The story of Shangdrok began in the highlands.

In 2016, we co-founded a workshop in Tibetan regions with local herders and artisans.
Working with their familiar materials and traditional techniques—felting and hand-spinning—we transformed yak and sheep fibers into hats, vests, scarves, and other warm, everyday textiles and knitting materials. Through these objects, their stories and ways of living quietly reached beyond the plateau.

It was a period of deep learning. We came to better understand yak down and wool—precious fibers from animals that shaped daily life on the plateau. During that time, we also gradually entered the world of yarn and knitting.

When the pandemic made travel to the region impossible, distance reshaped our path. We began experimenting with hand-dyed yarn in Taiwan. What started as a response to uncertainty gradually became a new language for the brand—one that allowed us to connect more directly with knitters and designers across the world.

A decade later, in 2026, Shangdrok brought its co-founded highland workshop chapter to a close and returned to Taiwan, focusing fully on our own studio practice.

With hand-dyed yarn at the heart of our work, we now devote ourselves to exploring color, subtle combinations, and the quiet nuances of natural fibers, while remaining open to materials and inspirations from around the world.

The highlands are no longer our main place of production, yet they remain where we first learned how to see fiber—and how to look outward.

From the plateau to everyday making, Shangdrok is no longer confined to a single landscape, nor is it defined by the intention to showcase one culture. Instead, it continues as an evolving curiosity—for materials, for daily life, and for the many cultures woven into the world around us.