Cashmere

The story of cashmere is one of immeasurable aspiration – for rarity, excellence, and ultimate quality. From the mid-twentieth century, when Loro Piana emerged as an arbiter of premium cashmere, to today, the Maison has travelled the world to source the finest cashmere and found nature’s treasure in Mongolia and inner Mongolia, where the noblest cashmere goats reside. In a balance of delicacy and skill, the animals’ precious coats are meticulously gathered to move through the House’s signature chain of hands, ready to be transformed into creations of inimitable sensoriality.

Tracing cashmere back to its roots

Cashmere is a rare fibre obtained from the duvet of the capra hircus goat, native to the mountainous regions of Asia, especially Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. To survive in these largely inhospitable desert places, the animals develop an under fleece next to the skin, made of very fine fibres that lock in warmth and create a highly effective protection against the cold. Respecting the local fauna, the herders work in harmony with nature’s cycles and harvest the fibre only between March and May, when the climate is milder and the animals tend to naturally lose their warm undercoat.

A new bar for cashmere

Since 2019, Loro Piana has actively helped define a certification protocol for a responsible cashmere supply chain, especially across China. The House partnered with the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW) and the Sustainable Fiber Alliance (SFA) to shape the new standard and took part in one of six pilot projects. This commitment led to the first batches of cashmere being certified in 2021.

The Loro Piana Method

The Loro Piana Method is a programme developed in 2009, promoting sustainable breeding and herding practices amongst local communities. Its aim is to refine the quality of the fleece garnered from the Alashan goats in Inner Mongolia, while preserving the biodiversity of the region and the characteristics of the species. A significant milestone was achieved in 2018, when Loro Piana created a demonstration farm and a dedicated flock alongside a local partner – resulting in three new generations of kids and continually honed fibre quality.

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A long-standing commitment

For over 40 years, Loro Piana has been committed to sourcing the finest Mongolian cashmere, establishing itself as a long-standing advocate for excellence in the field. Along the way, the Maison has also fostered enduring relationships with local cooperatives and collaborated with expert local herders, uoholding centuries-old sourcing traditions.

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The Resilient Threads initiative

Loro Piana is proud to be part of Resilient Threads, a five-year programme supporting Mongolia’s ecosystem. It is dedicated to fostering and strengthening herders’ livelihoods across five districts in the highly vulnerable Sukhbaatar province, with the aim of building supply-chain resilience. Born from a need for holistic solutions, the programme aligns with Mongolia’s economic, climate, biodiversity, and equity goals and has been conceived in partnership with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), SFA (Sustainable Fibre Alliance), and OCT (Odyssey Conservation Trust). The initiative has been co-designed with the government, local partners, and herder cooperatives to assess priority needs and strategies.

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Discover the journey of cashmere with the Loro Piana Smart Bales

Trace the trajectory of the Maison's iconic cashmere through the Loro Piana Smart Bales project. Underpinning the House's quest for ultimate quality, the initiative offers insights and transparency across the supply chain through a combination of physical and digital elements. The journey starts in Mongolia, where herders meticulously comb the precious fibres. Following this, with the fibres bundled up in compact bales, the cashmere is meticulously sorted, washed, and dehaired, in preparation for its shipment to the Loro Piana factory in Italy, where a new chapter of transformation begins.