Yulin: An emerging cashmere industrial cluster

A worker operates state-of-the-art cashmere carding machines. [Photo/Yulin Daily]

At the Sino-European Rural Vitalization Industrial Park in Zizhou county, Yulin, a remarkable transformation is underway, with the ambitious goal of creating a 10 billion yuan ($1.40 billion) cashmere industrial cluster.

At the heart of the industrial park are state-of-the-art cashmere carding machines. These machines utilize an advanced air-flow carding process to transform clean wool into high-quality cashmere. "Each strand of cashmere undergoes 11 rounds of carding to become a finished product," said Qu Chengsuo, director of a cashmere carding factory in the park.

The park's cutting-edge technology has revolutionized the traditional, labor-intensive carding process, producing 400 metric tons of cashmere annually with a micron diameter of less than 14.5 microns, meeting the standards of top international brands.

Surrounding the park are valleys with rows of pens containing well-cared-for goats, which are crucial for producing superior cashmere. Shaanxi Haoli Cashmere Goat Technology Development Co cultivates over 30,000 mu (2,000 hectares) of alfalfa, corn stalks, and oat grass, creating a balanced diet that results in cashmere with exceptional fiber length, luster, strength, and softness.

In collaboration with leading agricultural universities and institutes, the company has established the world's largest superfine cashmere goat population and intensive farming base, comprising 25 farms that house 170,000 goats, with plans underway to expand this to 500,000 by 2030.

The park has also attracted five enterprises focusing on large-scale goat farming, cashmere trade, and rural tourism.

Goat enclosures surround the Sino-European Rural Vitalization Industrial Park. [Photo/Yulin Daily]