We are a small specialty shop and work with just a few manufacturers in Mongolia. This makes it easier to closely monitor materials, fit, and quality—and to ask the same questions season after season.
For us, it’s not just about where a product is made, but also about who makes it, what materials are used, and how the product can last for many years.
How We Choose
We select manufacturers who can work with high-quality natural materials, produce in small batches, and deliver a finish that matches Undarmaa’s aesthetic.
This means we prefer to work with a small number of regular manufacturers rather than constantly switching suppliers based on price. By returning to the same partners, we can fine-tune the fit, quality, and details over time.
Closer collaboration with our producers
Our goal is to get to know the manufacturers we work with—not just as suppliers, but as an integral part of the process by which the products are created.
That’s why we visit them, discuss materials and samples, and follow up on areas for improvement. It doesn’t give us complete control over everything, but it does give us a better chance to make the right choices and ask better questions.
Knitwear from Mongolia's coldest region
Some of our cashmere knitwear is made in Ulaanbaatar by manufacturers with experience in knitting for cold climates. The cashmere they use comes from farmers in Khuvsgul Province in Mongolia’s northernmost region, where harsh winters produce fibers with extra length and fineness.
Here, we focus primarily on classic styles, where the quality of the materials, the fit, and the finish are more important than rapid seasonal changes. These are products designed to last a long time and feel like a natural fit in a Nordic wardrobe.
A more select assortment
Other items in our collection are produced in smaller batches, which allows us to work more closely with design, colors, and materials.
We don't introduce many new styles each season. Instead, we try to improve and reissue the styles that work—with adjustments to the fit, yarn, colors, or finish.
Functional knitwear for everyday wear
For some products, we work with manufacturers who have experience with more practical and warm products made from natural fibers.
This applies, for example, to small accessories and knitwear, where function, comfort, and choice of materials are more important than trends. Here, we focus especially on products that make sense for everyday life in cold weather.
Materials of Origin
We work with cashmere, yak wool, and camel wool from Mongolia. These materials are part of everyday life on the steppes and have been used for generations because they are warm, lightweight, and naturally insulating.
For us, origin is important, but it must be explainable in a straightforward way. That is why we are working to improve our ability to document where materials come from and how they move through the value chain.
Steppers require more than just good materials
Mongolia has vast grasslands, but its resources are not unlimited. Millions of animals live on the steppes, and the climate, grazing, and demand for fiber all affect the natural environment.
That is why cashmere is not just a soft, luxurious material. It is also a raw material that must be handled with care. We cannot solve the industry’s challenges on our own, but we can choose our materials and partners with greater care.
Best Practices in Collaboration with Growers
One of our partners is Eeltei Baylag (formerly the Sustainable Cashmere Union)—a cooperative network of nomads in the provinces of Arkhangai, Bayankhongor, and Khentii. The network focuses specifically on rotational grazing, animal welfare, and training for herders, and has been developed in collaboration with the French NGO AVSF over an extended period.
It’s no guarantee that everything will be perfect—but it’s the kind of structure that makes it possible to choose materials that are more carefully considered than ordinary, off-the-shelf items.
Hand-spun baby yak in Arkhangai
In Arkhangai Province, nomadic families have joined forces to form the Ar Arvijin Delgerekh cooperative, where they hand-spin yarn from baby yak—the wool of very young animals, which is even finer than usual. We’ve worked with their yarn, and these are exactly the kinds of small, dedicated producers we’d like to work more closely with.
What we can document — and what we're working on
We can verify that our products are manufactured in Mongolia, and we maintain an ongoing dialogue with our manufacturers regarding materials, fit, and quality.
At the same time, we are working to improve our ability to document the origin of our materials more accurately. In the cashmere industry, it is not always easy to trace the fibers all the way back to specific regions or herder families, but this is an area we want to improve.
For you as a customer, this means that every product at Undarmaa is selected with a focus on materials, function, and durability—not just on price or seasonal trends.
Read more
Our approach is simple: fewer manufacturers, closer relationships, and products chosen to last.
Learn more about the story behind Undarmaa — or check out our guide to cashmere, yak, and camel wool.
