Stella McCartney Considers Cashmere | STELLA McCARTNEY

STELLA McCARTNEY

Stella McCartney Considers the Problems of Cashmere

In recent years, casual cashmere products have been mass-produced at affordable price points. This has led to an increase in cashmere goats to meet the growing global demand, which in turn is causing the destruction of Mongolia's grasslands. STELLA McCARTNEY, recognizing the production of cashmere as a significant environmental issue, has decided to discontinue the use of virgin cashmere in its knitwear collection and instead use recycled cashmere made from textile waste generated during production in Italy. Campaign muse, model Natasa Vojnovic, shares her thoughts on Stella McCartney's recycled cashmere while wearing the knitwear.

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The Impact of Luxurious Cashmere on Mongolia

Cashmere is said to have a high environmental impact among the natural materials used by STELLA McCARTNEY.

Stella McCartney is constantly exploring new ways to reduce its environmental footprint. As a result, the brand has ceased using virgin cashmere in its knitwear collections. It has now announced that it will use "recycled cashmere" made from regenerating textile waste generated during production in Italy.

Did you know that it takes four cashmere goats to produce one cashmere sweater? In contrast, one sheep can yield enough wool for five sweaters. This is why cashmere has long been considered a luxurious fiber. However, with the mass production of casual cashmere items at affordable prices today, the increased global demand for cashmere goats is leading to the destruction of Mongolia's grasslands.

Mongolia, a cold region with vast natural grasslands, has historically been an ideal habitat for cashmere goats. It is the perfect region for raising the goats that produce one of the world's finest fibers.

However, cashmere goats are not gentle on the grasslands. Grazing cashmere goats voraciously consume grass, pulling it up by the roots. Furthermore, the goats' sharp hooves pierce the soil surface, breaking the ground and allowing topsoil to be carried away by strong winds. Since the 1990s, the number of cashmere goats in Mongolia has quintupled, making cashmere production a serious environmental issue. This increase is causing the desertification of once-rich grasslands.

According to the United Nations Development Programme, 90% of Mongolia's land is fragile, arid terrain, and the threat of desertification is worsening daily.

What Stella McCartney Can Do

In response, the brand has continuously sought new methods to reduce its environmental impact, leading to the discontinuation of virgin cashmere in its knitwear collections.

As a substitute, the brand is using recycled cashmere yarn called "Re.Verso™" in place of virgin cashmere. The fabric, produced in Italy using unused materials discarded during the production process, reduces environmental impact by 92% compared to virgin cashmere.

In 2015, cashmere accounted for only 0.13% of all raw materials used, yet it represented 25% of the total environmental impact calculated using the EP&L (Environmental Profit & Loss) account. Stella McCartney estimates that by using "Re.Verso™" recycled cashmere in its products, the environmental impact of cashmere will be reduced to just 2% in 2016.

Furthermore, Stella McCartney is supporting partners such as the Sustainable Fibre Alliance and the Wildlife Conservation Society to help regenerate desertified land in Mongolia.

Campaign muse, model Natasa Vojnovic, shares her thoughts on Stella McCartney's recycled cashmere while wearing the knitwear.