The Economics of Everyday Things 11. Cashmere
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Feb 5, 2026 
Miig Marjav Serchu (Miiga), a Mongolian herder who manages the Mongolian Sustainable Cashmere Platform for the UN, shares her perspective. She talks about how cashmere became booming commodity, the shift to privatized herding and how fibers are harvested and graded. She discusses market routes, quality decline from mass production, and environmental strains on Mongolia’s grasslands.
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Goats Dominate The Mongolian Landscape
- Miig Marjav Serchu (Miiga) describes the Gobi and the sea of goats that populate southern Mongolia's landscape.
- She explains how goats are central to local life and the national cashmere supply, outnumbering people eight to one.
Low Per-Goat Earnings Explain Large Herds
- One goat yields about 250 grams of raw cashmere and roughly $10 worth of income per year.
- It takes a herd of about 500 goats to reach Mongolia's median household income, highlighting low per-goat value.
Nomadic Herding Shapes Cashmere Production
- Miiga recounts that Mongolian herders are nomadic and migrate long distances seeking pasture for their animals.
- She emphasizes their intimate, land-connected way of life and care for livestock.