Boll & Branch mastered ethical cotton. Now it’s taking on cashmere

For centuries, cashmere was a fabric so rare that Persian merchants dubbed it “soft gold.” Mughal emperors and European aristocrats gave them as gifts to one another. It was sourced from Himalayan goats that needed delicate undercoats to survive freezing, high-altitude climates—then hand-combed by herders and spun into prized shawls. Today, however, the “fiber of kings” has undergone a massive industrial shift. What was once a prized heirloom piece has been democratized into $45 Walmart sweaters and $130 Quince throw blankets. But the plummeting price tag of modern cashmere comes with hidden costs, from overgrazing to the abuse of goats. [Photo: Boll & Branch] Now Boll & Branch—a brand built on pioneering ethical supply chains—is setting out to redefine what luxury cashmere should look like. The direct-to-consumer pioneer has launched a cashmere blanket, making it among the first home brands in the world to be certified by the Good Cashmere Standard. Boll & Branch is targeting a luxury consumer with this blanket, pricing it at $999. But having built a cult following around its $300 organic sheets and $700 ultra-premium Reserve Collection, the brand believes there is a market of co…