Visit the hometown of cashmere (2) Experience the work of a cashmere herder family

We were able to watch the farmers, Mori and his wife, show us how cashmere hair is harvested.

<<“To the hometown of cashmere (1) To meet the cashmere people of Inner Mongolia”

Cashmere herder Mori-san

Mori and his wife are cashmere herders.

Mr. Mori has been working as a cashmere herder since his father's time. He is gentle and shy.

Mori and his wife have two daughters.
He's still in elementary school, and he lives in a boarding school in town and comes home on weekends.
I can't wait for the weekend!
When I talk about children, my face smiles.

Even though it's spring, it's over 30 degrees outside at noon and the humidity is low, so the cashmere goat hut is very cool.

Before being combed, the cashmere animals are not put out to pasture, but instead wait in the shed, waiting for their turn.Everyone is very quiet.

It doesn't smell as bad as I expected, probably because it's dry.

cashmere hair removal

Cashmere is plump before being combed.

Mr. Mori casually catches the corner of the cashmere and lays it down.
``Sometimes he gets violent, so I just tie his legs,'' he says with a laugh.

Start combing the cashmere that is lying flat, starting from the neck.

When you start combing, the cashmere has dark eyes and looks comfortable.

This is what I was most concerned about before coming here.
It's ``Are humans abusing cashmere? ”

It's obvious that humans are happy to have fluffy cashmere hair, but if cashmere is abused and only humans feel good about it, then I, who work in cashmere for a living, would be really worried.

Maybe I'll have no choice but to give up on the cashmere business...

Today, when I saw cashmere that looked comfortable as a tron, my long-standing worries disappeared.
I'll never forget that scene.

It takes about an hour to comb one cow,
My wife also started combing the comb together, so after about 30 minutes I was like, ``I've finished combing!'' ”

Each person spends 10 hours combing the cashmere, producing 10 cashmere. A couple makes 300 cashmere per month, so it doesn't seem like they can manage 600. It seems that the average number a family can manage is around 300. These 300 are what support the family.

Mr. Mori gave me cashmere combing tools handmade by Mr. Mori.
It looks like a pitchfork, but the tip is not pointed.
Infused with love for cashmere
It's my treasure!

Spring is the season of harvest

Spring/May

Late spring in the highlands, the grasses in the semi-desert begin to bud, and you can also see small insects and pretty flowers.

The pastoral farmer is
When night falls, we separate the cashmere that will be combed today from the cashmere that will be grazing.
The cashmere combing the downy hair today went to the shed.
Take other cashmere out to pasture
・
Cashmere looks warm and whole before it is combed.

“Mr. Mori! ”

“At what age can cashmere be harvested? ”

“You can get the best hair from ages 3 to 5.”
“Males have longer hair.”

“Huh, that’s right.”
“Then, male cashmere is better! ”
“But females give birth to children.”
“It also produces milk.”

Doesn't seem to care much about gender

The cashmere after hair removal is thin!

Even as we talk, Mori's hand doesn't stop combing the cashmere.

When I finished combing the cashmere, I thought, ``I'm so thin!'' ”, everyone was surprised.

``It's hot now! ”
“It’s hot when you wear such hot hair! It's cooler this way.''
And Mr. Mori

Spring is the season for baby births

"spring"
・
Season of harvesting downy hair and birth of children

Spring is a double joy

Arashan's cashmere is almost pure white.

Some children are brown

There was also a black child

Even in May, there are times when the weather suddenly changes and cold waves arrive, and the small children spend their time in the hut.They are all timid and huddle together in a corner.

Continued “To the hometown of cashmere (3) How the world’s best cashmere is made” >>