Sustainable Cashmere

Sustainability is caring about how it’s made and where it comes from.

Community is a word we are invested in, and one we believe is directly connected to sustainability. Our community starts with the baby goats on the farms, and extends to the farmers who care for them, the spinners and knitters who make our soft knitwear, all the way through to you.

Sustainability cannot exist without community, and we are invested in every step our knitwear takes. This, we believe, is the right thing to do.

Our promise is to be kind to both people and the planet, and to achieve the highest standards possible in every element of our knitwear. You can wear &Isla cashmere confident you are part of the ‘slow fashion’ movement, made with integrity.

Our pledge means that we treat our goats and farmers with kindness and respect, and protect the Grasslands where cashmere is grown from erosion.

Once we have harvested the fibre, we give it to family-owned factories who have been awarded the highest environmental accreditations.

Happy goats = soft, high quality fibre.

Our fibre comes from Inner Mongolia, where the goats are raised by nomadic families who ensure they are able to exercise their five freedoms - the goats are free from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, injury or disease, and are able to express normal behaviour. 

Each farmer is visited regularly which means we can trace every fibre of cashmere back to its farm.

Herding families move twice a year to a new pasture, which gives the Grasslands time to recover. Our spinner also ensures natural pastures are reseeded and cared for to prevent erosion and maintain the Grasslands for generations to come.

Caring for cashmere goats sustains the lifestyle of nomadic herders who in turn help protect the Grasslands where cashmere is grown.

Every spring the goats are combed before they start to naturally moult, using traditional hand combing. The goats are then ready  for the hot summer months without their winter coat, and the collected fibre is taken to our spinner for careful washing. 

Family-owned factories who respect the artisans who work for them.

We have long relationships with our factories who treat their staff with respect and promote a safe working environment. They have been awarded Eco-Design certification, which means they use water-saving methods and install solar panels.

They are also fully certified to global Oekotex and SEDEX standards and are leaders in ethical knitwear manufacturing. Many of the staff have worked at our factories for years - a low turnover means happy people and a wealth of experience that is reflected in the way your sweater is made. 

We only make what we need.

We hate waste, so we make make to order, in small batches twice a year. This means we avoid stockpiling garments and only make what we need.

We care about where our cashmere ends up.

A cashmere sweater is made of precious fibre and should last for many years. A sustainable wardrobe should be carefully curated and well cared for. We are passionate that our sweaters look good and stand the test of time - please see our cashmere care pages for the best way to care for your &Isla knit.

We only use cashmere and other natural fibres, all of which are naturally biodegradable, ensuring your knit has the lightest possible footprint. We also recommend you pass your knitwear on, repair and recycle to extend the life of your cashmere.