It's a sad fact that the economic situation in
Mongolia means that it is virtually impossible to
purchase yurts that would be acceptable in the
West in terms of quality of materials used,
construction, design, weatherproofness.
This is why we established our own workshop in
Mongolia, and why we import the majority of
essential materials used in their construction.
This makes us the only yurt company in the world
to have a manufacturing base in Mongolia.
We felt this was the only way to ensure we offer
the best quality yurts Mongolia has to offer,
alongside operating in a sound and ethical way.
Below we have outlined why we think Authentic
Mongolian yurts other than ours are unsuitable
for anywhere outside of Mongolia. For a full run
down on how our yurts are made click HERE
Mongolia means that it is virtually impossible to
purchase yurts that would be acceptable in the
West in terms of quality of materials used,
construction, design, weatherproofness.
This is why we established our own workshop in
Mongolia, and why we import the majority of
essential materials used in their construction.
This makes us the only yurt company in the world
to have a manufacturing base in Mongolia.
We felt this was the only way to ensure we offer
the best quality yurts Mongolia has to offer,
alongside operating in a sound and ethical way.
Below we have outlined why we think Authentic
Mongolian yurts other than ours are unsuitable
for anywhere outside of Mongolia. For a full run
down on how our yurts are made click HERE
Copyright © 2011 Mongolian Yurts Direct
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The truth about how Authentic Mongolian Yurts are made!
Authentic Mongolian Yurt in Europe: Yurt
door falling to pieces Door was made with
it's mortice joint exposed. Pieces of wood
had been rammed into the joint to make it
"fit" Normally all non-visable parts of a yurt
are not painted or treated in any way.
door falling to pieces Door was made with
it's mortice joint exposed. Pieces of wood
had been rammed into the joint to make it
"fit" Normally all non-visable parts of a yurt
are not painted or treated in any way.
Price
Mongolia does not mass produce good quality
yurts, nor is it able to. It does however produce a
high volume of yurts each year for the poorest of
the poor. As that is nowadays the only social
class that still lives in a yurt. The only way to keep
prices low for these people is to make yurts
using unskilled workers and shoddy or illegal
materials. Middlemen and importers who have no
choice but to buy and bring these yurts to the
West, try to pass them off as the best quality yurts
in Mongolia. They are not. You are paying a high
price for a shoddy product.
Mongolia does not mass produce good quality
yurts, nor is it able to. It does however produce a
high volume of yurts each year for the poorest of
the poor. As that is nowadays the only social
class that still lives in a yurt. The only way to keep
prices low for these people is to make yurts
using unskilled workers and shoddy or illegal
materials. Middlemen and importers who have no
choice but to buy and bring these yurts to the
West, try to pass them off as the best quality yurts
in Mongolia. They are not. You are paying a high
price for a shoddy product.
Joinery
The wooden components on a Mongolian yurt are made to be strong, not waterproof, it
does not need to be, Mongolia is a very dry climate. Bring a normal Mongolian yurt to Europe
and it’s straight through, poor quality, unpainted, untreated joinery (see picture top right) will act
as a sponge, soaking up water, expanding and contracting until it slowly pushes itself apart.
This will take 1 -2 years to happen. BUT IT WILL HAPPEN!
Look up to your crown wheel and it will send further shivers down your spine. A combination of
using unseasoned (and I guarantee illegal) wood and poor quality, non-waterproof glue means
that your crown wheel will not be as pretty a sight as your door. It will warp, twist and crack once
exposed to the great British outdoors. However you can experience that Authentic Mongolian yurt
feel.
However, nowadays, 99% of ropes that accompany your Authentic Mongolian yurt are made
from wool and yak hair, they are cheaper to make, and do not wear anywhere near as well.
Often they can snap before one year is up. Yak and wool ropes are soft to the touch.
Wood
The main issue is where the wood came from. Illegal or legal? Illegal timber is free, you simply
find a nice forest and start chopping it down, hence it's popularity. However the government has
now woken up to the environmental damage this is causing and in an effort to stop it, is heavily
regulating the transport of wood. Especially into the capital. In order to avoid these restrictions
many companies are now setting up production, timber stores close to the site of illegal
logging. How can you tell legal from illegal wood? Only companies that have been approved
and have been issued with certification are able to buy wood from government approved
auctions/ sales/ agents. If a company does not have or cannot show you this certificate then
they are using ILLEGAL TIMBER.
Paint
You will see the same design 18 ltr.
can of paint throughout
Ulaanbaatar. The colour of the paint
inside may vary, but the design on
the can is unmistakable. It is
Chinese, and is the cheapest
quality paint they export. I have
never seen a yurt in Mongolia
painted with anything else, it is easy
to check, as the shade of each
colour is quite unique. It's fumes
are extremely toxic, and this is part
of the reason that yurts made in
Mongolia are painted outside, come
rain or shine, or more likely in
Mongolia ... dust. I suspect it's
made with nothing you'd like to read
about never mind come in contact
with. The fact that it is so cheap
makes it popular in Mongolia, as
cost in a third world country is more
often than not the main concern.
However do you really want your yurt
painted with this stuff, I think not. .
The Guardian newspaper recently
ran a story on unsafe Chinese
goods, including paint. Click the link
to read more.
www.guardian.co.uk/china/badpaint
Glue
Same situation as the paint I'm afraid. The cheapest quality glue money can buy. It is not
waterproof, or even that strong. But it will hold two pieces of wood together ... for a while at least.
Woodfiller
There is no word in Mongolia for wood filler. The word used means "to cover" Which is exactly
what is done. Common wall plaster is used to cover the cracks, splits and rough uneven
surfaces of your Authentic Mongolian yurt. So that when your poor quality Chinese paint is
added, it at least looks presentable. However, as with everything else on the yurt, this is
misleading, as when placed in a wet, damp environment such as that found in Europe, the wall
plaster will soak up water, swell and fall out of the cracks it was supposed to hide, along with
the paint covering it.
Material covers
There are four layers of material covers that cover a Mongolian yurt
Inner liner.
Covers the roof only. Made from thin cotton. Cotton will go mouldy in months in wet Europe
Felt.
In Mongolia a thick natural felt is used. Brown/ grey in colour it is very thick (20 - 30mm) and very
warm. It is useless in the West as it still contains lanolin making it smell when damp, plus it
also attracts mice and moths. Some companies will try to convince you that Mongolians use a
100% pure processed wool felt. They don't, it's too expensive, they use it for making carpets and
tourist souvenirs. It is never used on yurts in Mongolia.
Canvas.
Mongolians only put canvas on the roof sections of their yurts, which is fine as it is such a dry
climate. Yurts exported to the West sometimes have canvas added to cover the walls, but rarely
to ground level. Moreover, the canvas is cut in such a way as to make it waterproof for the limited
amount of rain that falls in Mongolia, but totally unsuitable for a wet Western environment.
Sun Cover.
This is the outermost cover on a Mongolian yurt and the one that holds the traditional Mongolian
designs. It is made of cotton. Which again will go mouldy in a matter of months in a wet
environment.
Packing yurts for their long journey to the West
No such thing in Mongolia I'm afraid. The various material covers, wool, cotton and canvas will
be laid unpacked on the container floor and/or wrapped around the various wooden
components of your yurt in order to try and protect then on their long voyage.
The wooden components on a Mongolian yurt are made to be strong, not waterproof, it
does not need to be, Mongolia is a very dry climate. Bring a normal Mongolian yurt to Europe
and it’s straight through, poor quality, unpainted, untreated joinery (see picture top right) will act
as a sponge, soaking up water, expanding and contracting until it slowly pushes itself apart.
This will take 1 -2 years to happen. BUT IT WILL HAPPEN!
Look up to your crown wheel and it will send further shivers down your spine. A combination of
using unseasoned (and I guarantee illegal) wood and poor quality, non-waterproof glue means
that your crown wheel will not be as pretty a sight as your door. It will warp, twist and crack once
exposed to the great British outdoors. However you can experience that Authentic Mongolian yurt
feel.
However, nowadays, 99% of ropes that accompany your Authentic Mongolian yurt are made
from wool and yak hair, they are cheaper to make, and do not wear anywhere near as well.
Often they can snap before one year is up. Yak and wool ropes are soft to the touch.
Wood
The main issue is where the wood came from. Illegal or legal? Illegal timber is free, you simply
find a nice forest and start chopping it down, hence it's popularity. However the government has
now woken up to the environmental damage this is causing and in an effort to stop it, is heavily
regulating the transport of wood. Especially into the capital. In order to avoid these restrictions
many companies are now setting up production, timber stores close to the site of illegal
logging. How can you tell legal from illegal wood? Only companies that have been approved
and have been issued with certification are able to buy wood from government approved
auctions/ sales/ agents. If a company does not have or cannot show you this certificate then
they are using ILLEGAL TIMBER.
Paint
You will see the same design 18 ltr.
can of paint throughout
Ulaanbaatar. The colour of the paint
inside may vary, but the design on
the can is unmistakable. It is
Chinese, and is the cheapest
quality paint they export. I have
never seen a yurt in Mongolia
painted with anything else, it is easy
to check, as the shade of each
colour is quite unique. It's fumes
are extremely toxic, and this is part
of the reason that yurts made in
Mongolia are painted outside, come
rain or shine, or more likely in
Mongolia ... dust. I suspect it's
made with nothing you'd like to read
about never mind come in contact
with. The fact that it is so cheap
makes it popular in Mongolia, as
cost in a third world country is more
often than not the main concern.
However do you really want your yurt
painted with this stuff, I think not. .
The Guardian newspaper recently
ran a story on unsafe Chinese
goods, including paint. Click the link
to read more.
www.guardian.co.uk/china/badpaint
Glue
Same situation as the paint I'm afraid. The cheapest quality glue money can buy. It is not
waterproof, or even that strong. But it will hold two pieces of wood together ... for a while at least.
Woodfiller
There is no word in Mongolia for wood filler. The word used means "to cover" Which is exactly
what is done. Common wall plaster is used to cover the cracks, splits and rough uneven
surfaces of your Authentic Mongolian yurt. So that when your poor quality Chinese paint is
added, it at least looks presentable. However, as with everything else on the yurt, this is
misleading, as when placed in a wet, damp environment such as that found in Europe, the wall
plaster will soak up water, swell and fall out of the cracks it was supposed to hide, along with
the paint covering it.
Material covers
There are four layers of material covers that cover a Mongolian yurt
Inner liner.
Covers the roof only. Made from thin cotton. Cotton will go mouldy in months in wet Europe
Felt.
In Mongolia a thick natural felt is used. Brown/ grey in colour it is very thick (20 - 30mm) and very
warm. It is useless in the West as it still contains lanolin making it smell when damp, plus it
also attracts mice and moths. Some companies will try to convince you that Mongolians use a
100% pure processed wool felt. They don't, it's too expensive, they use it for making carpets and
tourist souvenirs. It is never used on yurts in Mongolia.
Canvas.
Mongolians only put canvas on the roof sections of their yurts, which is fine as it is such a dry
climate. Yurts exported to the West sometimes have canvas added to cover the walls, but rarely
to ground level. Moreover, the canvas is cut in such a way as to make it waterproof for the limited
amount of rain that falls in Mongolia, but totally unsuitable for a wet Western environment.
Sun Cover.
This is the outermost cover on a Mongolian yurt and the one that holds the traditional Mongolian
designs. It is made of cotton. Which again will go mouldy in a matter of months in a wet
environment.
Packing yurts for their long journey to the West
No such thing in Mongolia I'm afraid. The various material covers, wool, cotton and canvas will
be laid unpacked on the container floor and/or wrapped around the various wooden
components of your yurt in order to try and protect then on their long voyage.
Crown wheel falling to pieces due to bad
construction or the wood warping from not
having been seasoned properly. This is not
considered a problem in Mongolia, as it's just
cosmetic, the yurt is still functional
construction or the wood warping from not
having been seasoned properly. This is not
considered a problem in Mongolia, as it's just
cosmetic, the yurt is still functional
Shut that door! Well you can't because the door
edges have not been painted and hence water has
leaked into the badly fitting joints and caused the
wood to expand until it no longer fits the door frame
it was made to fit. Not a problem in dry Mongolia but
a big one in any Western country.
edges have not been painted and hence water has
leaked into the badly fitting joints and caused the
wood to expand until it no longer fits the door frame
it was made to fit. Not a problem in dry Mongolia but
a big one in any Western country.
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Yurts Direct
Pitching and testing yurts
Some companies boast (without fully
understanding why) that all their yurts are
pitched prior to shipping, which sounds
normal until you understand why. It's a
sad fact that most yurts companies will
make some components in-house using
unskilled carpenters, however most work
is outsourced to other companies/
individuals. What you end up with are yurt
components made in different places by
different people, and in order to make
sure they all fit together the yurt has to be
pitched to check that everything fits.
Sometimes they do, mostly they don't.
Ropes
Traditionally all ropes on a Mongolian
yurts are made of horsehair. These wear
relatively well in the UK and you can
expect them to last a couple of years. You
can tell a horsehair rope as it is relatively
hard and rough to the touch.
Some companies boast (without fully
understanding why) that all their yurts are
pitched prior to shipping, which sounds
normal until you understand why. It's a
sad fact that most yurts companies will
make some components in-house using
unskilled carpenters, however most work
is outsourced to other companies/
individuals. What you end up with are yurt
components made in different places by
different people, and in order to make
sure they all fit together the yurt has to be
pitched to check that everything fits.
Sometimes they do, mostly they don't.
Ropes
Traditionally all ropes on a Mongolian
yurts are made of horsehair. These wear
relatively well in the UK and you can
expect them to last a couple of years. You
can tell a horsehair rope as it is relatively
hard and rough to the touch.