Nomadic herdsmen still form the majority of the population in Mongolia, and their way of life has changed little in centuries. Harvesting cashmere and other rare fibers from their herds is the main source of cash income for rural Mongolian people. Cashmere, the downy undercoat of goats, derives its name from the Kashmiri region of India, high in the Himalaya. It was in Kashmir that the west discovered the warmth and softness of this rare fiber, which only grows thick and long enough to harvest on goats that live in harsh climates. Cashmere provides the protection that allows goats to survive life at high altitude on the open steppe, where winter lasts seven months and temperatures can plummet below minus 50 degrees Celsius. The insulating properties of cashmere are up to eight times warmer than wool. Long guard hairs protect the cashmere from the elements and the UV damage to the fibers which may be caused by the sun.

Readmore…