Shawl is a kind of clothing developed after the Sui Dynasty (58 1-6 18). It surrounds the neck and is worn on the shoulders. By the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), shawls had spread to all walks of life, especially when they got married, and became an indispensable dress for young women. Later, shawls were mostly worn when 18 years old or married. The form of shawl is mostly "four in one" shape, and there are also strips. A shawl is generally composed of two layers of eight hanging clouds, each of which is embroidered with flowers, birds and insects, or with operas and stories. A beautiful shawl takes a long time to embroider, and its exquisite craftsmanship is amazing. There are many kinds of stitches in shawl embroidery, such as arm-pulling, needle-connecting, needle-rolling, needle-loosening, thread-nailing, punching, gold-winding, needle-grabbing and Qi Zhen.

This kind of shawl made from the wool of the native sheep of Tibetan antelope is called "shahtoosh" and is recognized as the most delicate and soft shawl in the world. A shawl was woven at the cost of the lives of several Tibetan antelopes. Tibetan antelope cashmere is smuggled from Tibet to Indian Zhan Mu and Kashmir, where it can be legally used to weave shawls and towels, but the export trade is still illegal.

Although Shatush shawl was used as a dowry in Indian history, the pursuit of shahtoosh in western fashion circles directly led to a sharp increase in poaching in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is estimated that 20,000 Tibetan antelopes are hunted every year because of shahtoosh.

At present, most shawls are made of silk, which is soft and light.