Cashmere is a fiber obtained from cashmere goats, pashmina goats, and some other breeds of goat. It has been manufactured in Mongolia, Nepal and Kashmir for thousands of years. China and Mongolia are two of the leading producers as of 2019. China is the world’s leading producer of dehaired cashmere and cashmere finished products. The raw material resources and processing capacity in China dwarfs that of any other country. The Chinese cashmere industry is centered primarily in Inner Mongolia. Poor land management and overgrazing to increase production of the valuable fiber has resulted in the decimation and transformation of grasslands into deserts in Asia. In recent years, China has begun banning cashmere goats from Inner Mongolia for environmental reasons, reducing the supply by 30 percent to 7,000 tons.

What’s more, some herders rudely treat goats in the pursuit of economic benefits, which violates Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare. Therefore, the sustainable development of cashmere industry has been threatened. In order to cope with the challenges, we have to work with the industry in improving goat welfare and promoting sustainable development.

We will cooperate with international partners in training herders, implementing welfare-friendly goat farming practices, carrying out auditing in goat farms and certifying welfare-friendly cashmere products, so as to promote the sustainable development of cashmere industry.