"Why is yak wool so expensive?" and other common questions

A lot of people ask me the question "Why is Yak wool so expensive?" along with some other questions. Hopefully, this post helps:

1. "Why is yak wool so expensive?" Answer: a) there are only about 12 million domesticated yaks on the entire planet compared to 1.1 billion sheep. b) Yak wool is gathered only ONCE A YEAR by hand when spring arrives. Additionally, the guard hairs and undercoat fibers are sorted by hand. c) We only work with nomadic herding families which live on the high steppes of Tibet and Mongolia. Often, the winter and summer herding locations are hundreds of miles apart and the families we work with drive their herds on horseback between the two.
2. "How much wool does one yak produce?" Answer: A single yak only produces 2 - 4 lbs of the soft cashmere under layer. Thus, even if cashmere was collected from every yak
3. "What makes yak so special?" Answer: Yak cashmere is hollow like polar bear fur and thus is very warm even when wet. Also yak wool naturally wicks moisture away faster than sheep's wool (44%) or alpaca (18%). The first time I got the chance to wear yak was a decade ago and the soft feel of the fiber is unmatched in any other natural fiber except Musk Ox.