History of cashmere weaving in Iran
The beginning of cashmere weaving in Iran dates back to the early Safavid period, although some believe that the main birthplace of cashmere is the heart of Central Asia and the heights of Kashmir. Some believe that cashmere weaving first began in Iran and then spread to Kashmir. What can be said about this very delicate fabric is that the taste, initiative and initiative of Iranians in the elegance of its texture, material and imaginative designs are unique in the world. This art reached its peak of flourishing and evolution during the reign of Shah Abbas Safavid. , Which became world famous and became one of Iran’s export products.
Cashmere weaving steps:
A) Consumables: The first step in cashmere weaving is to prepare its raw materials. Usually cashmere is woven from wool and silk, but white wool is the most common wool used in cashmere weaving because it can be made in any color you like. The cashmere wool should be of good quality and have long fibers. The sheep of Iran and Kashmir have good soft and strong wool and are largely shiny and white. It is located and usually used for weaving cashmere. How to prepare – spinning and dyeing and weaving wool in the 16th century in Iran made a lot of progress. The reign of Shah Abbas Safavid can be considered the heyday of cashmere weaving industry, because Shah Abbas invited prominent designers from China and Armenia to Iran to teach their new art to Iranians, so the cashmere of that time was beautiful. And he found a special prominence.
B) Washing wool: After preparing the best wool, the first step is to clean the wool from grease and dirt and dissolve it, which must be done before dyeing. Iranians usually cut the animal for 10 minutes before cutting the sheep’s wool. They are then rinsed with water to separate the fat from the wool, soaked in alkali, and then washed several times with water to remove impurities and make the wool shiny.
C) Wool bleaching: In Iran, two methods are used to bleach wool.
Method 1: Wool was spread in the meadow so that it would be whiter during the day after absorbing the dew and evaporating, and this would be done in several steps.
Method 2: Use sulfur derivatives to bleach wool.
D) Fixing the color: After the wool is white enough, it is time to dye it, which is one of the most important steps in preparing wool for cashmere texture. Because the colors that are used directly are not durable and stable, and Iranian painters used materials called teeth to solve this problem. Toothpaste is a mineral that increases the ability of the dye to absorb wool. In order for toothpaste to achieve its desired reaction in dyeing, it must be purified beforehand. The most common teeth used in Iran are white alum, tin, zinc, chlorine, lead, and other sulfates, minerals, mazuj, sumac leaves, etc., which were plant materials.
E) Dyeing by natural and plant dyes: The color of Iranian cashmere is usually prepared from natural plants. This color may be obtained from the roots, trunks, leaves, flowers, fruits or skin of plants. Because wool cashmere fabrics are very difficult to maintain and have been destroyed by moisture and willow, little is known about their color.
