Book excerpt: The illustrated story of a journey that Loro Piana goes on every year through remote, unspoiled lands to purchase an extremely precious fibre. Mongolia is a vast expanse of land between China and Russia. Its unspoilt terrain is battered by sudden sandstorms, and for 257 days a year no rain falls. A travel across this country is a genuine adventure. For more than ten thousand years Mongolia's uplands have been home to the Hircus goat. This curious animal, which is cared for by a mainly nomadic population of goat-herders, hides a genuine treasure under its outer coat: the warm, fine, ultra-soft luxury fibre that is cashmere. Baby Cashmere is an extremely precious fibre exclusively obtained from the underfleece of Hircus goat kids, which is gathered by means of a delicate and completely harmless combining procedure that is only done once in a goat's life, before the kids are 12 months old. It takes the fleece of 19 kids to make just one pullover. Nature lovers, fine-photography aficionados, armchair travellers alike will appreciate this fascinating exploration under endless skies and over golden deserts in search of the ultimate in genuine quality.