Mongolian Cashmere

In case you have ever wondered about where your Denner cashmere comes from, it really is a remarkable and wonderful love story. It starts in the harsh winters of Mongolia and embraces a craft, a skillset, careful animal husbandry, but most of all love. It has remained unchanged for centuries, passed down from generation to generation without interruption or change.

Why Mongolian?

A herd of Capra Hircus goats stand on mountainous terrain in Mongolia.

No one exactly knows when the first Capra Hircus goats appeared in Mongolia, whether they are indigenous or came from somewhere else. Certainly, they seem tailor made for the brutal cold winters of Mongolia, where temperatures are often minus 45 degrees. To survive these winters the goats have over the centuries adapted and developed the most astonishing woollen coat, which has been prized and gleaned by the local Mongolians as a lifesaving essential for centuries.

Gathered by hand, once a year

The Capra Hircus goats are left to graze freely on open plains in Mongolia.

This husbandry does not come easy and requires considerable skill and patience. The wool can only be harvested during the spring, when it moults naturally from the goat. Given its delicacy, you can only retrieve it by combing it gently by hand. Each goat gives only a small amount of usable fibre a year, which is part of why cashmere is valued as it is.

Herein lies the skill and love the Mongolians have for their goats, which has enabled them to survive in the harsh conditions for centuries. It also answers the question why they have such a special connection and love for their animals.

The indigenous herding communities have been looking after goats for generations.

We at Denner want you all to share in this love story. It reinforces our commitment to sustainability and preserves a centuries-old tradition that we don't want to see change. Every time you buy from us, it helps local communities thrive and exist in an organic environment and a way of life which we hope will continue indefinitely.

From fleece to yarn

The raw fleece still holds the coarse outer hair, dust and natural oils. At our own factory in Mongolia it is washed, and the coarse hair is separated from the soft undercoat, leaving only the fine fibre. That fibre is then spun into yarn, knitted and finished in the same factory.

What 2-ply means

Most of our knitwear is knitted in 2-ply cashmere. Two strands of yarn are twisted together into one, so the knit is warmer, more substantial and keeps its shape for longer than a single strand. It is the weight we use for pieces made to be worn for years.

How to tell good cashmere

• It feels soft, not slippery. Good cashmere has a natural, slightly dry softness. A very slick handle can mean the fibre has been heavily treated.
• It springs back. Stretch the cuff gently: well-made cashmere returns to shape.
• It gets softer. Washed with care, good cashmere softens with wear rather than wearing thin.

Come and feel the difference between one weight and another at our shop on St John's Hill, or read our story.