SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Shokay's commitment to economic and environmental sustainability has been a core part of our ethos since 2006. Our model of promoting the sustainable use of yak fiber in the textiles & fashion industry links closely to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) put forth by the United Nations. Our community development programs over the last 15 years have focused on education, empowerment, and environment.

15

We have committed the last 15 years towards driving systemic change for the yak wool industry.

60

Yaks are considered an asset for Tibetan families and represents their wealth. Each family on average has 60 yaks. Some families have 200-300 yaks.

3,300

We source from Tibet, Qinghai, and Sichuan. 3,300 families are part of the Shokay yak fiber supply chain.

800

Over 800 herders in Qinghai have benefitted from Shokay’s health care programs, which has included health care training, free clinic, and giving out free eye glasses.

5X

The price of yak fiber have increased 5X over the years as a result of Shokay's investment in product development

50

Over 50 women have participated in our knitting and spinning cooperatives in Chongming and Qinghai.

Providing sustainable income for Tibetan herders

Shokay operates 5 sourcing bases in Tibet, Qinghai, and Sichuan Province. We source directly from Tibetan herders and have helped increase their fiber income by increasing both the value and market demand of yak fiber.

Empowering young Tibetans to become local leaders

Shokay established its first sourcing base in 2007 at Hei Ma He Township, located 3 hours from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province. From our initial method of sourcing directly family by family, Shokay now identifies young Tibetans to set up local cooperatives and organize their communities to become a sourcing base. We train the cooperative leaders on how to classify fibers, how to set up sourcing stations, how to apply for legal registration, and how to arrange logistics.

Herders receive immediate cash income for their fibers

Sourcing happens early summer. Our local cooperative sets up sourcing stations near the local township or during local festivals, making it convenient for herders to bring their fibers on site. The cooperative examines each bag of fiber and pays the herders in cash based on the quality of their fibers.

Shokay's Community Development Fund

We commit 1% of our revenues towards community development programs and over the years have supported women's empowerment and health care projects.

Empowering local women through a knitting cooperative

Shokay built and operated a knitting cooperative on Chong Ming Island in 2007 to provide stable income for 50 local women. We designed hand knitted products, trained local women how to knit complex pieces, and sold the products through our retail locations. Over the 13 years of operation, they hand knitted over 30,000 pieces.

Training local Tibetans how to handspin yarn

Shokay started training 12 local women in Hei Ma He Township hand spinning techniques in 2010. The local women spun over 1000kg of yarns sell through Shokay's retail locations.

Innovation driving demand

Shokay has helped catalyzed the growth of the yak wool industry over the last 15 years. We innovate across the supply chain to provide premium yarns & fabric that brands can use in their collections. Developing market demand for yak wool enables to expand our sourcing bases and provide economic opportunities for the Tibetan herders. We launched Shokay Lab, a community of like-minded brands, designers, retailers, and manufacturers, to work together to create beautiful products that are sustainably made.

Shokay cooperative leader shares best practices at the International Nomadic Herders Conference sponsored by the United Nations

Shokay's cooperative leader, De Ji Jia, shares about his experience building Shokay's fiber cooperative at the International Nomadic Herders Conference sponsored by the United Nations. Leaders of herding communities from Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia also attended the conference.

Shokay's R&D project earned the Geneva Invention Convention Award in 2018

Shokay sponsored a R&D project organized by HKRITA (Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles & Apparel) that earned the Geneva Invention Convention Award with Jury Distinction in 2018. The research established a baseline on how to compare yak fiber with other natural fibers and created production innovations for worsted yarns.

Setting industry standards

As demand for yak wool grows, setting industry standards is critical to maintaining sustainability. Shokay works closely with both local and international organizations on issues ranging from animal welfare to product quality. In 2018, Shokay signed an MOU with non-profit ICIMOD to explore how to set best practices for the livelihoods of yaks and the herding communities, coupled with grassland preservation initiatives in the mountainous areas which span across eight countries (China, Nepal, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan).

Creating a sustainable ecosystem

Yaks are naturally sustainable, low carbon emission animals. Their grazing habits are gentler on the grassland than that of cashmere goats because their shorter tongue prevents them from pulling out the roots of the grass. As yak fiber enters the fashion industry, sustainable herding practices must come hand in hand with economic growth.

Starting from 2021, Shokay & UPW will donate 1% of revenues from yak wool towards a community-organized Grassland Conservation Project that will recover over 240mu of land.