There’s a particular romance to materials that endure. Cashmere has been prized for centuries for its softness, warmth and rarity, yet its story begins somewhere far tougher: on the vast, high-altitude grasslands of the Inner Mongolian steppe, where an extreme landscape has shaped a way of life for generations. It’s here, amid this elemental terrain, that the story of ERDOS begins. For more than four decades, the Chinese cashmere house has explored the relationship between material, culture, and innovation, translating the traditional fibre into the thread of contemporary life.

That philosophy is at its peak at the ERDOS Eco Ranch, a futuristic curved structure deep in the Inner Mongolian steppe, covering 5,000 acres of pastureland and populated by the brand’s leading experts – and its goats. Within this building, ERDOS’ team of experts combine generations of local knowledge with progressive science and technology, looking at everything from goat breeding and welfare to fibre quality and the health of the grasslands themselves. Here, a deep commitment to sustainability is embedded at the very beginning of the process, reducing their footprint on the landscape, while maintaining its organic growth and encouraging community collaboration.

It’s this in-depth craft that has made ERDOS a household name in China, with over 360 standalone boutiques and counters in major cities across the country. Now, the brand crosses continents, making its first steps into the UK through a new collection in partnership with the University of Cambridge.

Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge has fostered a tradition of intellectual inquiry for more than eight centuries. Its ancient colleges, cloisters and cobbled courts have played host to kings, radicals, scientists and poets; from Newton’s theory of gravity to Watson and Crick’s discovery of the DNA double helix, it’s a place where big ideas have a habit of changing the world. It’s this spirit of discovery that sits at the heart of ERDOS’ collection, but through the softer, more intimate side of Cambridge student life: reading on the lawn, cycling through town, rowing along the River Cam. A crew-neck sweatshirt carries the University’s iconic lion motif beneath a blouson-style jacket. A pleated cashmere dress is worn with an oversized blazer and selvedge denim. A candy-striped shirt comes with its own built-in tie, tucked beneath a cable-knit jumper. Collegiate stripes run across cardigans, while checked scarves are flung casually across the shoulder. Reimagining the familiar grammar of British collegiate dressing with some sharpened punctuation: customised buttons are like found objects, and punkish customised pins pierce the prep with a DIY sensibility.

We spoke to General Manager of Erdos Cashmere Group, Ms. Dai Tana, about the ERDOS vision, and cultivating cashmere through a holistic route.

For people who don’t already know ERDOS, how would you introduce the brand beyond simply being a cashmere producer?
Ms. Dai Tana: People often know the ERDOS brand because of cashmere, and cashmere will always be at the heart of who we are. But today I would introduce ERDOS as a contemporary fashion brand built on an exceptional natural fibre, long-term craftsmanship and a constant curiosity about how people want to live. For us, cashmere is not simply a product category; it is a starting point for thinking about material, design, nature and contemporary life.

What makes the ERDOS brand distinctive is that we understand the full journey of the fibre. From the grasslands and goat breeding to research, manufacturing, design and the finished collection, every stage informs the next. That depth of knowledge gives us the confidence to keep asking what cashmere can become, rather than treating its traditional uses as fixed.

As we continue to grow internationally, I hope people see ERDOS as a Chinese fashion brand with a strong point of view: deeply rooted in its material culture, attentive to the real world and open to exchange with different cultures.

“For us, cashmere is not simply a product category; it is a starting point for thinking about material, design, nature and contemporary life.”

It’s clear that the ERDOS team are passionate about being in control of the complete supply chain, what opportunities does that bring to you as a company and also to your customers?
Ms. Dai Tana: For ERDOS Group, the complete industry chain is not simply about production control. It is a system that connects fibre sourcing, research, spinning, knitting, garment development and brand operations, allowing knowledge to move across different parts of the organisation. That creates important opportunities for innovation and quality. Researchers, technicians and product teams can work together from an early stage, so material development and manufacturing solutions are not separated from the needs of the final product.

For consumers, the benefit is greater consistency and confidence in quality. The brand may be the part they encounter directly, but behind the finished garment is the Group’s accumulated expertise across the wider value chain, from fibre selection and testing to manufacturing and finishing. For us, that integrated understanding also brings responsibility. It means looking not only at the finished garment, but at the fibre, the land, the people and the processes behind it, and considering how each part can improve over the long term.

“Cashmere is a precious natural fibre, but when we encounter it only as a finished garment, it is easy to forget the much larger world behind it.”

The ERDOS Eco Ranch connects environmental research, animal welfare, technological innovation and the livelihoods of local herders. How central will that story be when introducing ERDOS to Western consumers?
Ms. Dai Tana: I hope the Eco Ranch can offer people a deeper understanding of cashmere itself. Cashmere is a precious natural fibre, but when we encounter it only as a finished garment, it is easy to forget the much larger world behind it – the grasslands, the animals, the herders, the changing environment, and the knowledge and care that have been passed down through generations.

The Eco Ranch allows us to bring some of those stories into view. It is an open platform where herders, researchers and industry specialists work together to explore greener development at the source of the cashmere supply chain. For us, this is not only about protecting a valuable material, but also about understanding and respecting the relationships between people, animals and nature that make cashmere possible.

I think this is particularly meaningful when we communicate with people in different parts of the world. Cashmere has always had a global story, but behind that story are very real places and very real lives. We hope that by sharing them, people can understand why cashmere is something to be valued and cherished, and perhaps also feel some of the warmth that has always been at the heart of ERDOS Group.

Ultimately, clothing is one of the ways in which we communicate with the world and express how we choose to live. For us, the Eco Ranch is part of that wider conversation. It reminds us to remain curious about where things come from, to pay attention to the real world behind what we wear, and to think about our own relationship with nature, with other people and with the things we choose to live with.

Looking five or ten years ahead, what are you hoping to achieve next?
Ms. Dai Tana: Looking ahead, I see two connected but distinct priorities. For ERDOS Group, the focus is to continue strengthening the cashmere industry chain, advancing scientific research, sustainability, responsible development and material innovation, and contributing knowledge to the wider industry. For the ERDOS brand, the ambition is to continue developing as a contemporary fashion brand with an international perspective. That means investing in design, craftsmanship and material innovation, expanding the way natural fibres can be expressed, and creating products that respond to modern life.

We also hope the brand can build more meaningful cultural conversations through fashion. For us, internationalisation is not only about entering more markets; it is about creating genuine exchange and allowing a contemporary Chinese fashion perspective to be understood on its own terms.

all clothing and accessories ERDOS × UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE COLLABORATION

model MINNIE HADLEY at NEXT MANAGEMENT; hair KATSUYA KACHI using BUMBLE AND BUMBLE; make-up RIONA O’SULLIVAN using KEVYN AUCOIN