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How does cashmere production connect herding with manufacturing in Inner Mongolia?

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Wide autumn valley with golden grass in the foreground and low, tree-covered mountains of the Greater Khingan Range in the distance under a clear sky. — Inner Mongolia Da Hinggan (Greater Khingan) Range, southeast of Hailar, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.

In Inner Mongolia, the connection between herding and manufacturing is defined by the transformation of raw animal by-products into high-value industrial goods. Herders provide the essential raw material—the fine, downy undercoat of the Kashmir goat—which is harvested through labor-intensive hand-combing or plucking during the molting season.12

This agricultural output serves as the foundation for a significant segment of the region's textile industry. Once collected, the raw cashmere undergoes cleaning and mechanical dehairing processes to remove impurities and coarse outer fibers, a critical step that dictates the final quality and market price of the material. Industrial centers such as Baotou and Hohhot host plants that process these animal by-products into finished goods, including luxury knitwear, hosiery, and fabrics. By integrating the traditional practice of livestock herding with modern manufacturing, Inner Mongolia has developed an industrial system that leverages its regional resources to produce goods sold throughout China and beyond.123