The investigation results are detailed in a new report, produced by IFAW and WTI entitled, "Wrap Up the Trade - An International Campaign to Save the Endangered Tibetan Antelope."

IFAW and WTI have launched awareness campaigns in Europe and India to enlist the support of fashion designers and others in the fashion world.

The IFAW/WTI investigation revealed that the shahtoosh wool is smuggled into India where in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir it is woven into shawls. The traditional markets for shahtoosh still exist within India, but the biggest allure for the illegal shahtoosh traders, and also the largest demand for the shawls comes from the wealthy western fashion circuits.

The way toward ending the shahtoosh trade rests not only on the shoulders of the fashion elite, but in the hands of governments empowered to influence enforcement measures and develop economic programs that may serve as incentives to stop the shahtoosh trade. These responsibilities and reforms will not come easily, and must be nurtured through effective partnerships among NGOs and government agencies and ministries.

To this end, IFAW and WTI outlined a set of recommendations in the new report that prompt relevant governments to find ways to work together, and with NGOs, to end the illegal shahtoosh trade. It is the hope of IFAW and WTI that these recommendations and the findings from the shahtossh investigation will enlighten and empower governments and other decision makers to take decisive action towards saving the chiru.

IFAW/WTI believe three things must happen if the Tibetan antelope is to be saved:

Kashmina: A viable solution

IFAW/WTI suggest that an appelation body be appointed to guarantee that the product is handcrafted using traditional techniques and the highest quality pashmina by the traditional craftsmen.

According to a IFAW/WTI census of shahtoosh workers in Kashmir, 60 per cent of the entire workforce is willing to switch over to weaving pashmina shawls. The name Kashmir attached to pashmina gives it a unique selling proposition, that works across the world. It is important to protect this USP by creating an exclusive brand of traditional handcrafted pashmina shawls manufactured in Kashmir. This will make it different from other material flooding the market masquerading as Kashmir pashmina and provide a viable alternative to an unemployed work force making the ban on shahtoosh easy as well as preserve the traditional weaving skills of the Kashmir craftspeople. IFAW/WTI strongly suggest that a denomination of origin called Kashmina be created and an appelation body be appointed to guarantee that the product is handcrafted using traditional techniques and the highest quality pashmina by the traditional craftsmen of Kashmir valley. This will ensure that workers across all the processes involved continue to do what they were traditionally doing as well as guarantee employment to the large workforce of women engaged in the two stages of separation and spinning.

Anti-poaching patrols must be coordinated for effectiveness
A National Tibetan Antelope Conservation Plan should be developed by China through a multi-agency approach. International support and cooperation must be given. Although the Chinese government has seriously addressed the Tibetan antelope protection issue, there remain tremendous inadequacies in the existing regulatory structure, which needs to be more coordinated and less bureaucratic. Lack of funds and inadequate equipment are characteristic of all of the anti-poaching efforts in the Tibetan antelope range. This must change.

The fashion demand for shahtoosh must be ended

Many leading fashion designers and celebrities from other walks of life have come forward to lend their support to the anti-shahtoosh campaign. WTI has appointed three ambassadors for the campaign.

Whilst there is demand for shahtoosh, poachers will continue their ruthless slaughter. IFAW and WTI have launched awareness campaigns in Europe and Indian to enlist the support of fashion designers and others in the fashion world. The response has been excellent but more support is needed to spread the message that a shahtoosh is not a shawl but a shroud. Pledges for people in the fashion world to sign and leaflets to be distributed at fashion shows are available from both IFAW and WTI.