Snapshot: HS codes & India’s export mix

• Shawls/scarves/stoles are HS 6214 (woven, not knit). Sub-splits: 621410 (silk/silk waste), 621420 (wool & fine animal hair incl. cashmere/pashmina), 621430 (man-made fibres), 621490 (other textiles—largely cotton/linen/blends).
  
• India’s 2023 exports under HS 6214 = US$306m, with key splits: 621490 (US$123m, ~40%), 621420 (US$79m, ~26%), 621410 (US$49.9m, ~16%), 621430 (US$43.2m, ~14%).
  

Pashmina (Cashmere) Shawls & Stoles

Why India/Regional specificity

• Kashmir Pashmina is a protected GI; quality rules are codified in the Kashmir Pashmina GI—Quality Manual (Craft Development Institute, Srinagar). It specifies pashmina fibre fineness up to 16 microns, hand-spun/hand-woven norms, and GI labels/hang-tags with barcodes issued via authorized channels.
  
• Source fibre comes from the Changthangi (Pashmina) goat of Ladakh; even the raw “Pashmina Wool of Ladakh” is separately GI-protected—underscoring the Indian Himalayan origin of the fibre.
  
• The GI registration for “Kashmir Pashmina” is recorded by India’s GI Registry.
  

Quality & compliance signals buyers look for

• GI authentication: Pashmina products carrying the GI label/barcode per the Quality Manual (with authorized labs/issuers) are your best anti-mixing assurance.
  
• National standard: BIS published a Pashmina identification standard (2019)—useful to back lab tests when auditing suppliers.
  
• Mandatory labelling laws in export markets:
  
  • EU: fibre content per Regulation (EU) 1007/2011. Cashmere must be labelled correctly.
    
  • US: Wool Products Labeling Act (FTC) governs fibre content and “cashmere” claims.
    
  • Chemicals: Azo dye restrictions under REACH Annex XVII apply to all textiles into the EU.
    

India export picture

• Under 621420, India exported ~US$79m (2023). Top buyer hubs include Oman, UAE, Hong Kong, France, Italy, USA (many acting as re-export/design hubs).
  

Strengths

• Traceable Himalayan fibre + GI system (fibre fineness, hand processes) → premium storytelling + authenticity protection.
  
• Deep making traditions (Kani technique has its own GI) support heritage silhouettes and intricate motifs.
  

Wool Shawls

Why India/Regional specificity

• Kullu Shawl (Himachal Pradesh) and Kinnauri Shawl are both GI-tagged, known for bright geometric borders (Kullu) and complex tapestry motifs (Kinnaur).

Quality cues & standards

• For woven wool/worsted fabrics, BIS publishes performance specs (e.g., IS 1267:1992, IS 12812:1989 series for woollen/worsted fabrics), which buyers can cite for minimum fabric performance (construction, breaking loads, defects control, etc.).
  
• Market labelling/chemicals: same EU/US rules as above (EU 1007/2011; US Wool Act; REACH azo).
  

India export picture

• Shares the 621420 bucket with Pashmina; ~US$79m total. Destinations overlap with GCC/EU/US distribution hubs.
  

Strengths

• Design depth from GI clusters (Kullu/Kinnaur) for distinctive borders and tapestry work + scalable powerloom/handloom ecosystem for price tiers.
  

Jamdani Stoles (mostly cotton muslin)

Why India/Regional specificity

• Jamdani = extra-weft “on-loom embroidery” technique rooted in Bengal; Indian practice is documented in Ministry of Textiles publications and Textiles Committee monographs.
  
• Indian GI protection exists for Uppada Jamdani Sarees (Andhra Pradesh)—useful as a verified reference for Indian jamdani practice and cluster capability (many producers also make stoles/scarves using the same technique).
  

Quality cues & what to spec

• Technique implies discontinuous extra-weft motifs planned on graph, woven motif-by-motif—hence slower but high-value look. Reference MoT e-books for authentic process descriptions when drafting specs.
  
• For retail compliance: fibre labelling (EU 1007/2011), fastness/azo compliance per brand standard + REACH Annex XVII.
  

India export picture (cotton-heavy scarves/stoles)

• HS 621490 exports = ~US$123.4m (2023). Top partners for India include UAE (~US$23.0m), Tanzania (~US$15.5m), France (~US$8.1m), United States (~US$7.0m), Saudi Arabia (~US$5.8m)—useful demand signals for jamdani cotton stoles.
  

Strengths

• Combination of heritage weave + competitive cotton value chain; Indian clusters can deliver fine counts and intricate motifs with credible provenance (e.g., Uppada).
  

Eri Silk Stoles (a.k.a. Ryndia/Ahimsa silk)

Why India/Regional specificity

• Eri is India’s indigenous, staple-spun silk, traditionally from Assam & the Northeast; India is uniquely known for producing all four commercial silks (mulberry, eri, muga, tasar).
  
• GI coverage now spans multiple NE traditions:
  
  • Bodo Eri Silk (Assam)—on the GI rolls (application/certificate).
  • Meghalaya “Ryndia” (Eri) Textile—GI registered in 2025; official entry visible in the GI Registry.
    

Material/quality notes

• Staple (not filament) silk → slightly heavier, matte hand, excellent drape; widely described as processed without killing the moth (peace/Ahimsa) when cocoons are harvested after eclosion. (Background primer.)
  
• CSB documentation & district pages give the seri-cultural practices for eri across NE India (useful for supplier audits & traceability questions).
  

India export picture (silk category)

• Under HS 621410, India exported ~US$49.98m (2023) of silk scarves/stoles. (Eri stoles are a subset.)
  

Strengths

• Ethical/“Ahimsa” narrative + new GI protections (Ryndia; Bodo Eri) strengthen brand and traceability claims for premium sustainable lines.
  

Practical buyer checklist

1. Ask for GI & standards evidence where relevant
   
   • Kashmir Pashmina: GI label/barcode + lab certificate to the GI Quality Manual; refer to BIS (2019) Pashmina ID standard for testing.
     
   • Regional GIs (Kullu/Kinnauri/Jamdani-Uppada/Ryndia/Bodo Eri): verify authorized-user status on India’s GI Registry.
     
2. Labeling & chemicals
   
   • EU 1007/2011 fibre labelling; REACH azo restrictions; US Wool Products Labeling Act where applicable.