Paisley Shawl Fragment

Kashmir shawls can be traced to 13th century India where they were used as a covering for upper class men. Their design features a droplet shape motif called Boteh.

Their production is the very labor-intensive technique of twill tapestry called Kani and it involves using a large number of bobbins, each loaded with a yarn of different color instead of a shuttle.

In the 18th century with flourishing trade between Europe and Asia they became sought after by wealthy, fashionable and most often royal Europeans. As demand increased production moved to Western Europe and became more mechanical, using Jacquard looms and standardized designs. The European shawls weren’t the fine quality of their Indian ancestors, but they weren’t as expensive. They were worn by European women till the 1870’s when the bustle became fashionable, rendering them obsolete.

The European town producing the best shawls was Paisley, just outside Glasgow in Scotland and eventually all European shawls were called Paisleys. Dating them can be done according to the boteh shape, its content and the urns they sprout from.