HOHHOT, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- As autumn brings cooler temperatures to the Northern Hemisphere, demand for cashmere sweaters climbs. On a ranch in Erdos City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, white Albas cashmere goats amble from solar-panel-covered sheds to lush grasslands, with their fleece white as clouds.

Inner Mongolia is a key global source of high-quality cashmere, where local companies are building a sustainable industry centered on superior quality.

Cashmere is primarily produced in temperate zones between 35 degrees and 55 degrees north latitude. Inner Mongolian cashmere is prized by international fashion houses, including Dormeuil, Louis Vuitton and Loro Piana, for its softness, fineness, color and warmth.

Inner Mongolia has established a comprehensive industrial chain for cashmere, spanning breeding, processing and sales. In 2024, the total industrial output exceeded 18 billion yuan (about 2.5 billion U.S. dollars).

Harmony with nature is a long-held principle in local industrial development.

For example, the solar power project at the ranch of cashmere manufacturer the Erdos Group generates enough electricity to fully power the ranch operation, with surplus energy supplied to the grid. In production, the company employs energy-saving dyeing technology that breaks down pollutants into water and carbon dioxide, releasing no dyeing effluent and cutting water use for dark colors by half.

A 2024 report from the group showed carbon emissions from producing a 200-gram cashmere sweater fell by 11.43 percent in 2023 compared to 2022.

To prevent the degradation of grasslands resulting from the expansion of goat herds, Inner Mongolia has enforced a series of policies since 2011 to balance herd size with pasture capacity, including setting a grazing ban period in some areas.

Finer cashmere offers greater comfort, warmth and value. Through selective breeding and improved husbandry, the local industry is shifting toward high-value cashmere. Government and leading firms jointly offer subsidies for premium cashmere measuring 14.5 microns or finer, so as to encourage herders to prioritize quality over quantity.

In Alxa League, the number of cashmere goats dropped from a peak of 1.48 million to around 450,000, yet the average raw cashmere yield per goat rose from 300 grams to 500 grams.

"Raising fewer animals with better breeding has improved both grassland ecology and cashmere quality," said Zhu Lixian, director of a local husbandry and veterinary technology promotion center.

Local herders are benefiting from this quality-focused transition. Buyinchogetu, a herder in Erdos, produced 178 kilograms of cashmere this year, 72 kilograms of which measured under 14 microns. Under the 2024 subsidy program, this high-quality portion will earn him an extra 36,000 yuan -- three times the price of ordinary cashmere.

Meanwhile, local companies have partnered with research institutions to breed superior cashmere goats, leveraging somatic cell nuclear transfer and gene-editing technologies. Production processing is also being upgraded. At Dongli Cashmere in Chifeng City, an intelligent air-suction system identifies the quality of the fiber and removes unsuitable material, ensuring high fabric standards.

With technological advances, Chinese cashmere firms are contributing to setting global standards. The King Deer Group defined a quantitative relationship between fiber length and spinnability, adopted as a guideline by the International Wool Textile Organization. While Erdos Group has led the formulation of six international cashmere standards, including a fineness measurement standard that replaces subjective tactile assessments, significantly reducing trade disputes.

As China's high-quality cashmere gains wide recognition, "ranch experience tours" are attracting consumers interested in the production process.

In Alxa League, herder Saihan offers a "ranch experience tour" where visitors can participate in activities such as herding, shearing and weaving cashmere, as well as purchase products directly from the ranch. During the peak season, his ranch receives over 100 visitors a day, with tourism income reaching 500,000 yuan per year. Combined with income from raising goats, his family's annual earnings exceed 800,000 yuan.

"One industry chain has created multiple income streams," Saihan said.

As China's cashmere industry grows, companies are establishing overseas factories in Belt and Road Initiative participating countries, boosting local economies. For instance, King Deer Group operates factories in Madagascar and Cambodia, employing over 10,000 locals.

Transitioning from high output to high quality and sustainability, China's cashmere industry sets global standards, providing warmth to consumers and creating economic opportunities both domestically and internationally. ■