Fair and Pure – The FAIR Mongolian Cashmere Story

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Mongolia – supplier of approximately a third of the world’s cashmere, where cashmere makes up around 40 percent of the country’s nonmineral exports. Mongolia produced more than 7,000 tons of cashmere in 2015, the last year on record. FAIR’s cashmere comes from goats raised by nomadic Mongolian herders and pastured on wild mountain grass. Initiated by New York-based ethical and luxury fashion brand, Maiyet, highly-skilled Italian spinners Botto Guiseppe and the Gobi Revival Fund, an NGO established in 2003 to preserve and sustain the herding lifestyle and culture of herders in the Gobi Desert region, FAIR is redefining the notion of luxury in cashmere.

FAIR cashmere herder
Photo credit : Kerry Dean

FAIR cashmere have worked closely with Cradle to Cradle, who have approved Bronze certification of the yarn. Whilst offering the yarn in 4 weights suitable for fine and superfine knits, FAIR also offer a cashmere and silk blend, where the silk is sourced from the discarded silkworm cocoons, which ordinarily would be waste material.

Photo credit : Kerry Dean

The people of the Mongolian Gobi Desert, rely heavily upon their livestock for their economic well-being. The fabric of their identity is ingrained with a rich history of nomadism and herding. By ensuring that families have access to good health care and education, through to facilitating the promotion of the community’s cashmere supply, the Gobi Revival Fund work holistically to ensure the protection and sustainability of this precious culture and lifestyle.

FAIR’s knitting yarn can be bought directly from their website.

 

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As a practicing knitwear designer based in Nottingham, UK, Charlotte works as a freelance knitwear consultant for designers, brands and manufacturers, having trained extensively in knitwear and knitted textile design at Nottingham Trent University. With a deep, historical love of and background in textile and knitwear design, Charlotte is inspired by the engrained traditional context of textiles across the world and takes her greatest inspiration from immersing herself in new places and cultures. Charlotte approaches knitwear design holistically, working collaboratively with suppliers and mills to ensure sustainable and ethical design and manufacturing practice.