Leather from the roof of the world

The yak (Poephagus grunniensis) is an Asian bos from the family of the Bovidae, which lives in Tibet, 4,000 meter above sea level. The yak was first domesticated in Tibet over 7,000 years ago.. While there are over 12 million yaks in the world, most of these are domestic.

The long horned yak is one of the most important domesticated beasts in Tibet. Yaks are both ridden and used as pack animals and they play a vital role as helper in the field. Yaks produce many useful things, in addition to the yak wool, meat, milk, butter and its tea, we saw a yak skin boat too. But the most valuable yak product in Tibet is yak dung, which is stored in circular piles to dry in the sun and low humidity. Since there are almost no trees, yak dung is the primary fuel for cooking and heating. It's no wonder the statue of two yaks in the central plaza of Lhasa is inscribed "The Plateau's Treasure".

Yak-hair tents provide shelter, yak hair clothes the poor, yak-hair ropes tie yak-hair bags onto yaks, yak bones make glue, yak shoulder blades are used as surfaces on which to write prayers, yak horns make snuff boxes or whisky flasks, yak skin is used to make thongs, thimles, snow goggles, sacks and slings; yak tails decorate horses; a yak's glands are used to cure many kinds of ailment.

The skin of the yak is much thicker as we know it from our cows. Remakable is, that these skins, once tanned and special treated, have a very fine structure. It feels smooth and tender but is very robust and resistant to all influences.

This characteristic element makes YAK-leather a component, which Klaus Ueberholz understands as quality standard for his company.

This is possible, because Klaus Ueberholz works together with the Lhasa Leather Factory.

Tibet Lhasa Leather Factory is a state enterprise under the municipality state resource committee and was established in April, 1960, occupying an area of 270 000 sq.m and possesses all kinds of instrument 420 sets and power mechanical total capability 2700 KW, fixed asset total value 33 541 000 RMB and 180 staff.

The leather factory was moved to Lhasa in 1959 from Golmud in neighboring Qinghai province to provide footleather for thousands of soldiers sent to garrison Tibet after an abortive uprising by Tibetans seeking independence in 1958. Tibet's biggest leather factory gushed pollution into one of the world's cleanest rivers and haemorrhaged losses. But help was at hand when Tibet's scenic beauty and devout Buddhist people enchanted visiting German Chancellor in 1988.

German aid has since poured in, along with German technicians, transforming the plant into a rare model of environmental awareness on the roof of the world. It has also made its first net profit. Manager Li Jishan glowed with pride as he described the modernization wrought at his plant over the last few years. "When I first came here in 1961 things were really backward. We lived in tents. Can you imagine?" he said in an interview with Reuters.

1995, the China-Germany Joint Venture Lhasa Leather Factory of Tibet reported a profit of 200,000 yuan ($24,000) -- a modest sum but the first in its history.

"We have a good future, our efficiency is good... and with German assistance we are placing great emphasis on environmental protection," said Li. "The German side is very strict, especially on environmental protection," he noted. "But we get along with them very well."

German officials said the plant had been an environmental disaster when they arrived, with its tannery spouting stinking waste into the nearby rushing Tolungchu River. "It was in really bad shape with terrible environmental problems," said Niels von Keyserlingk, director of the office of the German Development Corporation in Beijing that oversees aid to the plant. "Before, the water was untreated and flowed into the river causing many problems," he said. "But things have been very nicely done. There is no pollution." All chemicals are recycled now and a German-manufactured system cleans the water, separating waste that is dried for use by local farmers as fertilizer. "The water that flows into the river is absolutely clean," said von Keyserlingk, who visited the plant.

Germany has given 8 million Euro in aid to the plant, which has been allowed to register as a joint venture and thus qualifies for the generous tax breaks and holidays that Tibet offers to foreign investors. German money has helped to buy the latest in leather processing machinery as well as sewing machines, waste elimination plants and even new solar energy panels that are heating water for the factory. Sales have soared. The factory held an eight percent share of the Tibet shoe market for years, but in 1994 that jumped to 20 percent and nearly doubled again in 1995 to a 36 percent market share. "Our products are really popular because they are all leather, and people want that kind of quality," Li said.

The raw material of Lhasa Leather Factory comes from yaw leather .Because they are in the pasturing area so the purchase of the raw material is very convenient .Through 40 year's development, Lhasa Leather Factory has become a almighty leather enterprise in the manufacture of leather, fur coat, shoe leather, fur clothing , fur and national leather tourist products in 3 varieties and 100 series. The YAK-leather series products are selling well in Germany, Austria and Hongkong. From 1993 to 1999, they have successively acquired exported goods quality license, exp/imp managing right and are confirmed to use the genuine leather mark. In 2003, this factory has been listed as the leading enterprise in the municipality with more than 350 employees.

Meanwhile the leather industry of Tibet strided out of the valley. Presently the Lhasa Leather Factory is going forward to the modern socialism construction of Tibet in heroic steps.