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Navajo textiles were highly valued by other Native American tribes from the southwestern pueblos to the Great Plains tribes.  Through established Euro-American inter-tribal trade, items of value reached far from their origin points.  Such was the case with the Navajo "Chief's" blanket. 

Navajo social structure did not call for chief's but rather individual family headmen acted as the arbiters of each extended family group.  The value of Chief's blankets was such that only the very wealthy could afford them.  Thus, Chief's of other tribes would acquire these blankets.  

As wearing apparel, these blankets suffered the same fate as other utilitarian weavings.  With the advent of Pendleton blankets and pre-made clothing from trading posts, handwoven wearing apparel disappeared from Navajo textile production.