Since 2011, I had worked with one of the world’s most precious natural fibers: cashmere. Through my brand Made am Chiemsee, I designed and produced premium knitwear, learning every detail of the craft — from sketch to finished garment.

Over time, my curiosity began to stretch beyond the studio and the workshop. I wanted to return to the very beginning of the process: to see where this rare fiber is born, and to understand the rhythm of life that shapes it. My quest brought me to the Swiss mountains, to the Toggenburg region, where I visited Stephan Wagner and his Cashmere Garden.

Each spring, as the cashmere goats begin to shed their soft undercoat, Stephan carefully combs the animals by hand. Unlike sheep, which are shorn with clippers, cashmere goats must be combed patiently and gently. The process is slow, almost meditative — it never harms the animals, and only the finest fibers from their belly and sides are collected. From a single goat, just 100–200 grams of usable cashmere are obtained, making the material extraordinarily precious.