Karakul hat
The Karakul hat, also known by other names, is a hat made from the fur of the Karakul breed of sheep. The fur from which it is made is referred to as Astrakhan, broadtail, qaraqulcha, or Persian lamb. The hat is peaked, and folds flat when taken off the wearer's head.
File:ابراهیم گاوسوار.jpg|thumb|Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, Hazara leader in 1944 from Afghanistan, wearing Karakul.
The cap is typically worn by Muslim men in Central and South Asia. It was worn by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan, where it is known as the Jinnah cap. The karakul, which had distinguished all educated urban men since the beginning of the 20th century, has fallen out of fashion in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
Design and production
In terms of design, the cap is peaked and has several parts. It folds flat when taken off the head. The cap has been particularly popular among the Muslim population of Central and South Asia, however, there is no religious significance attached to it.The cap is made of the fur of the Qaraqul or Karakul breed of sheep, which is found in the desert areas of Central Asia. The sheep have been named in connection to the city of Qorakoʻl, a town in the Bukhara Region of Uzbekistan. Later, the cap gained popularity in Mazar-i-Sharif, a city in Afghanistan, after which Uzbek craftsmen introduced the craft to Pakistan.
The karakul fur is obtained from a newly-born sheep, which gives the cap its tough and curly texture as well as a specific pattern. The karakulcha, a finer and more expensive material, is taken from lamb fetuses or miscarriages.