Nomad Cashmere - Greystones, Ireland

It’s what you want
Cashmere is finer, stronger, lighter, softer, and approximately 8 times more insulating than sheep wool. Cashmere is a natural hollow fibre that is no thicker than 19 microns in diameter which is about 4 times narrower than a human hair. The Cashmere in our sweaters has been tested and certified for diameter and length. Its takes about 3 adult goats to provide enough wonderful Mongolian cashmere to make one Nomad sweater.
Us
We sell a range of simple Mongolian Cashmere sweaters at markets in Ireland. Selling at markets allows us to keep the price down while still delivering a sweater of the highest quality. Our range is made and finished in Mongolia providing their economy with fair revenue for the amazing sweaters they make.
Mongolia
Mongolia is the most  

Show more

sparsely populated country in the world with just 3 million people covering the 18th largest country in the world. Mongolia is a beautiful country with a rich culture, but it has no natural resources. Mongolian Cashmere is a vital part of the economy. Compared to Ireland Mongolia is a relatively poor country with GDP per person 16 times smaller than it is in Ireland. There is an issue where the raw cashmere is bought by companies exported and finished into garments elsewhere leaving little money in Mongolia. We This is where we are different. Mongolian Cashmere is made and finished in Mongolia providing Mongolia with the lion share of the cost of a jumper.
Environment (and climate)
Known as the “Land of the Eternal Blue Sky" because it has over 250 sunny days a year. Lovely in summer but the clear skies make it bitterly cold in winter with temperatures down as low as – 40 Degrees C. In winter the whole of Mongolia comes under the influence of the Siberian Anticyclone. The Mongolian cashmere goat has evolved the amazing down hair to stay warm. This is why it feels so good when you wear it.
Goats
The down is produced by secondary follicles, the guard hair by the primary follicles. The goats need the guard hair so the fine cashmere must be combed out by hand. Cashmere is collected during the spring moulting season when the goats naturally shed their winter coat. In the Northern Hemisphere, the goats moult as early as March and as late as May. The down must be combed out so that the guard hair remains to protect the goats during the next cold winter season.