Cashmere Entrepreneur Responds to Nepal Earthquake Crisis – One Year On
Llandeilo (PRWEB UK) 20 April 2016 -- 11 months ago Sharon Naylor responded to a plea for help from Kim Ji Saan, the son of a small cottage cashmere manufacturer in Nepal. Sharon, a lifelong lover of Nepal, had recently trekked to the Annapurna Base Camp with her 3 sisters, and on her return, spent a few days in Kathmandu sightseeing and buying souvenirs. Kim was amongst the many people she met. He had a small shop selling his father’s cashmere ponchos, scarves, sweaters and shawls to tourists. Sharon bought and brought his goods home to the UK and they kept in touch via Facebook.
The catastrophic earthquake of April 25th 2015 led to more than 8000 deaths in Nepal. Tourism; the country’s biggest income earner was decimated. No one wanted to visit Nepal; people were homeless and businesses were suffering. Kim was living in the factory when their family home was declared unsafe. Kim reached out to Sharon and asked her if she could help. He sent her a box of cashmere and wool items from his father’s cottage business. Sharon tried selling them on Ebay and to friends and family. When she relayed the story, people were generous and bought. All friends and family had cashmere ponchos and scarves for Christmas!
Within a few months Sharon sent for more stock and created a web-site: “The Cashmere Crew”.
Nearly one year on, and Kim continues to supply Sharon with cashmere and wool items and their business is mutually beneficial and rewarding.
Sharon says: “People here in the UK love our cashmere & wool ponchos and scarves. They are handmade by local craftspeople in the small factory in Kathmandu and are of beautiful export quality. They are right on trend at the moment and really popular, and it is pleasing to know that The Cashmere Crew is doing a small bit to directly help a small business survive. It is also wonderful to have a direct contact in a country such as Nepal. It’s like having a pen-friend, hearing all that is happening first hand in Kathmandu.”
Kim says he used to think that a business transaction was all about making money, but from Sharon, he realised that a business transaction is not only for making money but for helping people too. He tells her that she really helped him out by placing orders when times were desperate due to a critical shortage of sales after the earthquake. He hopes their partnership will flourish and last for a very long time.
Please take a look at The Cashmere Crew web-site https://cashmerecrew.co.uk and join and like their facebook page for news and events https://www.facebook.com/cashmerecrew
Sharon Naylor is the owner of The Cashmere Crew based in Llandeilo rural West Wales. She can be contacted on 01558 668925
Editorial Notes
Cashmere is the fibre that comes from hair of the Himalayan goat. It has a soft downy texture and is fine, strong and light and three times warmer than wool. It’s expensive because it takes 2 years to get enough hair from a cashmere goat to produce a sweater.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cashmere_wool
Nepal Earthquake
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_2015_Nepal_earthquake
Sharon Naylor, The Cashmere Crew, https://cashmerecrew.co.uk, +44 1558668925, [email protected]
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