Sheep are sheared twice a year, with the summer wool the best. The wool is then cleaned, carded, hand-spun and hand-knitted, and finished with an intricate three-way knotting of the tassels. Here, they undergo rigorous quality checks and are gently hand-washed in the fast running Himalayan streams, ensuring each muffler meets our high standards of craftsmanship and quality.

Life in the Miyar Valley, nestled in the Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh, revolves around livestock herding, agriculture, and craft. The landscape is characterised by clusters of substantial village houses amidst family-owned fields. During the summer, from dawn to dusk, villagers cultivate their land.

The Knitters

The mufflers are made during the long winters when the heavy snow means there is little to do in the fields and the women instead gather round their stove, talk and knit.

Twenty one women from Urgos and thirteen from the neighbouring village Tchaling are involved with the enterprise. They are all part of the Mahila Mandals. Our mission is to create sustained livelihood opportunities and to foster economic independence and well-being for women of the valley. We also hope that the initiative will encourage entrepreneurship.

One of the members of the Mahila Mandal, Anita has now become the Pradan (elected head) of the upper half of the valley.