The origin of GOBI
Mongolian Cashmere
Born from Mongolia's extreme climate. Shaped by the land, the herders, and the seasons.
Where our cashmere begins
Mongolian cashmere is prized for a rare balance of softness, warmth, lightness and natural character. For GOBI it begins at home — in the country, the culture and the source we know best.
Climate
A country of extremes.
Across open pastureland, goats live through long cold winters, dry air, short warm summers, and sharp seasonal change.
- Winter
- −30°C
- Summer
- +30°C
To protect themselves through the cold, goats grow a fine undercoat beneath their outer hair. That undercoat becomes cashmere — naturally warm, light and soft before production begins.
It does not begin as a trend.
It begins as protection.
The landscape in numbers
More goats than people.
- Goats across Mongolia
- 29M+
- Goats for every person
- 8×
- Square kilometres of land
- 1.56M
- Goats per km²
- 18.7
Cashmere is not simply a luxury material here. It is part of the country’s land, economy, herding rhythm, and national identity.
16.3 microns, before spinning.
Fibre fineness measured on raw GOBI cashmere — before it is ever spun or knitted.
Fineness
Finer cashmere begins before the factory.
Through the Sustainable Cashmere Trilateral Project, GOBI works with herder households, selected breeding bucks and professional raw-material testing to improve cashmere quality at the source — better herd quality, clearer livestock genealogy and cleaner raw fibre before production begins.
Project analysis recorded an average fibre fineness of 16.3 microns, with cashmere becoming 3.4% finer, alongside reductions in dandruff, impurities and coarse guard hair.
For the person wearing it, this means the softness of a GOBI piece starts earlier than spinning or knitting. It starts with better raw cashmere.
The spring comb
Following the natural rhythm.
Cashmere follows the animal's own rhythm.
In spring, as Mongolia's cold season passes, goats begin to shed the fine undercoat that carried them through winter. This is when cashmere is collected — by hand combing, a long-standing Mongolian practice that gently lifts the loosened undercoat as it is ready to release.
Unlike shearing, which cuts the fibre from the body, hand combing works with the natural shedding cycle. It separates the soft undercoat from the coarser outer hair more carefully, and leaves the animal more of its own protection.
The journey of a GOBI piece begins here: not with a sketch, but with the season, the herder's hand and the quiet rhythm of Mongolian pastoral life.
Herders
From herders to better fibre.
GOBI’s cashmere story is built with herders. Through the Sustainable Cashmere Trilateral Project, GOBI works to support raw material quality, livestock genealogy, and long-term value for herder communities.
- Herder households
- 106
- Selected breeding bucks
- 200
- Responsible raw cashmere in 2025
- 19.2t
From source to signature
The source becomes the signature.
Once collected, Mongolian cashmere is sorted by natural colour, quality and condition before it enters GOBI’s production system.
The softness felt in a finished piece begins much earlier: in the climate, the undercoat, the spring comb, the herder’s work and the careful selection of raw fibre.
It carries a place,
a season, and a standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Mongolian cashmere considered one of the finest?
Mongolian cashmere comes from the fine undercoat of goats raised in Mongolia's extreme climate. That environment produces a fibre valued for its softness, warmth and lightness.
What does "micron" mean in cashmere?
Micron measures fibre fineness. A lower micron generally means a finer fibre, which contributes to a softer feel.
Why does Mongolia's climate matter for cashmere?
Cold winters, dry air and sharp seasonal change help Mongolian goats grow a fine protective undercoat. That undercoat becomes cashmere.
Is GOBI cashmere combed or sheared?
Cashmere is collected by hand combing in spring, working with the goat's natural shedding cycle rather than cutting the fibre from the body.
How is GOBI connected to Mongolian herders?
GOBI works with herder households through the Sustainable Cashmere Trilateral Project, focused on raw-material quality, herd improvement, livestock genealogy and long-term cashmere value.
What makes GOBI's Mongolian cashmere story different?
GOBI works at the source, combining Mongolian origin, herder partnerships, raw-material testing and full production knowledge from fibre to finished piece.
The Fibre
Mongolian Cashmere
A country of extremes, the spring comb, and fibre measured before it is spun.
The Fibre
Natural Colour Cashmere
Four tones straight from the goat. No dyeing stage.
Craft & Innovation
Made by Mongolians
Five factories, six production stages, one system in Ulaanbaatar.
Trust
Certifications
OEKO-TEX®, SFA Gold, ISO and Mongolian Noble Fibre® — with the certificates to open.
Craft & Innovation
CashmereTech
Cashmere engineered for −30°C to +30°C: Cool, Warm, Extrawarm.
Craft & Innovation
Seamless Knitwear
Wholegarment 3D: one piece, fewer seams, less waste.
Craft & Innovation
CashmeReborn
A second life for production remnants, without scouring or dyeing.
Our Story
45 Years of Heritage
From the first Mongolia–Japan line to a modern cashmere house.
Craft & Innovation
Designers
Naoki Takizawa, and fifteen years of collaborations.
Our Story
Leadership
Rooted in Mongolia, led by Mongolians.
Our Story
From Mongolia to the World
Websites, marketplaces and stores across five countries.
