Cashmere entrepreneur eyes expansion via crowdfunder

A recently launched Edinburgh business focused on designing, curating and importing ethically-sourced cashmere garments from Mongolia is crowdfunding to help increase production.

Carrie Booth, a translator by trade, at the end of 2020 founded Hero Cashmere, whose offering is billed as “loungewear combining ethics, design and soul” and includes leggings, cardigans and headbands.

She has been working from her base in the Scottish capital with a female-led small firm in Mongolia – and says the country’s goats produce some of the world's most luxurious cashmere.

Hero Cashmere has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise about £7,000 to help fund a new knitting machine for her Mongolian colleagues. Additionally, the crowdfunder has been selected by Kickstarter as one of its Projects We Love, and closes on May 7.

Hero Cashmere was founded to create 100 per cent Mongolian-produced loungewear. Picture: contributed.

It comes after Ms Booth visited Mongolia a couple of years ago, and discovered that around 90 per cent of cashmere harvested there is exported for production elsewhere.

The entrepreneur, who is also director of The Translation Booth, said: “I felt that I could put some of my language and communication skills to use in starting this new business. I had made some friendships when I was in Mongolia... and had maintained these. When the time felt right, I decided to pursue the cashmere business and I used my contacts to help me find a supplier.

"Mongolia is not given the chance to shine, and creatives there are left behind. Working from ‘farm to finished garment’, my aim is to keep more of the value chain in Mongolia – and allow creatives to explore their potential.”

Founder Carrie Booth says she tries to use Mongolian photographers and models as much as possible. Picture: contributed.

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