Alashan vs Ordos vs Mongolian Cashmere Goats: What's the Real Difference?
Not all cashmere goats are the same. Alashan, Ordos, and Mongolian goats produce measurably different fiber — micron, length, color, down content. A 23-year Ordos factory's honest comparison.
Alashan vs Ordos vs Mongolian Cashmere Goats: What’s the Real Difference?
The label says “100% cashmere” but the goat behind that fiber matters. A 14.5μm Grade A cashmere from an Alashan goat is not the same as a 15.5μm Grade B from a lowland Mongolian goat. The difference shows up in micron, length, color, and how the finished garment ages.
Below is an honest comparison of the three main Inner Asian cashmere goat populations — based on 23 years of buying raw fiber from herders across these regions.
The 3 main cashmere goat populations
Alashan goats (阿拉善白绒山羊)
- Region: Alashan League, western Inner Mongolia (~39°N, 105°E)
- Population: ~1.5 million head (smallest of the three)
- Climate: Extreme continental desert — 40°C summers, -25°C winters, <100mm rainfall
- Fiber color: Mostly white (the most valuable for dyeing)
- Famous for: The finest micron in the world — true Grade A cashmere is 90%+ from Alashan
Ordos goats (阿尔巴斯白绒山羊, Arbas white cashmere goat)
- Region: Ordos City, southern Inner Mongolia (~39°N, 109°E)
- Population: ~3 million head
- Climate: High plateau (1,300m altitude), semi-arid grassland
- Fiber color: White, brown, gray mix
- Famous for: The “Arbas goat” is China’s national geographic indication product — protected designation since 2001
Mongolian goats (蒙古白绒山羊, Mongolian white cashmere goat)
- Region: All across Mongolia (Outer Mongolia, not Inner Mongolia)
- Population: ~30 million head (largest population)
- Climate: High plateau (1,500m+), extreme continental — 35°C summers, -40°C winters
- Fiber color: Mostly white, some brown/gray
- Famous for: Largest cashmere-producing country by volume (~40% of global supply)
Measurable fiber differences
| Property | Alashan | Ordos | Mongolian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. micron (μm) | 14.0-15.5 | 14.5-16.0 | 15.0-16.5 |
| Avg. fiber length (mm) | 36-42 | 32-38 | 32-40 |
| Down content (%) | 95-98 | 90-95 | 85-92 |
| Guard hair ratio | 2-5% | 5-10% | 8-15% |
| Natural color (most common) | White | White/Brown/Gray | White/Brown/Gray |
| Yields per goat (g/yr) | 250-350 | 200-300 | 150-250 |
| Annual production (tons) | ~3,500 | ~7,000 | ~9,000 |
Source: Industry estimates based on 2020-2024 sourcing data, cross-referenced with the Inner Mongolia Bureau of Animal Husbandry.
What each goat is best for
Alashan Grade A — For luxury knitwear and ultra-fine scarves where hand feel is the dominant purchase factor. 14.5μm fiber with 38mm length makes yarn that’s nearly weightless. Price premium of 30-50% over equivalent-grade Ordos.
Ordos Grade A/B — The best balance of quality and price. Ordos Arbas goats produce slightly longer fiber than Alashan (good for yarn spinning efficiency) at a 15-20% lower price. Most mid-market and premium DTC brands use Ordos fiber.
Mongolian Grade B/C — The workhorse of the cashmere industry. Mongolian fiber is widely available at scale, with consistent quality. Best for sweaters at USD 80-200 retail, blends, and private label brands prioritizing margin.
Honest disclosures
“Alashan” doesn’t always mean true Alashan fiber. Some yarn suppliers blend Alashan fiber with other regions and still call it “Alashan cashmere”. A truly 100% Alashan yarn supplier will show you the herder cooperative agreement, GPS coordinates, and batch traceability. We work with two certified Alashan cooperatives.
“Mongolian cashmere” sometimes means Chinese fiber shipped through Mongolia. The reverse is also true. True geographic origin requires documentation from the herder cooperative, not just the country of export.
“Grade A” is not standardized. As we covered in the Cashmere Grades guide, the A/B/C grading system is industry convention, not a regulated standard. Always ask for actual micron readings, not just verbal claims.
How we source
Our dehaired cashmere comes from a mix of:
- 40% Alashan Grade A (for our luxury scarf and premium sweater lines)
- 45% Ordos Arbas Grade A/B (for our standard sweater and yarn offerings)
- 15% Mongolian Grade B (for blending and entry-level lines)
Every batch ships with a Certificate of Origin listing the herder cooperative and approximate GPS coordinates of the source pasture. This isn’t required by law — we do it because the fiber origin is the only thing that actually distinguishes premium cashmere from commodity cashmere.
Why this matters for your brand
If you’re a private label brand sourcing cashmere, the fiber origin is the single biggest quality signal you can pass to your end customer. Most DTC brands (Naadam, Quince, Everlane) market “Mongolian cashmere” or “Inner Mongolian cashmere” because that’s where most volume comes from. Few can credibly claim “Alashan Grade A” or “Arbas protected designation”.
If you have a 200-piece private label order, mixing in 30-50% Alashan fiber gives you a real differentiation story — and a hand feel your customers will actually feel. We can blend to your specification.
Want to see the actual micron readings and herder documentation for our current Alashan / Ordos / Mongolian fiber batches? Contact us for a sample kit.
