This increase in demand is both a gift and a curse for nomadic herders, who make up about 50% of the population. Cashmere goats are by far the most lucrative of livestock, but keeping up with booming demand is proving unsustainable. Herders have at least doubled—if not tripled—the size of their flocks over the past decade, says William Danforth, author of the MICC report.

The Mongolian government is ill-equipped to handle the classic tragedy-of-the-commons problem, so private international actors are stepping in. Paris-based Kering Group, which owns brands like Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga, is partnering with nonprofits to develop more sustainable models for cashmere production. The group’s focus is educating herders on pasture management and animal welfare, but there is much work to be done further down the supply chain.

Cashmere manufacturing is a complex ecosystem riddled with middlemen who sell the processed fabric for USD 150 per kilogram, while herders themselves get only USD 20 of that.