CASHMERE | DRYKORN X ARTWELL
Cashmere is considered one of the most precious natural fibers in the world. A single cashmere goat produces no more than 400 grams of this coveted fiber per year – just enough for a single sweater.
The story of our cashmere begins in the mountain ranges of central Asia. Up on the windy high plains with their icy winters, domestic goats adapted to the conditions and started growing hair with exceptional warmth retention. People started using this hair for their own clothing and selectively bred goats with the best hair. But the growing demand for this luxury fiber brought ecological and social risks.
CASHMERE HERDING & FAST FASHION
Unlike other grazing animals, cashmere goats pull grass out with the root, which is why pastures need long regeneration times. When too many cashmere goats graze on too little land, lush meadows can quickly turn into barren steppe, damaged beyond timely repair. The main reason for this is economic pressure on herders – especially from fast fashion – forcing them to overuse land.
This doesn’t just threaten the existence of herding families, but also their cultural heritage: the nomadic way of life.
THE ANIMAL WELFARE DILEMMA
Cashmere production faces a classic either/or situation:
While combing preserves the protective outer coat of the goat, it takes longer, and stresses the animal. Just like when we brush our messy hair, combing can also cause pain for the animal.
Shearing is faster, thus less stressful and ideally painless. Realistically though, there is an increased risk of injury to the goat, and it leaves the animal without its insulating coat.
Let’s be clear: there is no perfect solution for animal welfare – but there are responsible ways forward. Audited small businesses that are paid fairly and take the time to care for their animals in small herds create the most favorable conditions for more responsible cashmere.
For our supplier selection, this means: Only when environmental protection, animal welfare, high quality and fair economic prospects align can cashmere be truly beautiful. Only then can we source it for DRYKORN products. That’s why, for all our 100% cashmere products, we work exclusively with Artwell.
SUPPLIER
ARTWELL
Since 1986, cashmere specialist Artwell has been proving that premium cashmere and responsible practices go hand in hand. As a board member of some of the most relevant cashmere standards (SFA, ICCAW, GCS), Artwell is a key player in shaping a more responsible cashmere industry.
Artwell is a fully vertically integrated company, controlling every single step – from sourcing raw fibers to the finished product. This not only guarantees excellent product quality, but also deep supply chain transparency. Their network of herder families in Inner Mongolia has been growing for over 30 years.
For DRYKORN, this means: We know exactly from which herds our 100% cashmere styles come from – and we know that none of these herds exceed 500 animals, with the average being 378 individuals. Herds with less than 600 individuals are considered small herds1. Also, we’ve visited Artwell and saw the whole process. From fiber to garment – everything is happening in one place.
In summary: Everybody benefits. The ecosystem and the goats benefit from smaller herd sizes. The herding communities benefit from fair pay and guaranteed demand. And last but not least, Artwell and us – as the makers and you, as the proud owner of a premium DRYKORN cashmere piece.
THE G.O.A.T.
Cashmere is a masterpiece of nature. At just 13–19 microns, the fiber is significantly finer than sheep’s wool (~40 microns) and up to five times thinner than a human hair. This gives cashmere unmatched properties that qualify it as a top-tier textile fiber:
Ultralight weight with maximum warmth, active moisture and temperature regulation, exceptional softness, natural elasticity for enhanced durability and reduced pilling, and a supple yet resilient feel.2
Cashmere remains in a league of its own – no synthetic fiber even comes close. For us, cashmere is more than just another material; it’s the essence of what we define as a premium natural fiber. Proof that nature still does it best.
1 Morton, J., Kotyza, P., Vigne, M., Dashbaal, B. 2024. Cashmere value Chain Analysis in Mongolia. Report for the European Union, DG-INTPA Value Chain Analysis for Development Project (VCA4D CTR 2017/392-417), 122p + annexes.
2 McGregor, B. A. (2018). Physical, chemical, and tensile properties of cashmere, mohair, alpaca, and other rare animal fibers. In Handbook of properties of textile and technical fibres (pp. 105-136). Woodhead Publishing.
07/2025