Is cashmere cruel? Cashmere wool is made by breeding, maintaining and harvesting the undercoat of goats treated as livestock and income-producing assets. On this alone, supporting the cashmere industry is considered cruel and unethical regarding goat welfare.
Goats are also highly destructive to the planet, causing more harm than good to ecosystems and wildlife. Should we then be breeding more?
Then you have Mongolian herders who have been shepherding cashmere goats for centuries. It’s a tradition passed down from generation to generation and is one of the few viable and respected careers in the region. What about them?
There’s a lot to unpack here as we explore the ethical nuances of the cashmere industry.
But first, let’s briefly break down this “magical” fabric and its premium price tag.
What is cashmere, and where does it come from?
Cashmere is a luxury fibre that’s soft, versatile and incredibly warm.
It’s 3 times more insulating than wool and thinner than a human strand of hair. This means you can wear a lightweight garment while still keeping warm.
Cashmere is most commonly used to make sweaters, scarfs and beanies. A typical cashmere sweater will cost anywhere between $120 to $1,000.
Why so expensive?
Well, cashmere fibre comes from the undercoats of specific goat breeds. These goats are commonly found across the Himalayas, where temperature can get down to minus 30 degrees Celsius (negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit).
The goats grow a very thick coat, and their inner hair (the cashmere) has very fine fibres to cope with the cold conditions.
Cashmere is harvested once a year, usually in spring when the goats are naturally starting to shed. Herders either clip or comb out the fibres when the goats moult.
The average cashmere yield for a goat is 200 grams (7.05 ounces). For comparison, sheep produce 3 kilograms (6.61 pounds) of wool a year.
Read more: Is Wool Vegan? Ethical Considerations of The Wool Industry
You’ll need 5-10 goats to produce just 1 cashmere sweater.
It’s the combination of infrequent harvesting, the relatively small yields, and the appealing properties that makes cashmere so premium.
How large is the cashmere industry?
Cashmere accounts for almost 7 per cent of the $71.2 billion global luxury market.
To get a slice of this lucrative pie, farmers have increased their flocks, and 29 million goats worldwide graze the steppes today, which is 5 times the number 30 years ago.
According to the International Wool Textile Organisation, approximately 25,208 tonnes of cashmere was produced in 2020.
China dominates raw cashmere exports, producing 60 per cent of global output, with Mongolia coming in second, making up 20 per cent of production.
The biggest importers of cashmere are in Europe (the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany), making up 38% of the global share in 2018.
While cashmere continues to be a strong market, with mindful consumers demanding more sustainable and ethical practices, big companies have boycotted cashmere to respond to these changing consumer preferences.
In 2019, large retailer ASOS pledged to ban any clothing made with cashmere (and mohair and silk) from their online store.
Patagonia made changes to restrict their clothing line only to use recycled cashmere.
Why the shifts? Growing concerns for animal welfare. Let’s dive a little deeper.
Read more: Is Mohair Ethical? What You Need To Know
Is cashmere cruel to animals?
To understand the levels of animal cruelty in the cashmere industry, we need to put the supply chain under the microscope. And what better place to start than with the 2 largest exporters: China and Mongolia.
The area responsible for most of China’s cashmere production is called Inner Mongolia. Inner Mongolia used to be part of Mongolia until China gained control of the region and renamed it. Outer Mongolia, the rest of the country, is what we know today as Mongolia.
Confusing, I know! But we need this context as we move forward.
Devastating cruelty at cashmere farming
At the more extreme end of the spectrum, footage has been captured of inhumane practices in China (Inner Mongolia), including:
- Goat’s throats are slit in slaughterhouses where other goats could be seen.
- Workers were seen stepping in and twisting goats limbs as they aggressively tore their hair out using metal combs.
- Goats are left with primarily untreated cuts and wounds without any veterinary care. Some workers were seen pouring rice wine on wounds.
- Workers were seen taking a hammer to a goat’s head, making for a slow and agonising death.
- Goats typically live to around 12 but are often seen unprofitable from 6 and slaughtered and sent off for meat prematurely.
There’s no doubt that these goats are exploited for their hair, and this practice is anything but ethical. However, just across the border is another approach to cashmere farming.
Less cruel practices in traditional Mongolian practices
As the climate changes in Mongolia, so do their herders. These semi-nomadic people use this to their advantage by moving between seasons to access new pastures that are better suited towards cashmere goats, who require more variety when it comes time to breed them — a strategy that has been perfected over centuries.
In contrast, the farmers in Inner Mongolia (China) who tend these animals can no longer move them between customary pastures due to increased industrialisation. They must now keep their herds inside barns most of the time with fences around them so that they do not wander off too far from human contact under Chinese law enforcement agencies’ watchful eye.
There’s a symbiotic relationship between Mongolian herders and their goats.
Unlike many other livestock production systems worldwide, it could be argued that Mongolian goats enjoy some of the greatest freedoms. There are no fences, and they roam freely without constraint or worry about getting lost in this vast landscape.
But even in this semi-wild lifestyle, the goats still face their share of hardships.
For instance, herders in the Gobi desert of Mongolia face high uncertainty and risk every day, but they have to be flexible for their herds’ needs.
The terrain is harsh with little water available; it can get up close to 35°C (95°F) during summer months or dip below -40°C (-40°F) in the wintertime.
However, unpredictable weather patterns make planning difficult because there may suddenly come flooding from heavy rainfall one week only then show no sign at all before another severe flood happens several days later.
Lack of food and water
Due to the rough weather, goats in the Gobi struggle to consume enough water. Without access to springs or rainwater, they’re dependent on ground wells and manual pumps for their hydration needs. Luckily these goats can go longer without drinking than most other animals.
Goats often starve during winter and spring when vegetation is at its most sparse. There are times of the year when goats will go days without eating because they cannot find anything to eat.
Some herds do receive supplementary feed, but it’s not enough for all members. Priority is given towards young or weak individuals first, ensuring survival rates stay high enough until warmer weather arrives again.
Lack of veterinary treatment
Private veterinary care is costly and difficult to access for many Mongolian goat herders. Of course, there are exceptions, but as a whole, this poses quite the problem.
If a goat gets sick or injured, it might be a while before they can treat their condition as veterinarians generally live in towns rather than making regular visits around the countryside.
Some won’t receive any treatment due to these constraints, and those that do may not get quality care.
Painful castration process
Herders carry out castration surgeries without any anaesthetic, and it’s usually done at around 6 months of age, so billy’s cannot mate with females in the herd.
If it wasn’t for this process, there would be no way for herders to control how many offspring came from each animal (and thus, strong genetic traits could potentially disappear).
After removing the testicles, they’re typically boiled and used as part of a soup.
Goats are slaughtered for meat
Mongolian goats are slaughtered for meat once they get older, and the amount of cashmere produced by them reduces (along with its quality).
Goats are turned onto their backs, held by the legs, then they quickly plunge a sharp knife into the chest cavity to cut the main artery, ensuring swift death without spilling blood. Every part of these animals is used, including skin/fat or milk, to provide a food source for the herding communities.
So while the goats of Mongolia live a semi-nomadic lifestyle that rivals that of a wild upbringing, they’re still considered livestock. This isn’t a sanctuary. There’s monetary value associated with each goat.
Furthermore, goats are bred to exist in harsh weather conditions with a lack of food, water and veterinary care. And ultimately, once they’re no longer productive either for hair or milk, they’re slaughtered for meat.
It’s for these reasons that buying cashmere, whether it’s produced in conventional Chinese or traditional Mongolian practices, is still cruel to every farmed goat.
The environmental impact of cashmere farming
Cashmere herding dominates farming trades in Mongolia, with cashmere goats accounting for 41.3% of the total number of livestock, while sheep make up 45.5%.
BBS reports that there are 1.2 million nomadic herders in Mongolia, representing 40% of the country’s population.
As cashmere prices fluctuate and inflation goes up, producers feel immense pressure to increase herd numbers to keep their businesses afloat.
The cashmere goats of Mongolia are being ruined by a vicious cycle weakening the country’s supply chain and natural environment. As grass perishes, feed availability decreases for these animals, leading to undernourishment.
Fibre quality falls due to a lack of high-quality food sources like tree bark. This affects both yield levels and the price paid when selling cashmere fabric on international markets.
The result? Herders buy or breed more goats than ever before, offsetting any losses caused by lower yields.
Although Mongolia’s natural grasslands can barely sustain the increasing numbers, they damage topsoil and root structures with their sharp hooves. Goats nibble incredibly close to plant roots, which damage topsoil and root structure.
Currently, overgrazing has severely damaged 70 per cent of the grasslands, making them appear like deserts.
Overgrazing has harmed the habitats of numerous native big animals, which have struggled to survive.
Additionally, climate change is a factor since the intensified breeding of goats and other farmed animals contributes to increased methane emissions. According to goat herders in the region, the industry’s expansion is causing their grasslands to vanish.
The United Nations reported that almost 90 per cent of Mongolia is arid terrain, making it highly susceptible to desertification.
Mongolia is a hotbed for climate change, with temperatures increasing by 4°F since 1940 instead of the global average of 1.5 degrees.
In 2009 local meteorological stations reported a 150 per cent increase in disasters spurred by extreme weather events.
Herders are put in a difficult situation of balancing between making ends meet and keeping their herd numbers down to reduce environmental destruction.
Is there such a thing as cruelty-free or vegan-friendly cashmere?
There isn’t a way of producing or farming cashmere that doesn’t affect the animals, humans, and environment in some way. For this reason, many fashion companies have boycotted cashmere from China and certain parts of Mongolia to promote ethical practices.
The environmental impact of cashmere farming continues to worsen as herders continue to breed more goats than their natural habitats can support. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy solution to the problem that doesn’t put anyone further into poverty.
But there are some great alternatives to cashmere, including Re.VerSo made from pre-consumer factory left-overs of wool and cashmere by five of Italy’s leading textile producers. This is a completely transparent, certified and traceable system that has attracted the interest of designers who are keen to lower their environmental impact without sacrificing luxury.
Another promising sign is The Good Cashmere Standard, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising the standards of cashmere goats with respect to the Five Freedoms, as well as the economic, social, and environmental conditions faced by Inner Mongolia’s cashmere farmers, their families, and communities.
They’ve set clear criteria for sustainable cashmere production. Independent auditors regularly check to make sure these standards are being met.
If you do decide to purchase products using cashmere, look for items labelled with the Good Cashmere Standard. You can also find a list of partnered brands on their website.
It may be challenging to find truly sustainable and cruelty-free cashmere, but there are some great alternatives with a smaller environmental footprint.
Do you think supporting cashmere is cruel?
So, is buying cashmere cruel? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Traditional Mongolian practices in cashmere farming are less harsh on goats than conventional farming, but they come with their own ethical and environmental impacts.
There are cruelty-free options for cashmere, but they can be more expensive and harder to find. Ultimately, whether or not to buy cashmere comes down to personal choice. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Thank you Michael for your efforts to capture the nuance of this important topic. I wonder if you may have drawn on my 2019 article on the welfare implications of cashmere production, based on my time in the Mongolian Gobi? I’m linking the original here for your readers: https://goatsandgers.wordpress.com/. And for those of you who are interested in exploring options for certified fibre, the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (who I now work for) is the only certification scheme operating in both Mongolia and China: https://sustainablefibre.org/
After reading this, I will likely never buy cashmere again. I always just assumed the goats were sheered just like sheep. No harm, no foul. I cannot abide animal cruelty.
i deploy the casuistic excuse that buying the casmere/silk leftovers of the luxury-knitwear mills (for knitting) at least doesnt seem to contribute to demand for these cruel luxuries
How contemptible might that be, i wonder . . .
I have looked at your website and have been intrigued and impressed even though I am a food lover and also meat eater. You have done a good job with the site – well done
However having read your article I wanted to feedback I think it sits on the fence a bit. It doesnt give a response really one way or the other. The reality is that if these goats are ultimately going for meat I dont see how this fits in your vegan `range`. Its like taking the golden fleece without accepting the animal it came from and ultimately the fate it will have. Vegans cant cherry pick – if an animal is bred for the hair and subsequently killed, which your article highlights, how can it fit vegan?? I am not throwing rocks at vegans or picking a scrap to antagonise – its just it reeks a bit of double standards doesnt it if you say this is OK? (and by the way goat meat is something I enjoy very occassionally). Will be trying some of your recipes – was particularly taken with the cabbage wraps. Keep up the good work
Thank you for following along and supporting our work.
I think I get your point. While I try to keep positions of cruelty relatively objective (even from a vegan’s perspective), I felt that it was made clear that conventional and traditional cashmere farming is cruel to the goats. Therefore, it’s assumed that it isn’t vegan.
I’ve learned over the years that these issues aren’t black or white, and while people may not identify with being vegan, they may decide to source from the most ethical and sustainable option — which is positive progression.
Meanwhile, vegans like myself don’t wear any fabric that comes from an animal (at least first hand). I didn’t feel the need to push this option, but I can understand if it wasn’t clear what my stance is as a result.
Real vegans don’t think the person who wrote this is vegan. They’re not consistent, they’re not ethical, they don’t care about animals, they’re not vegan. Even you, a meat eater, could see it.
This is an awkward post to respond to as I recently purchased two cashmere pullovers for myself. I am a dietary vegan, use all vegan vitamins, makeup, lotion and skin care. I buy one pair of leather shoes every other year as I have hard to fit feet and causing myself cruelty in footwear is not a good trade-off.
I am living in Germany after several decades of living in a very warm climate. I work with people, and am expected to keep a professional appearance. I take care of my sweaters, and expect each will likely last ten years. I realize I’m not perfect, but synthetic fiber sweaters trap heat and body odor. Other natural fibers are either not warm enough or too casual. As a single person, I don’t have a person to praise me on my appearance nor have his wardrobe to borrow oversized looks from. I know these are excuses, but this works for me.
I take public transportation most days to work, even though I have a vehicle. I use microfiber cloths for cleaning and gentle cleaning products. I plan meals to reduce food waste. With the pandemic and a very long winter, I know I can’t be perfect. Thank you for reading.
Hello Rhea,
I am responding to your post, mindful and respectful that this is Michael’s blog and domain. I haven’t sort his nod to reply to your comments about the cashmere issue. But here goes: We aren’t all tree huggers! Folks make up their own mind about how to exist in this complex and at times confusing world. Most of the problems we create ourselves, knowingly and unintentionally. Don’t beat yourself up too much about the choices you have made and will make in the future. Live your life as you see fit without regret! The basis of your endeavours have been instilled in you from your parents/grandparents, (the good and bad bits). It will take many, many years to alter the thought process of human beings and the manner in which we grow, harvest, manufacture food and clothing. Unfortunately the All Mighty Dollars always takes centre stage. Yes, the wheels of change are slowly turning and change ‘is a coming’ but don’t hold your breath. It is narrators like Michael who are causing that wheel to rotate for the better. Okay, put your feet up, have a cuppa and RELAX!
Kindest regards,
Frank
Nice to hear from you Rhea. I think Frank summed it up beautifully 🙂
You’re welcome! I am going to forward your recent e-book for vegan breakfast recipes to my flexitarian co-worker. She loves coffee and smoothies, so your coffee smoothie and coffee chia parfaits will likely find their way into her breakfast rotation.
Thanks, Frank. I’m happy for your remarks and delighted for warmer weather to wear cotton and linen again!
G’day Michael,
Happy New Year to you and Masa!
I found your article on “Cashmere” very interesting indeed. At first I approached the article with luke warm enthusiasm. However, The more I read and drew nearer to the final paragraph, the more necessary your narrative became. My people (the Mongols – their family stories passed down from generation to generation) from a time eons ago were infact Dukhas Reindeer Herders. They raised goats to supplement their nurishment and clothing etc. You can eat only so much reindeer meat hey? Life whilst difficult in a harsh country was all they knew. Cashmere herders of today base their survival on similar principals, (other than China), except today the wool is sold to exploit the demands of mostly western society fashion. I don’t believe we should be too critical of the reasons cashmere wool is grown, (albeit in innner Mongloia it could be abhorrant)) but perhaps challenge the methods used in its production and sustainability. These are simple herders Michael trying to etch out an existance. China of course is another can of worms. Little do they care how they manufacture products for our daily consumption. Just look at Walmart in the USA and what that corporation purchases from China. The issue of cashmere wool and its production pales into insignificance compared to the widely used produced/manufactured of palm oil from such countries as Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, Sumatra and the affects that has on wildlife (The Great Orangutan Apes). I honestly believe Micheal that cashmere wool will eventually go the same way as the fox shawls did thirty to forty years ago around the world. It simply fell out of fashion once information surfaced about the suffering of fox’s to satisfy the fashion mood of high society. Do we tell the Afghani People to stop growing poppies just because it is adding to western society drug problem. How will they feed their families? I get your point Michael about the plight of the cashmere goat but until an alternative way of life and survival if introduced for the herders in Mongolia and China, it will be more of the same.
Kindest regards.
Frank
P.S. Back in the early 1960s when I resided on a mixed farm in Longley (14km from Hobart), I used to trap rabbits for the meat and fur. The fur was made into gloves to fend off the cold Tasmanian winters back then.
Hi Frank, Happy New Year to you too!
I appreciate your history and perspective. And I agree, it’s a dilemma when we’re talking about a traditional trade that drives much of the local economy. I suppose there’s an argument to be made that most consumer goods lead to some level of cruelty — some more than others.
If you’re right and cashmere falls out of fashion, I hope alternative trades will emerge to support Mongolian herders.
Warm regards,
Michael