GOBI's Cashmere Journey: Arkhangai Province

Mongolia, a country located in the heart of Central Asia, has a diverse and extensive history spanning thousands of years. One of the primary traditional heritage is cashmere crafts. Mongolia has been and currently remains one of the leading producers of high-quality cashmere. Therefore, GOBI receives cashmere directly from herders all over Mongolia. Only a few know which cities and provinces make up the country, and many provinces are unknown to the world. This is why we have arranged a tracking campaign Traceability GOBI Cashmere | Sharing Comfort & Joy, so you know the main source of cashmere.

Each GOBI product receives a traceability score based on several factors including which province the goats were combed in, to even trace the exact herder families from which the cashmere is sourced.

Through tracking, we aim to communicate to you - our customers - what you can expect from our products, through purchasing and the production ecosystem. From the people and made by the people, you will discover the nomadic herders of Mongolia and the countryside, where you will learn about our traditions and practices of caring for animals. Along with the community involved in the process of creating cashmere and the stages of its production. It is always important to know the history of cashmere production because what you’re wearing is important as how it was made. So, are you ready to go on a cashmere journey with us? The first stop is Arkhangai Province.

The Arkhangai Province is one of the 21 provinces of Mongolia and one of the 7 provinces from where we source premium cashmere. It is located in the western part of the country, on the northern slope of the Khangai mountain range, and composed of 19 soums (parts). GOBI Cashmere | Sharing Comfort & Joy The province has astonishing geography with wide rivers, volcanic lakes, volcanoes, thick forests, and pastures. It is famous for its flora and fauna, with rare animal species such as the ibex, snow leopards, lynx, marmots, and susliks and over 1700 species of flora, of which 20% are medicinal herbs. The land and flora provide a natural and healthy living environment for cashmere goats.

From the Arkhangai province, we mainly receive black and brown colored cashmere from the Mongolian “Erchim” goat breed, meaning strong and powerful. They have thick dark brown fibers suitable for grazing in high mountains and forest steppe regions. During the cold winters the goats grow a thick layer of undercoat to keep themselves warm - the colder the weather, the thinner & higher the quality of the cashmere. As the season changes to spring, to keep the goats cool and healthy, herders hand comb the cashmere off of the goats.

This natural evolution of the Mongolian nomadic lifestyle & its harmonious co-existence with its livestock is at the core of why we feel proud about producing cashmere products. To us, our cashmere isn’t just another product, it is the accumulation of our way of life.

That’s how the raw cashmere turns into the fluffy clouds we all adore. Next time we'll take you to another province of the GOBI cashmere journey. See you soon!