Handmade Kashmiri caps with Sozni work by artisans is a traditional hot selling item in J&K

We make our own caps (topi), say Kashmiri craftspersons. The embroidery work on these caps is traditionally very old. This work was done earlier by our grandfathers. They too were artisans. Then the work was carried forward by our fathers. Now, we are doing it. All these caps are handmade. We have pashmina caps with Sozni handwork. The border is Kani work again made by hand and not by machine. We have a lot of designs and varieties, said cap sellers in Jammu and Kashmir. We have Pappol and Pachtani caps having 10-12 varieties. Karakuli cap is the traditional Kashmiri cap which the elders used to wear. We have changed the design and pattern of the Karakuli cap. Now we have given it a different shape and there are five to six designs in this type. During Ramzan, more demand is seen for Sozni and Kani caps. For winter we have woollen caps. We make bridal caps also for females. Mostly, Pashmina, Kani and Sozni caps are sold and exported to Kuwait, Dubai and other places, said handmade cap sellers. For the artisans it takes 3-4 days to work on a cap. Different varieties of caps are available for youngsters, elders and children. The cap making process begins first with the purchase of Pashmina shawl after checking its quality. Then we select a design. Sometimes customers tell the designs they want on the caps. Then we print the design on the cap. Then the artisans work on handcrafting the embroidery on the print areas. After the handwork of artisans, the material is washed. Then it gets ironed. Then it comes to the cap makers who make caps according to people’s specifications. The people stitching the caps have to stitch three caps in one as they have to put a cotton cloth as the base of Pashmina in the shape of a cap and then the lining and then the final cap. We have six to seven people working for us who get paid and can run their families. Tourists from Mumbai were seen buying caps from the cap seller in Kashmir.

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