I Took A $2.5 Million Loan To Start A Fashion Brand — Now It Brings In $100 Million/Year

In 2014, business partners Matt Scanlan and Diederik Rijsemus drove into Mongolia’s Gobi Desert with $2.5 million tied up in plastic bags. Their goal: purchase 50 tons of cashmere wool from nomadic goat herders for their new clothing company, Naadam. Today, Naadam brings in more than $100 million per year selling relatively affordable cashmere clothing. Its lowest-cost — and most popular — cashmere sweater sells for $98. Produced by: Zach Green Senior Managing Producer: Eric M. Clark Senior Production Manager: Kathryn Mavrikakis Additional Camera: Valentina Duarte Editor: Marisa Forziati Animator: Gene Kim Reporter: Tom Huddleston Additional Footage: Matt Scanlan, Naadam, Getty Images Subscribe to CNBC Make It.: Want to land your dream job in 2024? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Ace Your Job Interview to learn what hiring managers are really looking for: About CNBC Make It.: CNBC Make It. is a new section of CNBC dedicated to making you smarter about managing your business, career, and money. Connect with CNBC Make It Online Get the latest updates: Find CNBC Make It on Instagram: Find CNBC Make It on Facebook: Find CNBC Make It on threads: Find CNBC Make It on X: #CNBC #CNBCMakeIt I Took A $2.5 Million Loan To Start A Fashion Brand — Now It Brings In $100 Million/Year