Made of 100% Grade A superior soft recycled sari yarn, these bright and colorful, fairly traded hand-knit silk scarves are made by a womens' collective in Nepal. There are several grades of recycled silk yarn available, including yarns that are mostly nylon or rayon, and while cheaper, they are not as soft and supple as the yarn that we use to creat these wonderfully soft and warm scarves!
Called "rungy chungy" by our ladies (which translates as colorful), the co-operative is made up primarily of Tibetan refugees in their 40s and 50s, there are women in their 60s, 70s and even early 80s, these women hand knit the scarves to earn a living wage to support their extended families. Several Nepalese women and Indian women also knit for the collective.
These women, whether working from home or in a provided safe working environment that offers child care and meals, work at their own pace.
Earning a very good wage, most of these women are supporting extended families of 16 to 22 people. Earning a comparable wage to professionals (one of the ladies' son is an engineer with the city of Kathmandu and she makes more than him!), this outlet provides the opportunity for these ladies not only to be productive but also be social.
The raw material is new silk remnants left over from making saris in India. The remnants are then hand rolled and spun then carefully knitted into colorful scarves.
Each scarf is about six feet long and about 6" wide, with fringe. No two are alike, and literally hundreds of color combinations are possible.
Our selection is always changing! Feel free to give us suggested colors in the "comments" section at checkout and we'll do our best to find the perfect scarf for you! You may also choose from our one-of-a-kind scarves online, up one page; see hand knitted silk scarves!
Please note: Due to the handmade nature of these items, slight variations in weave, texture and knit are common. Minor errors are not uncommon and add to the unique quality of these handcrafted items.
We also have matching hats and purses, and skeins of yarn from which to make your own creations!
Additional detailed photos & information available upon request.
Satisfaction and authenticity Guaranteed.
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