It’s a key moment in the herding year. The time that comes only once a year in spring. And no - it’s not what you think…
It’s the annual hand-combing ritual of goats.
Contrary to popular belief, Mongolian herders collect cashmere by hand-combing their goats during the natural shedding season. Therefore, the words “Mongolian Cashmere” is used almost synonymous with our brand name, serving as a loud and proud statement of where our cashmere comes from: our best friend the GOAT.
Collecting Cashmere the Traditional Way
Where
Here at Gobi Cashmere, we work with modern-day nomadic herders from Mongolia.
Not to be confused with Inner Mongolia (which is actually part of China), Mongolia is an independent country.
"To visit Mongolia is to have the rare chance of seeing a nomadic society in action. The traveler to Mongolia must re-adjust her or his expectations to see what is distinctive about the culture and geography and not to expect what isn’t there. Unlike other countries where you travel to see museums or landmarks, Mongolia is a country where you go to see the scenery and the people and experience the beautiful unspoiled countryside." (HuffPost)
In that “unspoiled countryside,” modern-day nomadic herders tend to herds of sheep, goats, camels, yaks and horses just as their ancestors have for more than a millennia.
How
Mongolian herders tend to their animals in a number of ways.
Traditional Hand Combing
This method, unique to Mongolia, allows hair to be removed without using shears. Herders comb the goats by hand during the natural shedding season, using traditional long-toothed combs designed to remove only the ready-to-shed undercoat fibers.
The system follows the goats’ natural shedding cycle.
For centuries, Mongolians observed goats rubbing against trees, allowing the rough bark to remove the cashmere fibers they wanted to shed. Especially moving into the spring and summer months, goats need to shed excess hair so that they don’t overheat (not to mention the extra hair providing a breeding ground for pests). Without an appropriate amount of seasonal shedding, goats will even have a difficult time reaching down to eat grass.
In addition to helping goats keep themselves free of excess hair, the intimate connection of hand-combing also allows herders to better monitor the health and condition of each goat.
For these reasons, herders comb their goats by hand.
Hand-combing is a skill passed down through generations of Mongolian herders.
Traditional Lifestyle
Traditional Lifestyle
As a nomadic people, Mongolian herders move at least twenty times a year.
Chasing seasonal changes, they shift location according to weather patterns.
In summer, they seek out green summer pastures, feeding their flock well before the arrival of winter.
During winters in Mongolia, temperatures can actually fall to -40oC! In the coldest stretches of the season, herders relocate their flock indoors.
Yes, during winter, Mongolian herders actually bring in the baby goats into their own homes to keep them from freezing.
They even bottle-feed baby goats whose mothers aren’t producing enough milk!
Why
Here at GOBI Cashmere, we are a Mongolian brand using traditional hand-combing techniques that have been passed down for millennia.
It’s no accident that our cashmere is collected during the goats’ natural shedding season.
It’s the core of who we are, and we’re happy to participate in this proud and ancient tradition.
