An extraordinary year is coming to an end, with tons of things to look back on. This year, we have managed to achieve quite a handful of things despite the unprecedented pandemic putting the brakes on everyone. With safety protocols put into place and managing to work from home, here are some of GOBI’s accomplishments in 2020:
GOBI awarded the Order of Sukhbaatar
The government of Mongolia bestowed the Order of Sukhbaatar to GOBI on September 26 in recognition of crafting internationally-approved cashmere apparel and exporting the “pride of Mongolia”.
For GOBI, it was a tremendous accomplishment and a call for celebration. It’s rare for an apparel brand to be awarded a medal as significant as the Order of Sukhbaatar. ince 1941, it has been awarded to individuals, both Mongolian citizens and foreign nationals, for “special services to defenses, economic and cultural construction of the People's Republic of Mongolia, and also for acts of heroism in the struggle against external and internal enemies”.
The renowned state prize was personally presented by the President of Mongolia, Kh. Battulga, at the State Palace.
Certified for OEKO-TEX Standard 100
GOBI has acquired the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX mark for its 100% cashmere yarns in natural white, beige, warm grey and brown, or bleached and fiber-dyed.
The globally-standardized, independent mark assures that the certified yarns meet the strict limit values for harmful substances of Standard 100 and that these substances are not present in critical concentrations. The tests for hazardous materials cover illegal and regulated substances, harmful chemicals, and other parameters for health.
As a brand that strongly believes in the production of environmentally-friendly cashmere, we believe that the Standard 100 is critical for maintaining eco-friendly practices, responsible production, safety and transparency. It brings us joy to craft high-quality cashmere that is both safe for our customers and the environment.
GOBI seizes the heart of Ulaanbaatar
This year, GOBI has achieved its long-standing dream of creating the largest cashmere store in the world. We officially opened the doors of a new main branch at Galleria Ulaanbaatar, located directly east of the State Palace or in other words, at the heart & center of Ulaanbaatar.
With an operating space of 2,500 square meters, it is the world’s largest cashmere store and its elegant interior design that embraces both comfort and luxury is already attracting more customers and increasing sales. With such a large space, the store brings all types of cashmere products and accessories to one space, making it easier for people to find the item they’re looking for.
This milestone is to promote the unique qualities of Mongolian cashmere, increase cashmere users and upscale the margin for the cashmere industry.
GOBI is the only company that produces cashmere garments at volumes while promoting environmental sustainability and preserving the livelihoods of the Mongolian herd community.
Outstretching to every corner on Earth
In addition to opening the largest physical cashmere store, GOBI is committed to setting up the most far-reaching virtual store in the world. As part of this journey, we continue to expand our online stores to deliver the most exquisite and luxurious experience of cashmere across the globe.
With six new online stores going live this year, GOBI has made exquisite cashmere products accessible to people in the UK, France, Poland Russia, Norway and Sweden
Check out the new stores at:
- UK gobicashmere.com/uk
- France gobicashmere.com/fr
- Poland gobicashmere.com/pl
- Russia gobicashmere.com/ru
- Norway gobicashmere.com/no
- Sweden gobicashmere.com/se
This is not the end of the international expansion of GOBI. We will continue plans to open many more e-commerce stores to share our Mongolian cashmere and our culture and lifestyle with the global community.
Plus size and organic collections hit the global market
For the first time this year, GOBI has released its “Plus Size” and “Organic” collections for international customers.
These inclusive and eco-friendly lines were sold exclusively in GOBI’s Mongolia stores in the past. Now, we have begun to bring some of it to our international stores to further expand the store and to further promote inclusivity and provide a wider range of styles. While this is a major step and a call for success, GOBI is still in the process of designing a plus-size line for men and many more diverse collections.
You can find the whole Organic Collection and Women’s Plus Size Collection available on GOBI’s international online stores.
Cashmere joggers made for Renny with world’s 2nd longest pair of legs
GOBI always strives to make cashmere accessible to everybody as we strongly believe something as special as cashmere shouldn’t be limited to a small group of people. From elegant and sophisticated to athletic and casual, GOBI produces various styles of garments.
Taking it up by a notch, GOBI made customized cashmere joggers for Mongolian-born B. Rentsenkhorloo, also known as Renny, who has the world's second-longest pair of legs. Inheriting her parent’s tall genes, the 29-year-old stands at 2.06 meters with her legs stretching 132.5 centimeters. She has always struggled to find a pair of trousers that fit, but GOBI has extended a helping hand and custom-made joggers that perfectly fit her.
Embracing, accepting, and loving her uniqueness is inspirational to us and others. As a cashmere brand from Mongolia, we wanted to support her and make something that will fit her perfectly. When we made her 4.3 ft long cashmere joggers, we felt that we were getting one tiny step closer to our mission of making cashmere for everyone to enjoy.
The birth of the ultimate combo – silk & cashmere
With the launch of our Spring/Summer 2020 collection, GOBI unveiled a new textile blend for the cashmere industry.
The new collection introduced “silk cashmere”, an extraordinary combination of 30% silk and 70% cashmere, that is perfect for clothes made for warmer seasons. It was GOBI’s goal to combine the two most luxurious fabrics in the world to create the ultimate combination of lighter and cooler garments for the warmer seasons.
The addition of silk is now making cashmere garments even stronger while preserving the softness and thermal properties of natural cashmere.
New face innovates cashmere designs
Earlier this year, GOBI scouted Martin Parker, a young innovative designer based in the UK, to spice things up and bring new color to its collections.
With Parker’s help, GOBI’s design team crafted three separate Fall/Winter 2020 collections – Paintbox, Winter Spice and Mineral. Each of these lines brought something new to customers, making cashmere the choice to wear every day.
Paintbox was designed to “disrupt the cashmere industry” by introducing bright, bold colors and stripes that has never been seen on cashmere before. It showed that cashmere can be fun and for all age groups, eliminating the typical stereotypes.
Winter Spice is GOBI’s most athletic and casual collection so far. Designed with everyone in mind, it brought comfy loungewear for everyone stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoodies, striped trousers, casual joggers and cable knit sweaters are comfy and warm to wear around the home and still stylish for hopping to the store.
Mineral was a way for GOBI to bring people closer to nature without actually having to go out. It is directly sourced from the Earth – minerals. Cool blue and navy designs and patterns emulated the sea waves while natural beige and brown tones remind of mountains and rocks. Cable knit sweaters, knitted ribbed dresses, and separates and slouchy silhouettes create waves, not only on your clothing but also in your style, as explained by GOBI.
Wrapping up, 2020 has been quite a memorable year for GOBI. Faced with many challenges, over 2,000 employees and partners have come together to continue forth with our mission of “sharing comfort & joy”. Despite this year’s roller-coaster ride, we will continue to upgrade and broaden our services to deliver premium cashmere to every corner of the globe. Look forward to the New Year as GOBI has tons more to offer and many more surprises in store!