Ethical Brand: Naadam, Disrupting Cashmere

They had me at 'disrupting a 1,000 year old industry'. But how they are disrupting it pays off to the customer, keeping costs actually lower than conventional cashmere - usually the opposite of most ethically created products. 

Here's their story... 

"IN A REMOTE REGION, AMIDST THE HARSH CLIMATE OF THE MONGOLIA STEPPE, HIRCUS GOATS GROW RARE WHITE CASHMERE, PROTECTING THEM FROM -35 F WINTERS. IN THE SPRING, MONGOLIAN HERDERS HARMLESSLY COMB THESE FIBERS FROM THE GOATS’ SOFT UNDERCOATS; CONTINUING THE WORLD’S OLDEST HUMAN SUBSISTENCE METHOD.NAADAM HAS CREATED THE LARGEST PRIVATELY FUNDED NON-PROFIT PROVIDING VETERINARY PROGRAMS, LIVESTOCK INSURANCE AND BREEDING DEVELOPMENT. IN RETURN NAADAM IS GRANTED FIRST ACCESS TO THE HERDER’S FLEECE.

FIRST ACCESS TO RARE MATERIALS - THERE’S ONLY 300 TONS OF THIS RARE CASHMERE PRODUCED IN JUST ONE YEARLY HARVEST. OUR NON-PROFIT WORK SUPPORTS HERDERS AND STIMULATES MICRO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THIS REMOTE REGION, EARNING US FIRST ACCESS TO THE BEST CASHMERE ON EARTH.

NO MIDDLE MAN - BY PURCHASING FIBERS DIRECTLY FROM OUR HERDERS, WE CUT OUT THE TRADITIONAL TRADE LAYER THAT INFLATES THE COST OF CASHMERE. SKIPPING THE MIDDLE MAN ALLOWS US TO OFFER THE FINEST CASHMERE ON EARTH AT A BETTER VALUE.

SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN - IT’S SIMPLE; WE KEEP OUR HERDERS’ GOATS HEALTHY THROUGH VETERINARY PROGRAMS, LIVESTOCK INSURANCE AND BREEDING DEVELOPMENT. HEALTHY GOATS MEAN MORE VALUABLE FIBERS, WHICH STABILIZES OUR SUPPLY CHAIN.

THE ONLY ‘CRADLE-TO-CRADLE’ CERTIFIED CASHMERE YARN IN THE WORLD- NAADAM USES THE ONLY ‘CRADLE TO CRADLE’ CERTIFIED CASHMERE YARN IN THE WORLD. THAT MEANS IT IS HEALTHY FOR PEOPLE, THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

OUR FAMILY RUN MILL HAS BEEN SPINNING THEIR CRAFT FOR OVER 140 YEARS: USING THE REGION’S RICH MINERAL WATER TO WASH THE FLEECE, POWER ITS MILLS AND ULTIMATELY PRODUCE THE FINEST CASHMERE YARN IN THE WORLD. THE ENTIRE MILL IS RUN ON 100% GREEN ENERGY BY UTILIZING HYDROELECTRICITY AND ROOFTOP SOLAR PANNELS. THE DYEING SYSTEM ALLOW THE YARN TO HAVE LASTING, SOLID COLORS. ALL OUR CHEMICALS ARE CRADLE-TO-CRADLE CERTIFIED MEANING THEY ARE HARMLESS TO THE ENVIRONMENT."

Here's the mission though - they founded Naanam to change the way the world used and consumes materials. Their treatment and harvesting of the materials creates a cashmere that lasts longer and is of highest quality. 

All in all, if you're going to go for a high end purchase, this is it... from sweaters all the way down to your underwear. 

Click the photo below to be taken to their site.

THIS BRAND IS...

• EcoFriendly Production
• Renewable and Sustainable Materials
• Small Batch
• Fair Trade - Fair Wage
• Good Working Conditions
• Source to Production Controlled In House
• Use Harmless Chemicals 
• 100% Green Energy