In fact, all of them supported the Wildlife Trust of India's (WTI's) campaign against Shahtoosh shawls at two workshops conducted during last week's Lakme India Fashion Week. They have stated categorically that they will refrain from using Shahtoosh products as procuring this soft wool involves the killing of the endangered Chiru antelope.

WTI director Vivek Menon says it takes little imagination to know how the wool is harvested. "The animal must be killed," he says. Shahtoosh is the name given to the wool that is derived from the undercoat of the Tibetan antelope, the Chiru. The outer coat of the Chiru is rough and not used, but the second layer or undercoat is soft and keeps the Chiru very warm in the Tibetan Plateau's freezing temperatures of minus 40 degrees Centigrade. The fine hair, especially under the chest of the Chiru, is white and very soft and warm and has become a sought-after status symbol.

The Chiru's natural habitat is the Tibetan Plateau, extending a little into Ladakh. Current estimates put the Chiru population at 50,000 to 75,000 animals, of which at 20,00 are poached annually, claims WTI. The poachers, says Menon, have devised quicker ways of trapping the animals and killing them. For example, he says, they hunt at night using bright lights. The lights shine on the resting herds, who get baffled by the sudden brightness and freeze. The poachers then use their guns to shoot them down.

The master weavers for Shahtoosh are based in the Kashmir Valley and most of the wool is smuggled across the Tibetan border and brought to the valley for weaving, after which they are transported to Delhi or Mumbai, from where they are exported. A few pieces are sold in India too. The shawls are naturally very expensive.

The Chiru is protected under Schedule A of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). There is a ban on harming the animal and trading in products sourced from it. China and Nepal too have protected the Chiru with legislation. "In India, it enjoys a similar status, except in Jammu and Kashmir. In J&K, the Chiru can be killed and traded under licence. However, the state has issued no licences, so far," says WTI. Trade in Shahtoosh is completely illegal at the moment, Nevertheless, both shawls and wool are sold worldwide.

WTI has asked the fashion world to eliminate the demand for Shahtoosh and instead look at replacements like Shamina and high grade Pashmina. The Fashion Design Council of India has supported WTI's demand and hopes that all the fashion designers will take cognisance of this demand. u