MAY: TIBETAN YAK

In May, yaks in the Tibetan plateau began to shed their winter layer called Khullu. The nomadic Tibetans who herd yak, start the delicate process of collecting Khullu. They carefully pull the loosening fiber from the animal. Unlike other animal fibers that are combed or sheared, this process is done fully by hand. Khullu is an extremely fine and soft fiber that grows between the yak’s long black coats and insults them during the cold winters. 

Tibetan nomads have spent centuries building symbiotic relationships with the animals they herd. In their world, yak fiber is prolific- they use the wool from their herd to make shelter, clothing, insulation, blankets, and more. As a global commodity, yak is nonexistent. One of the only brands connecting goods made with yak fiber to the global market is Norlha. A mother and daughter-founded project in the Tibetan Plateau, Norlha has spent almost two decades building a community around growing and making textiles with yak fiber, as well as telling the stories woven into them. 

Their Journal is a window into all the processes, people, animals, and landscapes of yak textiles. They tell the story of nomads mending their felted yak tents. One entry weaves together the importance of the Tibetan Plateau for Asia’s watersheds, water’s significance in Buddhism, and the community’s spiritual practices around water. Another interviews a young, nomadic couple and their winter rituals. 

This month’s Mindful Designer’s Almanac entry is an invitation to read Norlha’s journal and enjoy their amazing photography.