Srinagar Cousins Take Famed Kashmir Embroidery To New Heights With Trendy 'Sozni' Caps
In a bid to improvise the art, cap artists Fayyaz and Riaz Shah have introduced special caps adorned with handmade embroidery in the market.
Published : January 10, 2026 at 4:02 PM IST
By Parvez ud Din
Srinagar: Beyond the famed Kashmiri embroidered shawls, two Srinagar-based cousins are giving a new touch to the art with trendy caps decorated with exquisite hand-made embroidery.
Expert cap makers Fayyaz Ahmed and Riaz Ahmed Shah said that 'Sozni'(needlework) caps were introduced in the local market only a few years ago and are gaining popularity among the people. “As an experiment in embroidery on pashmina, we first made a few caps, which were sold hand to hand and became quite popular among the people,” Fayyaz Shah recalled.
Keeping in mind the preferences of the elderly and the youth, the Sozni caps are made in different colors and designs. According to Fayyaz, the caps were bought initially by people going for Hajj and Umrah(Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia), but are attracting more buyers during the last few years. “Now apart from special occasions, people can also be seen wearing them in general”.
Riaz Shah said the caps are gaining popularity not only among the locals, but in other states and even abroad from where orders have started to come.
The Shahs' store in old city's Nowhatta is abounding with the special caps adorned by exquisite hand-made embroidery of different designs. Syed Ali, who came to buy the traditional Sozni cap, said after seeing others wearing the cap, he too became interested in wearing it. “Although I have yet to wear many types of caps, I found the Sozni cap unique in terms of texture and design,” he said.
Adnan and Suban Fayyaz Shah, who are associated with the cap business, said that they do not compromise on quality, a trait which has attracted customers over the years. “Therefore, we do not need to find a buyer. Whoever buys a cap from us once, comes to us again with his friends and relatives,” Adnan said.
Suban said that the new generation prefers to wear the traditional caps with many families preferring the art pieces for their younger ones.
According to the Shahs, unlike ordinary caps, it can take months to make a complicated Sozni cap, while its price can range from Rs 1500 to 20000.
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