A single woman's shawl typically requires the lives of 3 to 5 antelopes .

Shahtoosh, meaning "king of wools" in Persian, is an ultra-fine wool known for being exceptionally soft, light, and warm.

The production of shahtoosh is inherently destructive. Unlike goats used for pashmina, chiru cannot be shorn; they must be to harvest the wool.

Intense poaching for shahtoosh decimated chiru populations, reducing them to approximately 10% of their original numbers by the 1990s. 3. Legal Status and Penalties

The chiru has been listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 1979, prohibiting all commercial trade. National Laws:

There is no "sustainable" or "humane" way to buy shahtoosh. Claims of wool being "collected from bushes" or having "pre-ban certificates" are often fraudulent. 4. Market and Alternatives

Due to its extreme fineness, an entire full-sized shahtoosh shawl can pass through a small wedding ring. 2. The Cost of Production

Despite the bans, an underground black market persists, though buyers face severe legal risks. Killing me softly | South China Morning Post