Given that I work in fashion, I pay especially close attention to any finalists whose companies are in the fashion sector. In 2019, that was Emily Levy, who co-founded a company that makes wearables for people with chronic illnesses. This year, I was pleased to get to know Cartier Women’s Initiative awardee Carol Chyau, the co-founder and CEO of Shokay, a sustainable textile business that uses yak wool.
Fifteen years ago, no products were made of yak down, despite the fact that it’s actually warmer and more breathable than cashmere or wool. Over the past decade and a half, Chyau and her partners have essentially created the market for yak fiber, purchasing the material directly from Tibetan herders (80% to 90% of the world’s yak population resides in Western China) and creating clothing under the Shokay brand, as well as supplying to and consulting for major brands such as Bonobos and some of the H&M brands such as COS and Arket (a favorite of our Who What Wear UK editors).
