Even though yaks are extremely large, solid and robust animals, this, of course, does not mean that animal welfare does not play a role here – on the contrary: since they are kept in domesticated herds for wool, meat and milk, species-appropriate husbandry must be ensured in order to maximize the yaks’ quality of life and the quality of the products.

There are two sub-steps to consider in terms of wool production: In the first step, the fine underhair is combed out carefully and with a lot of patience. This process is almost pleasant for the animals and serves to protect them from being sheared too early. So up to this point, only good is done for the yak.

In the second step, the yaks are sheared – here, incorrect craftsmanship or “rough” action can definitely be a problem. It is, therefore, worthwhile to look twice before rushing to buy at particularly low prices.

The same applies to the keeping of the animals, which is not without problems. Proper nutrition and husbandry (on the pasture and in the barn), controls and dealing with diseases – all these things are essential to offer the yaks the life that the beautiful animals deserve.

Therefore, when you see yak wool at knock-down prices, you can assume that the wool is either not genuine or obtained by exploiting the animals.

This is how you know that your yak wool comes from species-appropriate husbandry:

• When buying products made from yak wool, always make sure that the wool’s origin is clearly visible. Many online retailers write directly in the product description where their wool comes from.
• In addition to wool from traditional farms in the Asian highlands, there are now also certified yak breeders in the U.S. who sell yak wool.