Founded in 2012 in Naggar Village in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India, Kullvi Whims is a women led social enterprise dedicated to preserving traditional Himalayan wool craft.

What began with six women artisans has grown into a collective of more than 400 women across the region, working across hand spinning, weaving, knitting and natural dyeing practices rooted in the land and its traditions.

At a time when synthetic yarns had become commonplace and traditional skills were beginning to disappear, Kullvi Whims helped create renewed value for indigenous wool and the crafts surrounding it. Through their work, hand spinning, weaving, knitting and natural dyeing once again became part of everyday life in homes and villages across the valley.

Every stage of the process remains deeply connected to the land. Wool is handspun and naturally dyed using locally gathered materials including walnut shells, marigold flowers, onion peels, forest bark, madder root and wild Himalayan blooms. No synthetic dyes or harsh chemicals are used.

Today, Kullvi Whims continues to support the people, knowledge and traditions behind Himalayan wool craft, creating textiles and garments that honour both heritage and place.

"Desi Oon" translates to indigenous wool.

The Story Behind the Wool

Every piece begins high in the Himalayan mountains with the Gaddi shepherds - semi nomadic pastoralists who have travelled ancient migration routes with their sheep for generations.

Each year, they journey thousands of kilometres across alpine pastures in a practice known as transhumance, moving with the seasons as their ancestors have long done. Along the way, their sheep help support the fragile Himalayan ecosystem by naturally dispersing seeds across the landscape.

Kullvi Whims works closely with these shepherding communities to source indigenous Himalayan wool, or Desi Oon. Building this relationship took years of trust, patience and learning.

The shepherds still shear their sheep by hand using traditional non-mechanical shears, preserving practices that have almost disappeared in many parts of the world.

From fleece to fabric, each piece carries the story of the mountains, the shepherds and the women who bring the wool to life through generations of inherited craft.

Photography shared with permission by our artisan partners at Kullvi Whims.

Indra Jacket