Yakuld
The new high-quality wool—warm, light, and soft—from the highlands of Mongolia.
Yak wool deserves to be better known. It is soft, breathable, and naturally beautiful in its earthy tones—and it is one of the most sustainable choices you can make. For me, yak is one of the fibers that best embodies what Undarmaa is all about: a natural material with deep roots in the Mongolian steppe, which is only now truly being appreciated.
Yak milk comes from the yak—the hardy animal that lives high up in the mountains of Mongolia, where few other animals can survive.
- 16–20 µm undercoat — comparable to cashmere
- Natural colors — brown, rare gray
- 1,800–4,000 m — The Mongolian Highlands
- Warmer than sheep's wool
A bull bred for the cold
The yak lives in some of the world’s most extreme conditions—in the highlands, where winter temperatures can drop to −40 °C. To survive, it has developed a two-layered coat: an outer layer of coarse guard hairs that protects against wind and snow, and an inner layer of dense, soft undercoat, khullu, that provides insulation. Only the fine undercoat is used to make clothing.
There are about one million yaks in Mongolia, the vast majority of which are found in the Khangai and Khövsgöl Mountains—particularly in Arkhangai Province.
Soft, warm, and comfortable against the skin
Yak undercoat measures about 16–20 micrometers—so fine that it can be difficult to distinguish from cashmere. It contains very little natural wool grease, and because the fibers are so fine, they don’t itch; yak wool can be worn directly against the skin.
Yak wool is temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking, warmer than regular sheep’s wool, and it retains heat even when damp. As an added bonus, yak wool doesn’t build up static electricity like many other materials do.
Nature's own colors
Yak wool comes in beautiful earth tones—from dark chocolate brown to a rare silver-gray we call platinum gray. The dark natural color makes it difficult to dye the wool light without bleaching it, and bleaching damages the fibers. That’s why we usually let the yak wool retain its natural color—it’s part of its character.
Baby yak — the very best
The finest yak yarn comes from very young animals—baby yaks—and is often spun by hand. Hand-spun yarn is slightly thicker and more irregular than machine-spun yarn, but it is wonderfully soft and has a unique character all its own.
The gentler option
Of our three fibers, yak wool is the most sustainable—and there’s a specific reason for that. Yaks graze high up in the mountains, in terrain that cashmere goats cannot reach. They therefore do not put pressure on the low-lying steppe areas, where overgrazing is most severe. And while goats have hard, sharp hooves, yaks walk on broad, soft feet that are gentler on the ground.
In other words, yak wool isn’t just a beautiful and warm material—it’s also one of the most sustainable choices. Read more under “Manufacturers and Responsibility.”
Read more about Mongolian cashmere, camel wool, and Mongolia.