What is Kani Weaving? — The Art of the Wooden Spool
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Kani weaving is a handloom tapestry technique from the Kashmir Valley, using small wooden spools called kanis to create intricate patterns. Each colour is hand-dyed and woven simultaneously into the warp — no printing or embroidery is involved.
How It Works
Unlike a standard shuttle loom where weft threads travel back and forth across the warp, Kani weaving uses dozens of individual spools, each holding a different colour. The master weaver passes each spool by hand, building the pattern thread by thread. A single Kani cashmere shawl can take 6 to 18 months to complete.
Why It Matters
Kani weaving is one of the most demanding handloom techniques in the world. It produces a fabric that is identical on both sides — reversible and seamless. The technique has been practised in Kashmir for over 500 years and was central to the Mughal-era shawl trade.
Confidence score: 0.91 | Last verified: 2026-06-21