A GOBI sewing floor in Ulaanbaatar — a machinist at a sewing machine with a designer in a navy coat alongside

Made by Mongolians

Five factories · 1,200+ people · Ulaanbaatar, since 1981

Our process · Est. 1981

Mongolian cashmere, shaped by Mongolian hands. Every GOBI piece is carried from raw fibre to finished garment inside one production system in Mongolia — by the people who know the fibre best.

Four GOBI designers around a table comparing cashmere fabric swatches beside a dress form

Our people

Cashmere Rooted in Mongolia, Refined by Mongolians

More than 1,200 employees work across GOBI's production system in Mongolia, carrying cashmere from raw fibre to finished piece. Women represent 71% of the workforce, bringing skill and precision into every stage of production.

This is the strength behind GOBI: cashmere rooted in Mongolia, refined by Mongolians, and made through a system built where the fibre begins.

The people behind the piece

Employees
1,200+
Women in the workforce
71%
Production employees
829
A thin white web of carded cashmere fibre coming off a carding machine

Our scale

One System. Five Major Factories.

Behind every GOBI cashmere piece is a system of skilled hands, technical knowledge and dedicated production stages.

Each stage plays a distinct role in transforming raw Mongolian cashmere into yarn, fabric, knitwear and finished pieces — all supported by GOBI's production system in Mongolia.

Primary · Spinning · Weaving · Knitting · Sewing

Manufacturing Process

Primary factory 1,200 tonnes of cashmere
Spinning factory 1,300 tonnes of yarn
Weaving factory 650K pieces
Knitting factory 1.7M pieces
Sewing factory 160K pieces
A TOTAL OF 2.5 MILLION FINAL PRODUCTS PER YEAR

Virtuous Cycle

Goats
Herders
Employees
Customers

Factory process

From Raw Fibre to Finished Form

A GOBI cashmere piece does not begin as a finished garment. It begins as raw Mongolian cashmere — handled, refined and shaped through dedicated production stages before becoming a piece made to be worn for years.

GOBI combines skilled Mongolian craftsmanship with advanced textile technology from leading machinery makers. Across selected production stages, machines such as Bigagli, Shima Seiki and Stoll support precision, consistency and modern cashmere production.

Hands lifting a handful of raw brown cashmere over a sorting mesh at GOBI's primary factory

Primary factory

Hand-Sorted at the Source

Raw cashmere arrives at GOBI's primary factory before it becomes yarn, fabric or knitwear.

Here, skilled employees sort the fibre by natural colour, quality and condition. White, Beige, Warm Grey and Taupe fibres are separated by hand — a quiet yet essential step that decides how the material will move through the rest of production.

With an annual raw cashmere capacity of 1,200 tonnes, this is where GOBI's scale meets human judgement.

Raw cashmere fibre being worked through the metal tines of a washing and dehairing machine

Washing & dehairing

Cleaned with Controlled Precision

After sorting, cashmere is washed, dried and dehaired to separate the soft undercoat from coarse hair, dust and impurities.

This stage is controlled by temperature and humidity, with the dehairing area kept at around 20–23°C and 60–63% humidity. These conditions protect the fibre during one of the most important steps in cashmere refinement.

The result is cleaner, softer cashmere, ready for spinning.

A coil of clean white cashmere sliver, conditioned and ready for spinning

Spinning factory

Rested Before Spinning

The processed cashmere does not move straight into yarn.

Before spinning, the fibre is conditioned and rested for 24 hours, preparing it for the next stages of production. This resting stage is part of how GOBI works with cashmere as a delicate natural material, not just a raw input.

In the spinning factory, the fibre is transformed into yarn using advanced Italian technology, including Bigagli machinery, with an annual yarn capacity of 1,300 tonnes.

Cones of natural cashmere yarn loaded on a weaving creel

Weaving factory

Woven into Structure

GOBI's weaving factory turns yarn into cashmere fabrics, scarves and shawls.

Some woven pieces require thousands of needles, with yarns threaded carefully before production begins. This is where technical precision and human inspection work together to control the surface, structure and finish of the fabric.

The weaving factory supports an annual capacity of 650,000 pieces.

A GOBI knitting technician at a machine, threading cones of cashmere yarn

Knitting factory

Knitted with Technology and Touch

In the knitting factory, yarn becomes knitwear pieces and selected seamless styles.

GOBI uses advanced Japanese and German knitting technology, including Shima Seiki and Stoll machines and 3D knitting for selected wholegarment styles. Designs are sent to machines through an internal network, turning digital patterns into cashmere forms.

With an annual capacity of 1.7 million pieces, knitting is one of GOBI's strongest production areas.

A cream cashmere coat on a form at a finishing station during final inspection

Sewing factory

Sewing & Final Inspection

The final stage is where cashmere becomes a finished piece.

In GOBI's sewing process, cashmere fabric is relaxed, cut, shaped, sewn, washed, ironed and inspected. Before cutting, fabrics rest for 24 hours, allowing the material to settle before the final garment is formed.

With an annual cut-and-sew capacity of 160,000 pieces, this stage completes GOBI's production journey from fibre to finished product. Before completion, each piece is inspected for feel, structure, finish and appearance.

GOBI does not only design cashmere. It understands cashmere through every stage of production.

Questions, Answered

What does "Made by Mongolians" mean at GOBI?

It means GOBI cashmere is shaped through Mongolian knowledge, skilled hands and a production system built where the fibre begins.

How many employees work at GOBI?

GOBI has more than 1,200 employees, including 829 production employees across its production divisions.

What percentage of GOBI's workforce are women?

Women represent 71% of GOBI's workforce, bringing skill, precision and care into every stage of production.

How many factories does GOBI have?

GOBI works through five major factories: Primary, Spinning, Weaving, Knitting and Sewing.

How does GOBI process cashmere?

Raw Mongolian cashmere moves through sorting, washing, dehairing, spinning, weaving, knitting, sewing, finishing and final inspection.

What happens in the primary factory?

Raw cashmere is sorted by natural colour, quality and condition before being washed, dried and dehaired.

Why does cashmere rest before spinning?

Before spinning, the fibre is conditioned and rested for 24 hours, helping it prepare for smoother handling in the next production stages.

Where the Fibre Begins

Climate, herders and the spring comb — the story of Mongolian cashmere before it reaches the factory.

Mongolian Cashmere

Made in Mongolia, Worn Everywhere

Every piece in the collection comes out of the production system on this page.

Shop women's cashmere