and motifs woven today have originally been derived from intricate Kinnauri designs that have been enlarged enormously and simplified with the passage of time. This has resulted into a reduction of labour and the time involved—thereby reducing their cost and making them commercially more viable.
Mill spun yarn dyed in various colours is used for the ground, while a vast range of acrylic colours is used for the pattern in the border. These shawls are available in wool, Angora, Pashmina and handspun material. The yarn used may be chemically dyed or vegetable dyed.
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