CASHMERE

Mongolia and inner Mongolia

Tradition and innovation: cashmere is the fibre that has always epitomized Loro Piana unwavering pursuit of quality, evoking visions of sumptuous softness and fascinating tales of distant lands.

Cashmere is a rare and precious fibre obtained exclusively from the douvet of Capra Hircus or cashmere goats, native to mountainous regions of Asia, especially Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, largely inhospitable, desert places with little food and water, torrid summers and frigid winters. To survive in such a hostile environment, these fearless little animals develop an extra layer beneath their coarser outer coat, an under fleece next to the skin made of very fine fibres that trap air and create a highly effective protection against the cold, keeping body temperature constant. This soft mantle is the source of cashmere.

Herders, fully respecting local fauna and in harmony with nature’s cycles, harvest the fibre between March and May, when the climate is milder, and the animals tend to naturally lose the soft, warm cashmere undercoat that protected them during the colder months. Given its characteristics, cashmere is one of the finest, most prized fibres in the world, with extraordinary thermo-regulating properties.

Raising the standards for responsible Cashmere

Since 2019, Loro Piana has taken an active role in defining a certification protocol for a responsible Cashmere supply chain, especially in China. The business partnered with the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW) and the Sustainable Fiber Alliance (SFA) to draft the standard and took part in one of six pilot projects. This commitment led to the first batches of Cashmere being certified in 2021.

The Loro Piana Method

The Loro Piana Method is a program Loro Piana developed back in 2009, and we’ve been encouraging the use of it among Cashmere herding communities ever since, to ensure sustainable breeding and herding practices. The aim is to not only to stop the qualitative deterioration but also to improve the quality of the fleece of Alashan goats in the Inner Mongolia region of China, while preserving the biodiversity of the region and the characteristics of the animal species. In 2018, Loro Piana created with a local partner a demonstration farm and a dedicated flock. The project has already seen the birth of three generations of kids, with promising results on the increase of the fiber quality.