Sustainable Cashmere

Genuine, fair trade, government certified, and fully traceable Sustainability

Images: courtesy of Saldarini, Cashmere Flakes

A brief foreward

Reflecting Effective and Rational Use, Research and Protection of this Fragile Natural Resource, in Land Management Policy, Planning, Implementation and evaluation at all levels, is the Basis for the Development of Sustainable & Animal-friendly Pastoral Animal Husbandry.

To do so, it was essential to Monitor and Determine Pasture Conditions by conducting a Complex Assessment including Pasture Productivity and Pasture Recovery evaluations, rather than relying on Quantitative Indicators, such as Declining Capacity to provide animal feed and overgrazing.

Swiss Government’s SDC Aid Development Cooperation has started in 2004 its “Green Gold of Mongolia” project, to Identify the Root Causes of Pasture Degradation, and to therefore introduce Sustainable Pasture Management, by conducting long and short-term Monitoring of Pasture Conditions, in addition to adopting Responsible Livestock Management and Production based on the establishment of Pasture User Groups (PUGs) and Pasture Use Agreements (PUAs).

In order to achieve these goals, the Green Gold Animal Health Project established the “Mongolian National Federation of Pasture User Groups of Herders” Union (MNFPUG) and partnered with key government and non-government Mongolian organizations, including the Mongolian Pasture Users Association (MPUA), the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MOFALI), the Agency of Land Administration and Management, Geodesy and Cartography (ALAMGC), the National Agency For Meteorology And Environmental Monitoring (NAMEM), Mongolian University of Life Sciences (MULS), the MOFALI Research and Development Center, General Authority of Veterinary Services (GAVS), State Central Veterinary Laboratory (SCVL), and their branches and representative offices at the Aimag (Province) (Province) and Soum (group of villages) levels.

Bringing MNFPUG’s “Sustainable Cashmere” to the market, is the final step of Nineteen (!) Years Long Ethical Journey, which allows Mongolian Nomadic Herders to preserve their ancestral heritage, Mongolia’s unique Steppe Rangeland, while also ensuring to end consumers a genuine, Fair Trade, Government Certified Sustainable, and Fully Traceable Story Telling.

MNFPUG's Sustainable Cashmere

Discover our four main focus

REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

"The land is the soul of Mongolia” ancient mongolian quote.
Responsible Nomads Code of Best Herding Practice” has been established by Swiss SDC Cooperation in 2011, and it’s the only standard for Sustainable Cashmere officially approved by the Mongolian Government ...

SECURE HERDER LIVELIHOODS

Nomadic herders have been grazing Cashmere goats on Mongolia’s rangelands for at least over 4500 years, and they now produce about 40% of global worldwide Cashmere fiber. By granting herders a premium price for their certified “Sustainable Cashmere” we build their economic ...

IMPROVE ANIMAL WELFARE

Ensuring animal health and well-being is crucial to cashmere fiber’s quality, producers’ prosperity and their consequent way of life. In Mongolia, herders practice millenary old pastoral herding methods and live alongside their animals, accompanying them to their ...

FAIR TRADE & SUSTAINABLE CHAIN OF SUPPLY

“Mongolian National Federation of Pasture User Groups of Herders” Union (MNFPUG) represents 70% of Mongolian Cashmere Herders and Cooperatives which handle about 28% of the worldwide global production of Cashmere fiber. “Responsible ...