Orenburgsky down scarf, along with the Tula samovar, nesting dolls, Khokhloma painting, Gzhel, palekh, Vologda lace, Dymkovo toy, Rostov enamel, Ural malachite - one of the symbols of Russia. The down knitting industry originated in the Orenburg region approximately 250 years ago, back in the 18th century. According to other sources, the indigenous population of these places were already knitting down shawls from goat down before the formation of the Orenburg province. At its origins stood not only needlewomen-puffers, but also scientists, researchers, and art enthusiasts. The first who turned his attention to Orenburg down scarves was P.I. Rychkov. In 1766 P.I. Rychkov published a study “The Goat Hair Experience,” proposing to organize down knitting industry in the region. Subsequently, Academician P.P. Pekarsky wrote a description of Rychkov’s life and called him “the creator of that handicraft industry in the Orenburg Cossack army, which has been feeding more than one thousand people for the second century.”

Outside of Orenburg, down scarves became widely known after a meeting of the Free Economic Society on January 20, 1770. At this meeting, A.D. Rychkova was awarded a gold medal “as a token of gratitude for the zeal shown to society by collecting products from goat down.”

Orenburg down scarves were first presented abroad at the Paris International Exhibition in 1857. Thus, the Orenburg shawl reached the international level and received recognition there. In 1862, at the London Exhibition, the Orenburg Cossack woman M. N. Uskova received the medal “For shawls made of goat down.”

The down of Orenburg goats is the thinnest in the world: the thickness of the down of Orenburg goats is 16-18 microns, that of Angora goats (mohair) is 22-24 microns. Therefore, products made from Orenburg down - shawls and webs - are especially delicate and soft. Severe frosty winters with snow and Orenburg blizzards, as well as the feeding habits of Orenburg goats - the vegetation of the mountain steppes of the Urals - are the main reasons why the Orenburg goat breed has such fine fluff. At the same time, this down is very durable - stronger than wool. The most surprising thing is that Orenburg goats are bred only in the Orenburg region. Attempts by the French in the 19th century to export the Orenburg goat from the Volga region failed: goats need thin fluff to retain heat, and the mild climate of France did not contribute to this. Orenburg goats in France have degenerated, turning into ordinary goats with coarse thick fluff. In the 18th-19th centuries, France exported tens of thousands of pounds of Orenburg down, which was valued higher than Kashmir down. Western Europe still buys a lot of Orenburg down.

Orenburg spider webs reached their peak of popularity at the end of their development Russian Empire. At this time, products marked “Imitation of Orenburg” began to be manufactured in England. But even in our time, not only a lot of notes and articles are published abroad in foreign media, but also entire books are published about the history of fishing and knitting of Orenburg down products.

Orenburg scarves come in several types:

simple down scarf (shawl) - gray (rarely white) thick warm down scarves. It was with the making of shawls that the Orenburg down-knitting industry began. The warmest type of scarf. These scarves are used for everyday wear.

gossamer is an openwork product made of finely spun goat fluff and silk. Not for everyday wear. It is used on special and festive occasions, since knitting patterns and techniques are much more complex than a simple down scarf. Typically, purer and softer wool is used, which makes the product more expensive.

stole - a thin scarf/cape, similar in knitting method and use to a gossamer.

Cobweb and stole are very thin scarves, like cobwebs. Thin cobwebs usually have a complex pattern and are used as decoration. The best thin webs are knitted in the villages of Zheltoye and Shishma, Saraktash region. Such a web will decorate any dress, regardless of style. The thinness of a product is often determined by two parameters: whether the product fits through a ring and whether it fits in a goose egg. However, not every good product necessarily meet these conditions, since each craftswoman spins threads of different thicknesses, sometimes preferring a thicker thread to a thin one. Silk (less often, viscose or cotton) thread is used as a basis for webs; for shawls, cotton (less often, lavsan) thread is used. The webs are usually two-thirds fluff and one-third silk.

Nice scarf self made knitted from twisted yarn: the craftswoman first spins a dense thread from goat fluff, and then spun it onto a silk (cotton) warp thread. Such a scarf - a web or a shawl - does not initially look fluffy. Products begin to fluff during wear. This scarf can be worn for a very long time.

A good craftswoman can knit two medium-sized webs or three stoles in a month. To make a scarf big size or a scarf with a pattern or inscription takes a month or more. Each scarf is an original work of art, into which a lot of creative work and patience of down-knitters has been invested.

In the Orenburg region they knit not only by hand, but also by machine. Machine-made products are beautiful and less expensive, but cannot compare with handmade scarves. When knitting, the machine “cuts” the fluff, and the product becomes coarser. This scarf is more like a scarf made of very soft wool. However, some craftswomen knit the middle of the scarf on a machine, since in this case the middle of the product turns out to be more even, but handmade work is valued higher in this case as well.

The most large collection shawls are presented in the Museum of the History of the Orenburg Down Shawl, which is a branch of the Orenburg Regional Museum of Fine Arts.

According to one legend, the first Russian settlers who arrived in the Urals were surprised by the light clothing of the Kalmyk and Kazakh horsemen galloping across the endless steppes of the former Kirghiz-Kaisak Horde. The secret of withstanding the severe Ural frosts turned out to be unusual: they used scarves knitted from goat fluff as linings for their light clothes.

The scarves were sewn without any patterns, performing only a utilitarian function: to keep their owner warm.

This approach to knitting down scarves changed when Russian Cossack women got down to business and began applying patterns to down products. Quite quickly, such an innovation became more and more widespread, and Orenburg down scarves became known outside the region. The extraordinary fluff of Orenburg goats, together with amazing patterns, won new admirers.

The real glory of the Orenburg down scarf came in the 19th century. Village needlewomen began to receive international awards. Interest in the region grew so much that overseas merchants came to the distant Russian province to buy the down of the famous goats.

Foreign companies tried to establish production in Europe and even South America. Goats were taken thousands of kilometers away, but the surprising thing was that already 2-3 years after the relocation, the goats lost their best properties and brought fluff, not much different from the fluff of ordinary goats. Only the frosty Ural climate was good for Orenburg goats.

Desperate to get Orenburg goats, foreigners began to buy down from Orenburg. The products were so famous that one of the English companies that produced down scarves marked them as “Orenburg imitation.”

In the 20th century, wars and the Iron Curtain of the Soviet era meant the end of the era of world fame for the Orenburg region. However, this did not mean the end of the development of the down knitting industry. One of the innovations was the use of down from both Orenburg and Volgograd goats. The down of Volgograd goats was well suited for knitting white scarves, which was appreciated by local needlewomen.

Another change was the founding of the Orenburg down scarf factory. Handicraftswomen from the famous down-knitting regions became masters of the workshop.

Saraktash craftswomen rightfully took a prominent place at the Factory. The use of machines opened up wide opportunities for experimentation: the ability to apply virtually any pattern to down products in a short time opened up scope for imagination. The middle of the scarf was knitted even better than by hand.

Once again, as in the 19th century, the Orenburg down scarf found itself in the spotlight, this time within the USSR. Arriving from Orenburg without a down scarf began to be considered disrespectful. Those leaving for Orenburg invariably received the same task: to bring the famous product home.

The factory received a large number of letters with the same request, but almost always had to be refused with regret: the Factory was unable to satisfy the demand even in the Orenburg region; there was no talk of other regions. The Orenburg down scarf has become a luxury.

Changes in the country's political and economic course in the early 90s brought changes to the down knitting industry. The shortage of Orenburg products in other areas led to the fact that entrepreneurs began to transport down scarves to remote regions of Russia, where the population's demand for Orenburg products was high even during the economic recession.

However, it would be incorrect to talk about the development of the fishery in the last 15 years. In addition to the deteriorating economic situation of the fishery, a new problem has emerged: counterfeits that have flooded Russian markets. The “real Orenburg downy scarf,” from which after a month only cotton threads remain, conquered the markets much faster than real products, spoiling the name of Orenburg.

The same “real” labels are stuck on “real products from the Orenburg factory”. There is no need to talk about handmade work: even in Orenburg it is difficult for a non-specialist to distinguish high-quality knitting.

The hope for the development of the fishery is sales to other regions and countries, because the products continue to amaze. One such opportunity is online shopping.

It’s nice when there is confidence that any resident of the country can find a place where he can buy down products, the origin of which is beyond doubt. Palantin.ru became such an online store, presenting products from the famous Orenburg Down Scarves Factory and high-quality Orenburg down scarves and handmade webs.

What was considered a luxury just recently has become accessible to everyone. We hope that the Orenburg down scarf has a great future ahead - a future based on age-old traditions.

On this blizzard, unkind evening,
When there is snow haze along the roads,
Throw it over your shoulders, dear
Orenburg downy scarf.

According to one legend, the first Russian settlers who arrived in the Urals were surprised by the light clothing of the Kalmyk and Kazakh horsemen galloping across the endless steppes of the former Kyrgyz-Kaisak Horde.

The secret of withstanding the severe Ural frosts turned out to be unusual: they used scarves knitted from goat fluff as linings for their light clothes. The scarves were sewn without any patterns, performing only a utilitarian function: to keep their owner warm.

This approach to knitting down scarves changed when Russian Cossack women got down to business and began applying patterns to down products. Quite quickly, such an innovation became more and more widespread, and Orenburg scarves became known outside the region. The extraordinary fluff of Orenburg goats, together with amazing patterns, won new admirers.

Real fame for the Orenburg scarf came in the 19th century. Village needlewomen began to receive international awards. Interest in the region grew so much that overseas merchants came to the distant Russian province to buy the down of the famous goats.

The down of Orenburg goats is unsurpassed in quality: elastic, soft, extremely light, has low thermal conductivity, excellent spinning ability and high felling capacity. In terms of fineness, it is not inferior to silk and Angora rabbit fluff. It is superior to merino wool in strength and elongation; Orenburg goat down also differs from the latter in that it goes into production at almost its full weight

Foreign companies tried to establish production in Europe and even South America. Goats were taken thousands of kilometers away, but the surprising thing was that already 2-3 years after the relocation, the goats lost their best properties and brought fluff, not much different from the fluff of ordinary goats. Only the frosty Ural climate was good for Orenburg goats.

Desperate to get Orenburg goats, foreigners began to buy down from Orenburg. The products were so famous that one of the English companies that produced down scarves marked them as “Orenburg imitation.”

In the 20th century, wars and the Iron Curtain of the Soviet era meant the end of the era of world fame for the Orenburg region. However, this did not mean the end of the development of the down knitting industry. One of the innovations was the use of down from both Orenburg and Volgograd goats. The down of Volgograd goats was well suited for knitting white scarves, which was appreciated by local needlewomen.

Another change was the founding of the Orenburg down scarf factory. Handicraftswomen from the famous down-knitting regions became masters of the workshop. Saraktash craftswomen rightfully took a prominent place at the Factory.

The use of machines opened up wide opportunities for experimentation: the ability to apply virtually any pattern to down products in a short time opened up scope for imagination. The middle of the scarf was knitted even better than by hand.

Despite the fact that real Orenburg down shawls work in strict accordance with the canons that distinguish the Orenburg down shawl from any other, each settlement of the Orenburg region has its own characteristics both in the technique of patterns and in the technique of knitting down shawls and webs.

For example, the Saraktash downy web is very close to old works from the 50s. The web is simple in composition. In terms of artistic direction, she may lose out, but her individual style remains.

Verkhnie Chebenki and the village of Zheltoye are located not far from Saraktash, and the patterns on the downy webs are very different. Verkhneozernye also has its own drawings that are not found anywhere else. The Orenburg downy web can be distinguished from others by its neatness of elaboration, rigor and imagination. There are more classics and canons in the countryside.

The teeth on the downy webs look like a fortress wall around an ancient city, then the border is knitted, then the “lattice”, then the middle. And, of course, holes are knitted in the downy web - regular, round, inverted.

The entire downy web consists of them, and the creative process is built on them: how to arrange these holes first into simple patterns - “flower”, “braid”, “chain”, and then more complex ones - “snowflake”, “honeycomb”.

From the latter, even more complex ones are built - “circles”, “snakes”. Depending on the level of the down jacket, the down scarves you get are either simple, or mediocre, or works of art.

Despite the great difficulties in knitting, Orenburg down scarves were distinguished by their high artistic quality. Down knitters worked with inspiration, putting a lot of work, love, initiative, artistic ideas and taste into their work. In this regard, the names of the patterns are also characteristic: “cat’s paws”, “cobweb”, “oblique row”, “herringbone”, “checkered”, “lattice”, “windows”, “mouse trail”, “triple berry”, “patterned” berry", "large raspberry", "reversible pattern".

How are Orenburg down scarves knitted? First, they select the fluff, comb it, and spin it. One craftswoman loves hard fluff, the other works with soft fluff. A person adapts the knitting of down scarves to suit himself. Knitting needles, spindle - everything is also selected individually. It turns out that in order to knit a classic downy web or a downy scarf, you need to meet about twenty requirements: from down processing to knitting methods.

Orenburg down shawls create extraordinary examples of down scarves. The openwork downy web, which measures 2.5 by 2.5 meters, weighs no more than 80 grams, but can freely pass through wedding ring and fit inside the shell of a goose egg.

The work of down knitters is very labor-intensive and painstaking. To make a scarf by hand, you need to perform a series of sequential operations: clear the fluff from the hair, comb it three times on combs, straighten the thread on a spindle, stitch the down thread with a thread of natural silk for an openwork scarf, wind it into balls, tie it and, finally, clean it ready-made scarf. On average, a knitter spent about 257 hours on knitting one warm scarf, and 195 hours on making an openwork “gossamer” scarf.

But the design of the scarf often depends on the predominant nationality of the village. Ukrainian culture tends to be flowery; Tatar, Kazakh, Bashkir - to a geometric pattern; and in villages with a mixed population, their own special scarf motifs arise. Yes, and knitting scarves is individual. One down jacket is capable of delicate work, different patterns are born in her head, while the other knits only one pattern all her life, having mastered it to perfection.

Again, as in the 19th century, the Orenburg shawl found itself in the spotlight, this time within the USSR. Arriving from Orenburg without a down scarf began to be considered disrespectful. Those leaving for Orenburg invariably received the same task: to bring the famous product home.

The factory received a large number of letters with the same request, but almost always had to refuse with regret: the Factory was unable to satisfy the demand even in the Orenburg region; there was no talk of other regions. The Orenburg scarf has become a luxury.

Changes in the country's political and economic course in the early 90s brought changes to the down knitting industry. The shortage of Orenburg products in other areas led to the fact that entrepreneurs began to transport down scarves to remote regions of Russia, where the population's demand for Orenburg products was high even during the economic recession.

If the new scarf is warm, soft and fluffy, and the fluff seems to be hanging from the product, you most likely have a down scarf in your hands that is not of the highest quality: the fluff may soon all come out, leaving only cotton threads, since the scarf has been combed comb

A real Orenburg down scarf - initially unfluffed. It is like the bud of a beautiful flower that only becomes more beautiful as it blooms. Its best properties appear only after some time, and not when it has just come off the knitting needles.

There is often an opinion that Orenburg scarves are worn only by elderly people who need warmth. In fact, this is not true: if downy shawls are actually worn mainly by women in mature and old age, then Orenburg downy webs and stoles are actually worn only by young girls.

Amazingly delicate, light and beautiful stoles and webs emphasize feminine beauty. As a rule, white products are chosen, which look especially good.

It happens that people who bought a down scarf and discovered viscose, silk or cotton threads in it become indignant and begin to claim that it is a fake, consisting of synthetics. However, the peculiarity of a down scarf is that it cannot be knitted from 100% down: the product in this case “rolls up” and lasts a very short time.

To prevent this from happening, the yarn must consist not only of down threads, but also of a “base,” that is, cotton, silk or viscose threads - in this case, the scarf will last a long time: the base gives the product strength, the down gives warmth and elegance. However, the proportion of base should be relatively small.

Types of Orenburg down scarves

Orenburg down scarf - a square product of dense knitting with openwork teeth or without teeth along the edges
Down shawl - large-sized Orenburg down shawl, with embroidery or fringe at the edges
Down scarf - a triangular down product with teeth or tassels along the edges, tightly knitted
Downy web - a square product, openwork, with teeth, very light, finely knitted webs easily pass through the wedding ring
Down stole - rectangular openwork scarf with teeth, has the properties of a spider web.

Care of down products

Before washing, a scarf, cobweb, or stole must be threaded onto a nylon thread. Such products can only be washed in warm water at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees. Very often in the absence special means and at home, downy items are washed with soft powders for woolen items or simply with shampoos for washing hair.

When washing, the products are simply carefully “rinsed” and do not rub, do not twist, do not iron! Down products should not be “soaked” or kept in water for more than 15 minutes. This makes them sit down. After washing, knitted items made from down should be gently wrung out, passing them between your fingers. Rinse in warm water with vinegar (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water).

Dry flat on an open surface on cotton fabric. Orenburg down scarves should be stored in linen or paper bags so that the down can “breathe”.

In the coldest season, when large flakes of snow swirl in the sky, shrouded in dark clouds, when the trees bend under the weight of crispy white caps, when the frost, not sparing anyone, begins to pinch your cheeks - an Orenburg down scarf will reliably warm you.

Sudarushka's blog

Russian folk crafts. Orenburg downy scarf. December 18th, 2017

Hello dears.
We continue our conversation with you about Russian folk crafts. Last time we remembered Krestetskaya embroidery: well, today we’ll talk a little about Orenburg down shawls. After all, he is one of the symbols of Russia :-)) Even songs are dedicated to him :-) Remember?

The Orenburg down scarf is a knitted scarf made from goat down and a warp thread (cotton, silk, etc.). The whole point is in the down, which is collected from special goats that are found only in the Orenburg region.

Many experts claim that the fluff of Orenburg goats is the thinnest in the world, 16-18 microns. For comparison, the thickness of the same Angora goats is noticeably greater - 22-24 microns. Therefore, products made from Orenburg down - shawls and gossamer - are especially delicate and soft.


Orenburg downy scarf is a protected brand based on the name of the place of origin of the goods. Only products “OrenburgShal” (IP Uvarov A.A.) and “Factory of Orenburg Down Shawls” (LLC Shima) have the right to be called Orenburg down scarves. The first specializes in hand-made products in compliance with the technologies developed during the development of the craft and historical canons, the second in products produced on machine tools.


Orenburg scarves come in several types:
Simple down scarf(or shawl) - gray (rarely white) thick warm downy scarves. The warmest type of scarf. These scarves are used for everyday wear.


Cobweb- an openwork product made of finely spun goat fluff and silk. Not for everyday wear. It is used on special and festive occasions, since knitting patterns and techniques are much more complex than a simple down scarf. Typically, purer and softer wool is used, which makes the product more expensive.


Stole- a thin scarf/cape, similar in knitting method and use to a spider web.
Cobweb and stole are very thin scarves, like cobwebs. The thinness of a product is often determined by two parameters: whether the product fits through a wedding ring and whether it fits in a goose egg. However, not every good product necessarily meets these conditions, since each craftswoman spins thread of different thicknesses, sometimes preferring a thicker thread to a thin one.

Silk (less often, viscose or cotton) thread is used as a basis for webs; for shawls, cotton (less often, lavsan) thread is used. The webs are usually two-thirds fluff and one-third silk.

The history of the scarf is connected with the Orenburg Cossacks, who, in turn, learned from the Kalmyks and Kyrgyz.
Pyotr Ivanovich Rychkov gave a special impetus to the development of the fishery. In 1766, he published a study, “An Experience on Goat Hair,” proposing to organize a down-knitting industry in the region. And everything turned around :-)


Subsequently, Orenburg scarves were able to compete even with cashmere ones in price and quality. And this is not surprising.
Making a scarf is not very simple. A good handmade scarf is knitted from knotted yarn: the craftswoman first spins a dense thread from goat down, and then spun it onto a silk (cotton) warp thread. Such a scarf - a web or a shawl - does not initially look fluffy. Products begin to fluff during wear.

This scarf can be worn for a very long time.
A good craftswoman can knit two medium-sized webs or three stoles in a month. It takes a month or more to make a large scarf or a scarf with a pattern or inscription. Each scarf is an original work of art, into which a lot of creative work and patience has been invested by down-knitters.

In the Orenburg region they knit not only by hand, but also by machine. Machine-made products are beautiful and less expensive, but cannot compare with handmade scarves. When knitting, the machine “cuts” the fluff, and the product becomes coarser. This scarf is more like a scarf made of very soft wool. However, some craftswomen knit the middle of the scarf on a machine, since in this case the middle of the product turns out to be more even, but handmade work is valued higher in this case as well.

The largest collection of scarves is presented in the Museum of the History of the Orenburg Down Shawl, which is a branch of the Orenburg Regional Museum of Fine Arts.
Have a nice time of day.

It has been a symbol of the Orenburg region and Russia for more than a century. It is customary to bring it as a memorable souvenir from our steppe region, and also give it to guests. A down scarf is a work of folk art in which the soul and all the skill are invested, perhaps that is also why it is so warm and affectionate. Want to know how it all started? How did the processes of origin, formation and development of the down knitting industry proceed? What is the state of affairs in down knitting today? We will be happy to share all the information with you!

Who and when came up with the idea of ​​scratching goats and knitting down products from their fluff?

It all started more than two centuries ago.

There are several legends about this. The first is that shepherds grazed their flocks of goats, raised and fed them for milk, meat and wool. They knew nothing about fluff. Cossack settlers, communicating with shepherds, casually noticed that the goats were dirty and unkempt. And they offered their help. “We’ll scratch your goats, and we’ll even take everything we scratch with us.” The shepherds were amazed at such a willingness to help, and they let the goats scratch. But this trick only worked once. IN next year, in the spring, the Cossacks were already forced to exchange the combed fluff for food, because the shepherds saw through the “selflessness” of the Cossacks. Since then, shepherds began to scratch the goats every spring and exchange the fluff for money and food. And the Cossacks got their own goats.

According to the second legend, perspicacious cattle breeders themselves figured out the use of goat fluff. And the Cossacks marveled at how the Kalmyks and Kazakhs did not freeze in such severe frost, galloping on their black horses, dressed lightly. Then we took a closer look at the horsemen and realized that it was all about the padded jackets and scarves that they wore under outerwear. These very robes served only one function - to keep warm, to warm their owner. They were far from the beautiful openwork scarves of today. They warmed tough men, not decorated fragile ones. women's shoulders. Again, the Cossacks found out that goat fluff was used, and raised their goats on subsidiary farms.

And already Cossack women, not burdened with agriculture and special subsidiary farming, began to knit the first openwork scarves from goat fluff. The properties of the down of Orenburg goats prompted Cossack women to think about creating a purely female element of clothing. After all, the fluff during spinning was incredibly thin and soft; flax and wool could not be compared with it. The downy thread also lay softly and easily into patterns of incredible beauty.

How did the down industry begin?

Geographically, the birthplace of the down knitting industry is the village of Zheltoye, Saraktash district, Orenburg region. It was there, for the first time, that the first openwork web came out from under the knitting needles of the Cossacks!

The Cossacks were relocated to the Southern Urals to guard the state border. And families - wives, children, old people - were resettled with them. And while the Cossacks performed military service, the rest of the family remained on the farm. They were not accustomed to farming. And the Cossack women were skilled in needlework, they knew lace and embroidery. Then they began to breed those same goats and knit scarves from their fluff. The patterns of the first down scarves were based on nature motifs. The endless Orenburg steppe, Frost patterns on the windows, bunches of rowan berries.

On winter evenings, sitting by a splinter, women knitted scarves of stunning beauty. At first it was the source additional income, and then, when scarves became in demand, it turned into a source of main income.

The experience of the first down knitters was passed on from daughter to mother. The skill was honed and improved. Did they know that they were at the origins of a legend? That scarves will shine at exhibitions in Paris and London? What will become known to the whole world? It’s unlikely, they just needed to feed their children, that’s why they knitted.

Down scarf conquers the world

Having visited the Orenburg lands in the 60s of the 17th century, Pyotr Ivanovich Rychkov, a researcher and discoverer of the Orenburg region, was the first to draw attention to goats, their fluff, and its features. Pyotr Ivanovich was among the first to become interested in goats, which are “near Yaik; and especially on the Zayaitskaya steppe they come in herds and are so playful that it is impossible for any dog ​​to drive away.” He talked with the shepherds, evaluated samples of down products and suggested opening a down knitting business!

And Rychkov’s wife, Alena Denisovna, was so inspired by the idea of ​​​​creating a down-knitting industry that she herself began to work on this issue. Many Cossack women gathered in the Rychkovs’ house, mastered new skills, and honed their skills. Once Alena Denisovna took a white down scarf with her to the capital. And he conquered the capital. The down knitters of the Orenburg province were thanked, and Alena Denisovna was given a medal.

This state of affairs encouraged the Cossack women; they began to master the craft more than ever before and invent new patterns and knitting techniques.

In 1851, at the first World Exhibition in London, the first acquaintance of Europeans with Orenburg down products took place. Of course, the scarves received attention and awards.

Already at the beginning of the 19th century, the French, trendsetters, announced a down shawl fashion accessory, an addition to the outfit. In 1857, at the Paris International Exhibition, everyone was amazed and delighted by the Orenburg down shawls.

In 1858, Orenburg craftswomen were awarded a large silver medal for scarves at an exhibition in Brussels.

And in 1862, scarves from the Russian hinterland shone at the Second World Exhibition in London! Bound by the Cossack Maria Nikolaevna Uskova, they won the hearts of the prim British and not only. The governor granted Maria Nikolaevna’s request to participate in the exhibition in England, and the craftswoman sent six of her scarves to the exhibition. All of them were instantly sold out as soon as the exhibition ended. The craftswoman received a medal “For”, a diploma and 125 pieces of silver!

In 1897, at an exhibition in Chicago, Orenburg down shawls earned well-deserved medals.

At the Moscow art industry exhibition in 1882, 6 scarves from the Orenburg region were also presented. 2 of them were awarded special attention and monetary reward - scarves for Uskova M.N. and Vladimirova N.R. - 100 rubles each. Ordinary scarves then cost from 18 to 35 rubles! The Penza scarves could not be compared with the Orenburg shawls; it would seem that they were also goat fluff, but the craftsmanship was not up to par.

Further, Orenburg down scarves become regular participants and favorites of international exhibitions: World Exhibitions in Canada in 1967 and Japan in 1968, international fairs in Algeria in 1969, in Syria in 1975, in Greece in 1976, in France in 1977 ., in England in 1979, in Spain in 1981, in India in 1982, in Germany in 1985.

It should be noted that the leading world powers were sometimes interested not in down scarves, but in goat down itself. Enterprising Americans tried to breed Orenburg goats. They bought them in the Orenburg province and took them to their homeland in England, Australia, France, South America. But half of the goats died on the way, and the other half did not, in the new climatic conditions, produce that valuable undercoat for which they were transported. It turned out that weather conditions are a decisive factor in the formation of goat down with its unique properties.

Then the British and French decided to export the raw materials. In 1824, the French company Baudier knitted shawls with the name “porridge”. The English company Lipner and Cohn from Birmingham produced “imitation Orenburg” scarves at their enterprise.

But still, the most worthy and high-quality scarves were knitted on Orenburg land. And now they are tying!

Orenburg province - the cradle of down knitting

In the 70s of the 19th century, no more than 300 women were engaged in down knitting. But the scarf was gaining such popularity that it was stupid not to knit it skillfully! Demand creates supply, as they say. And in 1900 there were already 4,000 knitters. In 1913, 21,000 men and women knitted scarves for sale. In 1915, the first Cossack down artel appeared!

The second half of the 20s of the 20th century was marked important step for down knitting - there was an urgent need to mechanize the work of down knitters. And in 1930, on the outskirts of Orenburg, the first down-knitting factory in the Union named after the First of May opened its doors! The creation of the factory was mainly supposed to solve the issue of reducing the cost of the scarves produced. Because the softness and fluffiness of handmade products could not be recreated by any machines! The down at the factory was still carded and spun by hand, and the openwork border was also knitted by craftswomen. The knitting of the middle of the scarf was mechanized. Every month the factory supplied the country with 288 scarves, 80 openwork, the rest warm. A standard for the quality of a factory product has appeared - the down thread must be of the same thickness, the color of the down must be uniform.

However, the mechanization of down knitting did not take place on the basis of this factory. And on the basis of a small but very ambitious “artel named after the Paris Commune.” It was from this artel that the current Down Shawl Factory grew. The girls started by knitting socks and mittens from down waste. We switched to scarves. We mastered the machines and figured out how to knit borders on them. In short, we have increased the production of down products significantly! In 1955, the artel produced as many as 20,800 scarves! The Orenburg down scarf has become an unsurpassed work of all-Russian significance! In 1960, the artel was renamed the Factory. The new factory building was built in 1966, and it is still located in this place, on Raskovaya Street.

Today, all processes at the factory are automated. And if a craftswoman knits one scarf by hand for 250 hours, then at the factory they produce more than 20 pieces in one shift! In 2004, the 50 millionth scarf was knitted

Of course, with the advent of down knitting machines, there are fewer down knitters. Because machine production has reduced the cost of products, and significantly. Down products were handmade and knitted longer and were more expensive. But how beautiful and good the handmade scarves are, how much love and warmth is put into them! Scarves for true connoisseurs are still knitted only by hand.

Down knitting today

Of course, not everything is so smooth in the history of down knitting. After the colossal rise of the down industry, in the dashing 90s its decline and even crisis began. Demand for down products has fallen. However, in last years The government of the Orenburg region is doing a lot to revive the centuries-old traditions of down knitting! Funds have been created, events are being held, funds are being allocated, and counterfeiting is being fought.

So, for six years now, since 2009, in October it has been customary to celebrate the “Days of the Orenburg Down Shawl”. Events, as a rule, include exhibitions, flash mobs, festive and competition programs.

This is a regional holiday, the need for its holding is enshrined in the Governor’s Decree. The purpose of the festival is to revive national traditions, support the Orenburg feather-weavers and instill a much-needed love for the history of their native land among the younger generation.

The most beautiful event is the action held on Intercession Day, it is called “Wear a scarf on Intercession Day.” On this day, men are encouraged to give gifts and women to wear snow-white scarves.

On October 13, 2013, as part of the festival, a world record for down knitting was set - 699 knitters (women, men and even children) took up their knitting needles at the same time. Knitters who came from all over the region, so different, but united by one common idea and favorite thing, each knitted their own from goat fluff for 5 minutes at the same time!

On November 12, 2015, the identical opening of the Center for Folk Arts and Crafts took place in Orenburg. This is a new, ultra-fashionable house of the Orenburg down shawl. Everything related to down knitting is collected under one roof - history and modernity, production technology, secrets of craftswomen, yarn, patterns, down knitters themselves, both experienced and beginners, museums and galleries on an area of ​​23,000 m²!

The emergence and development of online stores, of course, contributes to the distribution and development of the Orenburg down scarf around the world, the development and support of down knitters. Every day, with their work, they prove that fishing has not ceased on the Orenburg land, and the scarf only becomes more beautiful from year to year!

All you have to do is choose a reliable online store and the product in it! And become the owner of a scarf that really comes from Orenburg, with excellent quality.

Orenburg is famous for its world-famous down scarves. They are made from a thin thread of goat down. This thread can be cotton or silk, hence the quality of the scarves varies. The styles of scarves are very diverse. All visiting tourists believe that there is nothing better than taking away a nesting doll and the famous Orenburg feather webs from Russia. The fashion for these products will never go away. A down scarf will cure any disease and save you from wind and cold.

The Orenburg shawl is a symbol of Russia

Knitting down scarves began at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Down-wool craftswomen used goat wool in the down-knitting industry. Orenburg scarves were repeatedly exhibited at famous Parisian exhibitions. This gave them worldwide fame.

Orenburg goat down is the finest in the world. That is why it is used for knitting scarves, capes and webs. All products are incredibly soft and delicate. And despite its thinness, Orenburg goat down is very durable. If compared to wool, a goat's fart will surpass it.

No matter how much the French tried to export local goats in order to establish a similar production in France, all attempts ended in one thing - the goats degenerated and became ordinary animals with coarse fluff.

Types of Orenburg scarves

There are many styles of Orenburg scarves. The most common classic model is a thick knitted shawl. gray. This is a very warm scarf for everyday use.

The Orenburg gossamer is an openwork product made of thin goat down or silk. For knitting this product, only pure wool, soft and of high quality, is selected. That is why the web is considered not only the most fashionable, but also the most expensive scarf. Gossamer has always been worn for special occasions, holidays and celebrations.

A stole cape - just like a cobweb, is knitted from a thin thread and the whole production process is similar to a cobweb.

Orenburg spider webs are distinguished not only by the thinness of the product, but also beautiful patterns, softness, elasticity. These products are in demand at all times because they retain heat during the cold season. Only master knitters are able to express Russian motifs of fairy tales and songs in their patterns. Skilled craftswomen depict nature and symbols of home on their products. Each knitter comes up with a pattern for her scarf herself.