Say Hello To Desi Oon of India
From indigenous breeds, shepherds, and artisans harnessing the goodness of Indian wool
India is home to one of the largest populations of sheep, camels and yaks in the world. These woolly animals amble across the vast arid plains of western India, up and down the alpine shrubs and meadows of the Himalayas, and through the farms, forests and grasslands of the Deccan. Shepherded by diverse pastoralist communities and cultures, this impressive army is a tireless cog of our economy; they provide wool to keep out the cold; fertilise vast agricultural fields at minimal costs; offer milk and meat to feed humans; and hides for crafting products of great elegance and durability. Of all these produce, pastoral communities value wool the most and craft them into stunning products. Why is wool so important an element of pastoral cultures and economies? What do we do with this extraordinary resource?
Desi Oon is Indigenous
Desi Oon is produced by the countless sheep of India; sheep of diverse breeds, each breed perfectly adapted to the local climate, grazing resources and terrain.
Desi Oon is Eco-friendly
India’s 74 million sheep graze on and help in the regeneration of marginal lands; thus sequestering carbon and producing wool that has the gentlest of carbon footprints.
Desi Oon Fosters Local Economies
Indigenous wool has been an important source of income for herders, and the primary raw material for wool artisans to work with. These economies supported rural livelihoods and sheltered impressive and diverse knowledge and cultural expressions.
A Peek Into The World Of Desi Oon
Grazing: A shepherd with his herd in the alpine meadows of Kumaon in Uttarakhand. These semi-nomadic shepherds spend days of mystic solitude on the high alpine ranges and start climbing down to the lower hills as winter approaches. ©Peoli
Shearing: Every year before the rains and after the harvest in October, the wool has to be harvested off the sheep for their well-being. The pastoralists avail the services of expert shearers who have the know-how of shearing the sheep without nicks or cuts or causing discomfort to the sheep. ©Shepherds of Himalayas
"When I started work a kilo of honey, ghee, chillies, and desi wool were the same! In the past decades, the price of wool compared to the other three fell. No demand….and suddenly there is a spurt again. I hope our woollen handlooms are liked by people now…this is what we have done for the last 35 years...this is what we know how to do well." - Mansa Ram, wool pastoralist-weaver from Kangra ©Aana Jaana
Carding and Spinning: Women from the community sort the wool by the length, softness and amount of vegetative matter. They then card the wool (align the fibres in one direction) which is essential before the wool can be spun into yarn. They either card the wool by hand or use locally made hand-carders. The cleansed and carded fibre is used for hand-spinning. ©Kullvi WHIMS
Handspinning has been ubiquitous in India. So has been the charkha and the takli (drop spindle) which the spinners of India use to produce the finest yarn! Khamir has worked to blend wool with silk, hemp, and cotton to produce an amazing diversity of wool. ©Khamir
Weaving: Integral to the lives of the sheep pastoralists and communities in the Deccani ecosystem is the Gongadi, an iconic blanket, handspun and woven from the black wool of the indigenous Deccani sheep. The storied Gongadi is like a woolly prism that can unfurl the life-world of the decani shepherds. ©Mitan
Using either nomadic looms or stationary looms, the community of weavers craft woollen yarns into items of everyday use such as clothing, bedding and carpets. Since mobile herders needed products that were durable, multi-purpose, and easy to carry, the artisans adapted materials and evolved their practices to suit these needs. The woven woollen products are so durable that a Kharad carpet from Kachchh is known to last 100 years. ©Khamir
The Deccani shepherds begin their tryst with sheep & wool early! “On the third day of a baby being born, we have a ritual called Purudu. We place our wool in the cradle and cover it with a white fabric. The baby is laid on top of it. If a baby boy, we surround him with tools for shearing & little baskets of wool. If a baby girl, we place carding & spinning tools beside her. And their life as a shepherd begins!” ~ Shankar Shannakoi, Weaver ©Earthen Tunes
Raw wool, dyed or undyed, is also used for felting textiles such as mats, carpets, horse saddles, etc. The beautiful intricate work performed on this piece of textile has been felted and embriodered. ©Khamir
Wool is an integral cog of the pastoral systems
Millions of herders and craftspeople depend on indigenous wool economies
India is home to one of the richest amalgams of pastoral cultures in the world
Almost every pastoral culture reveres wool, often integrating woollens into their rituals, life events, and festivals
Joys of Wool-craft
For centuries, herders, spinners, felters, and weavers have nurtured the sheep and its wool; they often crafted wool into products worthy of the divine.
The future of sustainable fashion is Desi Oon
Fashion that lasts, Fashion that is gentle on the earth
Accounts from the ground
What wool means to herders, artisans and craft enthusiasts of India
Desi Oon Hub
A collaborative of organisations working with indigenous wool and wool crafts
