The Loi is a wool blanket regarded as a significant craft of the Gujjars, Bakerwals, Pahari, Gaddi, Sippi, Koli, and Shina/Dard tribes of Jammu & Kashmir. The blankets are hand-spun with hand-spun wool and are valued for offering warmth as well as protection from extreme winter conditions. Loi blankets are simple and unassuming in their designs, with the minimalist and very artistic traditions of these tribes embodied in their nature-knit attachment and in their requirement of crafts that are useful yet are works of beauty.

The tribes are scattered all over the varied terrain of Jammu & Kashmir and each has distinctive living practices, means of livelihood, and crafts traditions. They are also known for being experts in animal herding and wool crafts. They utilize such materials as wool to produce items like the Loi. Such groups have a lifestyle centered around the maintenance of traditional skills, and activities like Loi-making are well integrated into their traditions, representing durability and their way of life within difficult environments.

The Loi is made from hand-spun wool, sourced from local sheep, providing a dense, warm texture suited for cold climates. The wool is often processed by hand, cleaned, spun, and woven into the final blanket, reflecting a long artisanal tradition. Some Loi blankets might also incorporate natural dyes, preserving the raw and rustic appeal of the wool. This application of natural, locally available materials adds warmth, longevity, and symbolic appeal to the region's rural lifestyle.

Loi blankets are an essential source of comfort and warmth for the tribes living in the colder areas of Jammu & Kashmir. In addition to being used as ordinary bedclothes, these blankets have multiple uses, sometimes functioning as shawls or wraps in outdoor labor. While during seasonal migrations and in the tents, they become necessary to preserve warmth. The Loi also plays a part in major ceremonies, marking its use not only as a utilitarian piece but as an identity marker and art of the tribe as well.

Loi blanket is deeply culturally valuable for the Jammu & Kashmir tribes, representing traditional skills being handed down from generation to generation. Production and utilization of the blanket in everyday life, rituals, and migration processes cement tribal identity, endurance, and adaptability to the mountain environment. Loi weaving also offers a feeling of belonging and continuity whereby craftsmanship is set against the backdrop of everyday existence, highlighting the eternal beauty and functionality of tribal art within contemporary society.