The principal aspects of the Cashmere shawls are its distinctive Kashmiri weaving technique and fine wool. However, the Kashmir shawl’s definition has varied in time and place, depending on various factors such as the material used and its cost, the method of construction, the intended use, and the status of the wearer. Today, at KashCrafts Shahtoosh shawls are no longer made because of a ban on the trade of products made from the Tibetan antelope.

The definition of the Kashmir shawl has differed in India and in the West. In India, the shawl was worn by men, with the fineness of the shawl indicating nobility or royal favors. In the West, depending on the fashion of the moment, the Kashmir shawl represented different types of commodities, originally worn by men, but thereafter by women, and then as decorative items in interior design