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Shearing a profit off Mongolia’s goats

Despite falling prices, cashmere still provides steady income to help goat herders make it through the winter.

Cashmere Mongolia
Mongolian herders collect cashmere from their goats each spring, normally in May. Many rely on this annual harvest and the sale of meat from older goats to survive the winter. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
By Philippa H Stewart
Published On 8 May 2015

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – The cashmere industry is Mongolia’s second-highest money earner when it comes to exports.

The much sought-after clothes made from the soft, warm wool are considered luxury items by much of the world, and pure cashmere pieces can be sold for thousands of dollars.

Cashmere starts as soft downy wool that Mongolian herders collect during May and June and sell to processing plants in Ulaanbaatar. Since prices began to fall, many herders have joined into collectives in order to get a better price, and some now get about $5 per 100 grams of cashmere they sell.

The industry is not without its downside, with a rapid increase in the numbers of goats being herded – up almost 300 percent since the 1990s – there is an added strain on Mongolia’s land, already struggling because of climate change and unchecked mining.

For many herders, however, it is one of the few regular sources of income they can rely on to see them through the winter.

You can follow Philippa H Stewart on Twitter: @flip_stewart

Cashmere Mongolia
Each goat yields about 300g of cashmere down annually. The Mongolian climate is essential to the production of cashmere as goats do not produce cashmere down in warmer weather. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
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Cashmere Mongolia
Mongolia produces about 6,700 tons of raw cashmere annually, 28 percent of the world's supply. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
Since the 1990s, the number of cashmere goats being herded in Mongolia has increased nearly 300 percent. This increase is thought to be contributing to the desertification of Mongolia. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
After being removed from the goat, the cashmere must be washed and processed to separate it from other goat hair. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
The thread is then dyed and spun before being used to make clothes. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
Depending on the complexity of the design, individual workers can finish about 15 pieces each week. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
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Cashmere Mongolia
Despite having automated machines, most factories also have workers creating items by hand. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
Cashmere companies such as Saran Cashmere often have factories, designers, and processing plants on one site. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
The machines are mainly used to produce the most simple pieces [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
On the overseas market, cashmere is still considered a luxury item and can be sold for thousands of dollars. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]
Cashmere Mongolia
The Chinese market is often able to outbid Mongolian producers for cashmere, which it then blends with its own to produce cheaper goods. This has caused concern among herders and other industry workers about falling prices. [Philippa H Stewart/Al Jazeera]