Knitted shawls and stoles are fashionable winter accessories for men. Though, shawls and stoles are specially designed for women, today, in the fashion market, shawls, stoles are equally popular for men. In-fact, in India, shawls were considered to be a part of traditional male costume in Kashmir. Knitted shawls and knitted stoles are not only fashionable but also provide warmth and comfort to the wearer.

A shawl is a rectangular piece of woolen cloth worn loosely over the shoulders, upper body and arms. The normal size of a man's knitted shawl is 3 meters by 1.5 meters. A stole is somewhat smaller in size than a shawl. It is also a rectangular piece of cloth, may or may not be warm, and worn by men over a coat or or any traditional dress of Indian men like a jodhpuri or a sherwani.

Materials used in making knitted shawls/stoles
A wide variety of materials are used in making shawls like:

• Cotton
• Silk
• Wool
• Synthetic Fibres

The cotton, silk shawls are mainly for fashionable purposes. There are various types of knitted woolen fabrics like pashmina, cashmere, merino wool, acrylic etc. The woolen shawls serve the dual purpose of fashion and functionality.

Design and patterns in knitted stoles/shawls
Knitted shawls and stoles are available in variety of styles, designs, colors and patterns that keep you warm, complement a costume, and can be worn in various occasions. Most men's shawls are machine knitted shawls. They are available in wide variety of knit stitches like:

Pointelle knit Rib knit Interlock knit Single knit Waffle knit

Double knit Pique knit Jersey knit Cable Knit Jacquard knit

They are knitted in extremely fine woolen twill and each knit stitch has their unique characteristics which add to the beauty of the shawl. Exquisite crocheted and hand knitted patterns in shawls and stoles look simply mind-blowing. Men's shawls and stoles are specially designed to give the masculine look. Today woolen men shawls and stoles are not just a must winter wear, but more of a fashion statement.