An Orenburg stole is a rectangular piece of down from the down of the Orenburg goat, similar in appearance and structure to a scarf. In fact, stoles are mostly used as an alternative to woollen scarves. When it comes to keeping warm down stoles in most cases are more efficient.
According to one of the versions, Orenburg stoles appeared at the turn of XIX - XX centuries, when down manufacture gave knitters the norm. Instead of one stole, two stoles could be knitted. In Russian, the word “palantine”(“stole”) may have come from the phrase “half a cobweb”.
Like cobwebs, down stoles are mostly light products, in addition to goat's down they also use viscose silk. The ornaments of Orenburg stoles are colourful and intricate, and knitting techniques are passed down from generation to generation. Many designs are quite rare and require filigree workmanship, which can only be performed by a very skilled craftswoman.
Like openwork cobwebs, some very fine stoles will pass through a wedding ring, but the belief that any Orenburg shawl must pass through is a stereotype.
A down stole can be used as an alternative to a scarf or a cape, sometimes it is also used to cover the head.
