Great scarf, so soft, and I love the way you pull it so casually through your ring like that! But you’re so brave—I’d be scared of being arrested! Oh no, silly, this isn’t a shahtoosh. This is a shabanotoosh, which looks and feels like a shahtoosh but, happily, does not require the killing of up to five chirus to make one.
A chiru? Yes, the endangered Tibetan antelope from whose undercoat the traditional shahtoosh is made.
So that’s why they’re illegal? Uh-huh.
But will Nan Kempner be fooled by my impostor made of, ahem, synthetic wool? You bet. They’re just as soft and thin—you can still pull the whole thing through a ring and fold it into the tiniest clutch. Honestly, no one will notice and you’ll be animal-friendly.
But if they’re that good, won’t the Customs people be fooled, too, and arrest me anyway? No, no, each shawl comes with an authentic imitation certificate. For more information, write [email protected].