Mongolian Cashmere: Goats, Brands, Prices and How to Buy the Real Thing

Mongolian cashmere is the soft undercoat combed from goats that survive some of the coldest winters on earth, and it is one of the finest cashmere fibers you can buy. Mongolia is the world’s second-largest producer of raw cashmere after China, and Ulaanbaatar is the best place to buy it: brands such as Gobi and Goyo sell sweaters and scarves there for less than they charge abroad. This guide explains where the fiber comes from, what you should expect to pay, how to tell good cashmere from bad, and the environmental cost behind it.

Where Mongolian Cashmere Comes From

Goats are one of Mongolia’s ‘five snouts’, the five traditional herd animals alongside horses, cattle (including yaks), camels and sheep. To survive winters that regularly fall below -30°C, goats grow a downy undercoat beneath their coarse outer hair. That undercoat is cashmere.

In spring, as the weather warms and the goats begin to shed, herders comb the fiber out by hand with a metal comb. Each goat gives only a few hundred grams of raw fiber a year, and after the coarse hair is removed the usable amount is smaller still. That is why a single sweater needs fiber from several goats, and why real cashmere is never truly cheap.

You will see goats with almost every herding family you visit, from the Gobi to the Altai, where they move with the seasons alongside sheep and yaks. Our guide to Mongolian nomadic life explains how herding families work through the year.

Why Mongolian Cashmere Is Prized

Cashmere quality is mostly about three things: how fine the fiber is, how long it is, and how it is spun and knitted. Mongolia’s extreme climate produces long, fine fibers, and the best yarn makes garments that are light, very warm and less prone to pilling.

• Fineness: finer fibers feel softer against the skin.
• Length: longer fibers make stronger yarn that pills less.
• Color: white fiber can be dyed any shade; natural brown and grey cashmere is often sold undyed.
• Processing: more of the fiber is now washed, spun and knitted inside Mongolia rather than exported raw, which is why local brands have grown.

Mongolian Cashmere Brands to Know

Several brands sell in Ulaanbaatar. The best known are:

Brand choice is personal. Try things on, compare the feel of different weights, and ask staff where the garment was spun and knitted.

Mongolian Cashmere Prices

Prices change with the exchange rate and the season, so treat these as rough levels rather than quotes. As a point of comparison, Gobi’s US online store lists basic crewneck sweaters at around $150-160 before discounts. In Ulaanbaatar, the same type of garment is usually cheaper, and factory outlets and end-of-season sales cut prices further.

If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. Gobi’s own guidance warns that ‘cashmere’ sold far below normal prices cannot be produced sustainably.

How to Spot Real Cashmere

1. Read the label: look for 100% cashmere. Blends with wool, silk or synthetic fibers are fine if you know what you are paying for.
2. Touch it: real cashmere feels soft and warm, not slippery or plasticky. Very shiny, very smooth fabric can be a sign of synthetic blends or chemical treatment.
3. Check the knit: hold it up to the light. A dense, even knit lasts longer than a loose, thin one.
4. Rub a small area: some light fuzz is normal; heavy pilling straight away suggests short fibers.
5. Buy from a known shop: brand stores and established outlets are safer than market stalls for expensive pieces.

Where to Buy Cashmere in Ulaanbaatar

• Factory stores: Gobi’s factory store in the Khan-Uul district has the widest range, with a central store near Sükhbaatar Square as well.
• The State Department Store: one stop to compare several brands.
• Brand boutiques: around the city center for Goyo and smaller designers.
• Markets: cheaper, but quality varies widely; best for small items.

Most travelers shop on their last day in the capital. Combine cashmere with felt, embroidery and other Mongolian gifts, and read about the capital Ulaanbaatar to plan the day.

Cashmere and the Steppe: The Environmental Side

Cashmere has brought income to herding families, but it has also encouraged larger goat herds. Goats graze close to the ground and pull up roots, so too many of them on the same pasture contribute to overgrazing and land degradation. Harsh winters known as dzud can also kill huge numbers of animals.

As a buyer, you can help by choosing fewer, better pieces that last for years, and by asking brands how they source their fiber and support herders. When you travel through herding country, such as on our nomad migration tour, you will see first-hand how closely the herd, the pasture and the family depend on each other.

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