Our Yurtmakers| Who Makes Our Yurts? |
The Yurts (Gers) which we import come from a small minority factory in Hohhot (spelt Huhehaote, the capital city of Inner Mongolia) about 1000 Km NW of Beijing. The surrounding area is typical of the Mongolian hinterland - picture treeless, rolling hills, dotted with sheep and milking cows. Its freezing in winter and hot in their 2 months of summer.
The term Ger is the Mongolian word for their traditional tent houses. In the west we use the word Yurt which is derived from the Russian name for the same structure. Westerners and some Chinese are more familiar with the Russian word and so it probably rolls off the tongue more easily. (Drag the map to get your bearings - see Beijing to the right and down). View Larger Map This factory in Hohhot now produces about 100 Yurt/Gers each year and began exporting to the world in 2006. It’s a Chinese family business employing about 20 workers of Chinese and Mongolian nationalities. The working relations between the ethnic groups are very good and the Mongolian people are well respected.
The wall frames are made from plantation-grown Willow, indigenous to Inner Mongolia. The outer-wall material layer is made from [Australian] water-proof high quality canvas, whilst the insulation material can be either traditional sheep wool felt, or an innovative synthetic polyester fibre. We recommend the latter in moist climates. Doors, windows and central ceiling hub are made from Larch and Beech, while the roof poles are of Poplar.
The ropes are all made from hemp or horse hair. Pig hide strings are used to bind all the willow limbs of the wall frame lattice.
Synthetic [polyester webbing straps] is recommended for humid conditions.
The traditional symbolic designs shown on the yurts are sprayed and screened using several different design patterns. If this is not required, the yurts can come plain, or with your own special motifs or Logos. Pictorial instructions and a CD rom are included with each Yurt kit. Because of the natural materials and remote location of the factory, there is a very complex and involved process in the importation of Yurts. When buying from a developing nation one must also expect descrepancies, some faults and administrative hitches. Your Yurt will take approximately 2.5 months to arrive in Australia from the date of placing your order.
A 50% deposit is required before an order can be confirmed. No orders will be placed unless a deposit has been paid, and the disclaimer signed.
Due to Australian Quarantine procedures the consignment must be fumigated. This procedure is completed in China at the port.
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The dimensions of Yurts produced by our "mother" factory today vary from 3.0 metres to 15 metres in diameter. The Yurts under 7 metres in diameter do not have support poles [Dragon Posts]in the centre. Those 7 metres and over, have 2 or 4 dragon posts supporting the entire roof structure. We have selected to bring into Australia the 4.2 , 5, 6, 6.7, 8 & 10. metre sizes, as they are the best for living and recreation, although we will order special sizes if required.