SHOKAY's "Tibetan Plateau Greening Program"

The raw yak hair used in SHOKAY products is sourced from the Tibetan Plateau, but desertification on that plateau has now become a serious problem. Behind this lie factors such as global warming and overgrazing driven by growing demand for clothing made with cashmere.

Goats grow by feeding on the grasses of the plateau, but because their long tongues allow them to eat down to the roots, grasslands left unmanaged as pasture end up unable to support plant growth afterward.

In response to this situation—where the focus has only ever been on increasing production, without any effort to restore the land—SHOKAY has partnered with environmental protection organizations to carry out activities aimed at restoring biodiversity to the land, using local tools, seeds, and herds of yaks.

The main material used in SHOKAY products is yak fiber, which rivals cashmere in quality. The hair of yaks living in the remote reaches of the Himalayan mountains is a highly precious material—only about 100g can be obtained from a single animal—and these yaks are vital livestock that sustain the livelihoods of the Tibetan people.

To protect the way of life on this land, the project has brought together 40 participants, including Tibetans who live alongside yaks, sheep, and horses in the area. By May 2022, 86,666 square meters of land had been greened.

In the greening project, people plant grasses and trees by hand and sow seeds, while yaks—which do not eat grass down to its roots—are grazed on the land so that their manure fertilizes the soil, gradually restoring the earth to a state where plants can grow again. In addition, the project regularly welcomes outside guests and students, offering them opportunities to understand the local culture and environmental challenges of the Tibetan Plateau.

In an age when meals and daily life have become so convenient and comfortable, taking a closer look at what lies behind them reveals many things we might not otherwise notice. SHOKAY is a company that works to solve social issues while offering products of high quality and comfort. This is a story that makes one want to choose, whenever comfort or a pleasant environment is within reach, options that are good and sustainable not only for oneself but for others as well.

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