We took our time when choosing the company that supplies our yarn. Given the quality to which we aspire, only the very best manufacturer of cashmere yarn would do. Not only that, but they would also have to be as fully aware of the need for sustainable operations as we at buttertea are. This starts with selecting the best fibres from which to spin top quality yarns and extends all the way to ensuring the welfare of our “colleagues” – the cashmere goats.
When it comes to cashmere fibres, outstanding quality depends above all on the right climatic conditions and the proper treatment of the goats by their herders. Our four-legged cashmere suppliers need to be exposed to the extremes of temperature that exist in Mongolia or Inner Mongolia and must not be kept on farms, let alone raised indoors. Equally important is that they should be allowed to forage for food and eat what nature provides, no more and no less. Regular feeding, as practiced on some farms, is not conducive to high-quality fibres – quite the opposite, in fact.
So to ensure that we can continue to offer exceptional quality in future, it’s important that we maintain close ties with the herders and their free-ranging herds. Because if we make sure they can earn a good living, they will have a vested interest in supporting our sustainable approach.
