Case Study: Herders to Home 2025: Luxury Mongolian Yarn and Fibre
- Naveed Nawal
- Sep 19
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 30
From herders to home, yarns made with exotic fibres from nomadic, free-range animals on the remote Mongolian plains
THE BACKGROUND
Case Study: Herders to Home 2025: Luxury Mongolian Yarn and Fibre
Far beyond the mills and fast fashion lines, Mongolia carries centuries of tradition in every thread. Herders to Home 2025 rises from this lineage - rooted in nomadic culture, ethical artistry, and fibres shaped by nature. The project is driven by the belief that yarn should not just be luxurious, but should carry stories: of the landscape, the animals, and the artisans that shape it.
ULA+LIA, the brand behind the campaign, is dedicated to bringing high-quality Mongolian yarns and fibres directly from herders to homes worldwide. Its founder first came to Mongolia as a Peace Corps volunteer working in business development. Drawn back after a short return to his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA, he began laying the foundations of his own business. After a small venture in cashmere fashion, he shifted his focus toward knitting yarn under the ULA+LIA name. With nearly a decade of experience on the ground, he works closely with Mongolian herders to deliver products that reflect both quality craftsmanship and sustainable practice - with a vision that extends far beyond this campaign.
Herders to Home 2025 seeks to bring these fibres directly into the hands of knitters, weavers, and designers who value both quality and tradition. It answers the call for materials that are kind to the land, kind to the animals, and crafted to endure - not fleeting trends, but threads that last.
THE APPROACH
Herders to Home is more than supply and sale; it's a journey of transparency, craftsmanship, and sustainability. Instead of several middlemen diluting value and ethics, the design of the project intends to bring the value chain closer to its roots. To them, it’s about capturing the essence of Mongolia’s landscapes and the animals that endure its brutal winters. Every season begins with free-range goats, sheep, yaks, and camels raised by nomadic herders, who brush their animals in spring to gather the rare, superfine fibres they naturally shed. These fibres, evolved to withstand temperatures as low as -40°C, are the foundation of ULA+LIA’s luxurious yarns.
Unlike large industrial producers, ULA+LIA works with a small family-owned spinning facility in Ulaanbaatar that can accommodate smaller batches - around 100kg per fibre and colour - ideal for hand-knitters and artisans. This approach ensures not only quality and traceability, but also flexibility in producing unique blends, colours, and weights season after season. It’s a commitment to transparency, sustainability, and craftsmanship, while making luxury fibres accessible to knitters worldwide.
The 2025 yarn collection is built around these elements:
Premium fibres: Baby cashmere (~16.5 microns), yak (~19 microns), baby camel (~17 microns), and sheep blends kissed with cashmere - all 100% sourced in Mongolia and with care for luxury presentation & utility
Exclusive colourways: New shades include Natural Vanilla (undyed baby cashmere), Desert Sage, Midnight Ash Grey, and Oxblood Red, alongside returning favourites like Autumn Teal, Lilac Mist, and Natural Stone Fleece (a yak blend)
Versatile weights & skeins: Available in fingering, DK, lace, and bulky — skeins sized at 100g, plus 400g and 800g cones in select weights for larger projects
Durability & softness: Natural Vanilla baby cashmere is brushed from first-year goats for exceptional softness, while yak and camel fibres provide strength, warmth, and earthy natural tones
Hand-crafted production: Small-batch spinning at family facilities in Ulaanbaatar preserves quality and supports local businesses
International shipping: Packages over 400g are shipped via FedEx for fast, reliable delivery, ensuring access to knitters around the globe
Transparent origin story: Sharing where each batch comes from, who spun it, how treated, perhaps via storytelling or visuals
Ethical sourcing from Mongolian herders: From fibre collection to spinning, every product is 100% Mongolian, rooted in centuries-old herding tradition, ensuring that animals are well-treated, sourced with respect for local herding traditions, and that there are fair pay and conditions
TOTAL BACKERS:
1,624
AMOUNT RAISED:
US$178,000 / US$25,000
PERCENT OF GOAL:
712%
THE RESULTS
Herders to Home 2025 exceeded expectations by more than 700%; however, beyond the numbers, this campaign is a classic example of how to leverage a longstanding support system on Kickstarter. Having run successful campaigns for eight consecutive years, ULA+LIA has cultivated a loyal backer community that returns time and again for the brand’s reliability and quality.
This consistency demonstrates the value of trust and transparency: when creators communicate openly, deliver reliably, and honour their commitments, backers become long-term supporters rather than one-time pledges. For ULA+LIA, this meant that introducing new fibres, colourways, and packaging options was met not with hesitation, but with enthusiasm and confidence from their established base.
The lesson for other creators is clear: a strong and loyal support system is more than just helpful - it’s essential. It allows brands to innovate boldly, knowing their community will follow them into new ventures. For ULA+LIA, it secures its position as a trusted source of Mongolian yarn and fibres, and sets the stage for continued growth in the global knitting and fibre arts market.
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