In Britain, we stick to the classics. Wool throws, silk pyjamas, and cotton sheets on our bed – those are the norm when it comes to sleeping.
But with Oyuna, Mongolian cashmere is put on a pedestal and becomes the ultimate focus. A sense of beauty is married with luxurious comfort, nurturing the ultimate slumber experience with a soft touch that is out of this world.
“It’s for people who appreciate quality, and for those who aren’t after superfluous designs. A lot of time and thought has gone into the production, but at the heart of everything is just the pure beauty, quality and appreciation for cashmere,” says Oyuna Tserendorj, the name and face behind the brand, which is now celebrating its 15th successful year.
A Mongolian native herself, having been raised and surrounded by the soft fabric through her childhood, Oyuna set up the brand in London after training in textiles. Seeing a gap in the market for this sumptuous fabric, she decided to bring a piece of her culture and clothing tradition to the British public, who she believed were sorely missing out.
“Mongolia is very cold, so goats naturally develop this amazing under-hair which keeps them warm during the cold winters,” she tells me, explaining why this would benefit Britons during our freezing months as well.
The attention to quality doesn’t stop there. “These goats are raised with a lot of care and affection. They’re out in nature, under the sun breathing fresh air, and tended to and raised by loving herders, which really makes all the difference,” Oyuna explains, telling me that it’s like evaluating the quality of wine and bread – made naturally and with love, they’re full of flavour. Or they can be factory-made and found to be lacking in all aspects. Her dedication to quality assurance is evident in that she works alongside the standards set by the Sustainable Fibre Alliance, and looks to eliminate unnecessary middle-men to keep the production line free from unethical practices.
It is for this reason that her goods are the epitome of cloud-like softness. Already known for being a lush material, the care and attention that she describes ensure that all Oyuna cashmere fabrics are the most natural and finest of its kind.
Roughly 98% of her goods are pure Mongolian cashmere, but Oyuna sometimes blends it with other materials for a different texture. With wool sourced from New Zealand, cotton from Belize, silk from Italy, and not to mention the use of natural dyes free from synthetic ingredients, her products truly embody the “energy of the earth”.
And while Oyuna’s cashmere is known for its purity and dedication to traditional Mongolian practices, her love of modern art and conceptual thinking has made waves in the design world. Having worked and collaborated with numerous artists around the world, her throws and home pieces star bold colours and sharp lines for the ultimate contemporary look. “A lot of what we do is inspired by conceptual thinking, so our final cashmere products are definite statement pieces for the bedroom,” Oyuna tells me, highlighting that a delicate throw or quilt on top of cotton sheets will add a pop of colour and sophistication to any room.
But in a world where we’re so caught up with our ambitions and fast-paced lives, we turn our attention away from sleeping, which Oyuna fears impacts our waking lives negatively. “I need to sleep for at least eight hours every night, and I need to be as comfortable as possible to make sure that my sleep is of its highest quality,” she shares, telling me that she likes to layer herself with cashmere as she sleeps. “It’s such a deliciously soft fabric and so incredibly light, but it also keeps me so warm and cosy through the night.”
“I think this is why so many people love cashmere, because layering up with it reminds us being in our mothers’ wombs, where we’re cocooned in a nourishing comfort and warmth. And that’s what we’re all striving for as we sleep through the night,” Oyuna speculates, emphasising that she sleeps like an absolute baby.
We beat the Beast from the East recently, and what could have been better to snuggle into during that time than a jewel from the east? For peace, comfort, softness that exceeds all expectations and an indulgent embrace from luxurious cashmere, look no further than Oyuna.
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