Pamir boast many traditions in terms of goat combing and shearing practices that prevent pain and distress using non-edgy scissors. On top of this, nomads assemble a ger to comb the goats to establish ecologically and animal welfare-friendly environment.

Cashmere, a luxurious garment that is soft and cloud-like wispy. Stemming from the cashmere goat, the fiber is three times more insulating than sheep wool. It is combed from the underside of the goat in a very natural process at springtime when it starts to lose their winter coats. Herders with generations of expertise hand comb the fiber to protect the goats from overheating and to prevent them from follow-up animal diseases such as ticks and lice when it gets warm outside. This is the most sustainable and humane way of harvesting cashmere. To the goats, it is almost like receiving a massage. Imagine yourself still wearing heavy winter-coat on nice warm days. It is unbearably hard. If you don’t comb goats for cashmere, then they are at the risk of freezing to death during harsh storms. After the rain, their coats become crusty and prevent the growth of new fiber.

Adding value sustainably…

The generation born after the 1990s will soon become fashion designers and main consumers. As opposed to the exterior appearance and design of products, generation z is more concerned with what is happening on the inside. According to a survey conducted by McKinsey&Company, 65 percent of the z generation take into consideration as to where and how the product is made before purchasing. Moreover, 80 percent replied that they reject buying from controversial companies. The users want to be aware of the pasture, environment and livestock conditions.
Pamir has a unique ecosystem and the largest open grasslands in the world which makes cashmere fiber more healthy and special compared to cashmere goats fed by artificial supplements in other countries.

The hard-working nomads who managed to raise their livestock to be more than 1000 were awarded and gained popularity as well. There are almost 7000 households having livestock heads more than 1000. In terms of animal husbandry optimization and increase of its efficiency, A well-known herder with 3000 heads of animals has his own distinctive opinion. Tajikistan livestock is small in stature and paltry in productivity. Yet, they are the best possible naturally gifted versions that could survive harsh weather and elevated mountainous areas of Pamir. That is why he considers total animal husbandry optimization to be impractical. By opting for various sires from domestic and foreign resources, he made many attempts to improve his livestock. The result was the realistic conclusion that the best breeds were the ones that could survive harsh drought and dzud and require a small number of feeds even though they have considerably low levels of productivity.