Shokay is the brainchild and heartsong of some very special entrepreneurs, Carol Chyau and Marie So. As they say, Shokay represents luxury with a story and style with a touch of humanity. We agree! Gifting a Shokay creation truly helps make a better world.

The Beginning

Shokay, the Tibetan word for “yak”, got its start while founders Carol Chyau and Marie So were students in Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. While in school, the two friends were inspired to create a new business based on two core principles—the business had to be profit-making but not profit-maximizing and it had to have a positive social impact.

While searching for ideas, Carol and Marie discovered the marvels of yak down and the charms of Tibetan herding culture. They learned that for centuries Tibetan herders have gathered raw yak fiber by combing out the yak's undercoat, thus making yak down a natural, sustainable, renewable and humane resource. They also found first-hand that yak down is luxuriously soft but is durable, washable and lovely in its natural color. But they also discovered that Tibetan yak herders are minorities in the Chinese province of Qinghai who are living at a dangerously low subsistence level.

Intrigued by the exotic and lovely yak and the potential to help increase the sustainable income for one of China's minority populations, Carol and Marie leapt into action. They created a business plan and entered a Harvard contest, hoping to win seed money. And indeed they did! Carol and Marie won a $10,000 prize in the Harvard Business School Plan Contest and Shokay was launched.

The Heart

Headquartered in Shanghai, Shokay has a big heart and a big plan that is based on a principle also core to our own: creating markets for commercially viable products made responsibly within a cultural tradition is a great way to make a positive economic, social and environmental difference.

Shokay has an ambitious and laudable four-pronged plan. First, Shokay helps support and preserve the traditional Tibetan nomadic culture and way of life. Shokay started by building a fiber cooperative of 2600 Tibetans from the Hei Ma He Village of Qinghai Province. Unlike most customers, Shokay directly pays herders a fair price for yak down fiber, thus immediately and reliably putting money into herders' hands. Shokay then goes on to create other markets for the Hei Ma He villagers to help increase demand.

Second, Shokay supports another marginalized Chinese community by providing fairly paid work to the artisans of Chong Ming Island. These talented, but marginalized knitters, choose their own schedules and work location, including work from home that allows simultaneous care for their families.

Third, Shokay reinvests a portion of its profits into a development fund to serve the Tibetan community’s greatest needs, such as healthcare and education.

Fourth, Shokay wants to help create a sustainable and growing income stream for all yak herders. Carol and Marie correctly believe that introducing yak down to the world as a luxury fiber will increase market demand. As demand increases, so should the value of the raw fiber and the price the herders receive. They are confident increased demand will aid all traditional yak herding communities in Tibet, China, Mongolia, India and Nepal.

The Highlights

Carol and Marie started with their wonderful men's and women's yak accessories line, then introduced their amazing baby clothes in consult with Shanghai-based American designer Angie Wu. Indeed, Angie designed our adorable hoodie set. As Angie aptly explained: "After becoming a mom, I began to understand how important everything that comes in contact with your baby becomes. I believe these little luxuries not only touch baby’s skin, but their sensibility as well, and I love that the final product educates and gives back to the next generation. I took Shokay’s mission as inspiration when designing the Tibetan-inspired [Hoodie] Baby Set.”

We congratulate Carol and Marie for designing a company with audacious and far-reaching positive goals for people and planet, thus illustrating the best potential of inspired commerce. We deeply appreciate the opportunity to offer three of Shokay's truly unique gift creations. Bravo, Carol, Marie and the talented Shokay team!

Gifts with style and relevance from a socially responsible small business . . .