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RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD 2017 Update Newsletter
Being RWS certified means we’re aligned with brands and customers who recognize the value of good agricultural practices. It is an important step in deepening the connections and relationships from the origins of wool fibers to the array of amazing products those fibers become.
- JEANNE CARVER
Imperial Stock Ranch
CREDIT: IMPERIAL STOCK RANCH
INTRODUCTION The past year has seen strong adoption of the RWS across each stage of the supply chain. At the farm level, we have seen a steady increase in certified farms from across Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay. We are getting positive feedback from the farmers that have joined us, and they appreciate being recognized for the work they are doing. A key focus area for the year was growing adoption of the standard through the supply chain, with a number of tools developed and trainings held both in person, and online. The commitment from brands and retailers has also remained strong, with the RWS being incorporated into sourcing policies, commitments being made, targets being set, and the first RWS certified products arriving in stores. Beyond the increasing level of activity since the launch of the RWS, there has also been an important shift in the conversation from ‘Why do we need a standard’ to ‘How do we make this happen’. This is exactly where we need to be.
Sincerely,
Anne Gillespie, Director of Industry Integrity, Textile Exchange
RWS AROUND THE GLOBE
ARGENTINA
• Canto Daniel Horacio • Cerro Blanco Del Comayo S.R.L • Chargeurs Wool Argentina S.A. • Cominagro Ganadera S.A. • Establec. Textiles Ituzaingo S.A.C.F.I. • Estancias Ferro S.A. • Gordon Mary Ann Margaret • Gordon Mary Ann Y Ribaya Eduardo SH • Guglielmettii Miguel • Lempriere S.A. • Ovis 21 S.A. • Ribaya Eduardo Santiago
AUSTRALIA
• Avington Merino Pty • Coonong Pastoral Company • Ep Robinson Pty Ltd. • Ferristex Pty Ltd - Trading As Abmt Textiles • Fox & Lillie Pty Ltd. • Glendemar • Gostwyck Partners • Lr And Rj Young - Lewisham • Seatech Industrial Pty Ltd • W And C Von Bibra - Beaufront • Wuuluman Pty Ltd
BANGLADESH
• Bangladesh Spinners & Knitters (Pvt.) Ltd. • Universal Menswear Ltd.
BULGARIA
• Lempriere Wool EOOD
CHINA
• Fujian Wanjiamei Textile Clothing Co., Ltd. • Jiangsu Danmao Textile Co., Ltd. • Jiangsu Lugang Science & Technology Co., Ltd. • Jiangsu Xinfang Science & Technology Group Co.,Ltd. • Jiangyin Zhenxin Woollen Textile Co., Ltd. • Mengdi Group Co., Ltd. • Shanghai Challenge Textile Co., Ltd. • Shanghai Dragon Corporation • Shanghai Jingqingrong Garment Co., Ltd. • Suzhou Wanli Knitting Co., Ltd. • Tianyu Wool Industry (Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone) Co., Ltd. • Tonglu Fortune Imp & Exp Co., Ltd. • Top Line (Ningbo) Textile Co., Ltd. • Zhangjiagang Aoyang Wool Fabric Co., Ltd. • Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone Open Tops Textile Corp. Ltd. • Zhangjiagang Jinmeng Textile Dyeing Co.,Ltd • Zhangjiagang Yangtse Spinning Co., Ltd. • Zhangjiagang Yangtse Wool Combing Co., Ltd. • Zhejiang Xinao Textiles Inc.A
The organizations listed below are certified to the Reponsible Wool Standard as of September 2018, based on recent certification data; for additional certification details and updates to this list, please visit ResponsibleWool.org/Find-RWS-Certified-Organizations/
GERMANY
• Esprit Europe Services GmbH • Sudwolle GmbH & Co. KG • Tchibo GmbH • VAUDE Sport GmbH & Co KGo
HONG KONG
• Charter Ventures Limited • Honrich Knitwear Factory Limited • Marubeni Hong Kong & South China Limited.
INDIA
• Grasim Industries Limited - Jaya Shree Textiles
ITALY
• Chargeurs Wool (Sales Europe) SRL • Filpucci SpA • Suedwolle Group Italia SpA
JAPAN
• I.S.T. Corporation / Nikko Textile Division
LITHUANIA
• Uab “Omniteksas”
NEW ZEALAND
• Designer Textiles International Ltd. • Haldon Station • PGG Wrightson Limited (1 warehouse and 2 farms)
• The New Zealand Merino Company • Wools of New Zealand • Palliser RIdge
TAIWAN
• Chia Heir Group Chia Her Industrial Co., Ltd. • Evertex Fabrinology Limited
THAILAND
• Indorama Holding Ltd.
TURKEY
• Alpin Corap San. Ve Tic. As.
UNITED KINGDOM
• Abraham Moon & Sons Ltd. • James Johnstons & Company Of Elgin Limited
UNITED STATES
• Eddie Bauer LLC • Global Merino • Imperial Stock Ranch • Nester Hosiery, Inc.
URUGUAY
• Lanas Trinidad S.A.
ISEAL is the global membership association for credible sustainability standards. Its members are sustainability standards that meet its Codes of Good Practice and promote measurable change through open, rigorous and accessible certification systems. As an associate member of ISEAL, Textile Exchange meets the baseline criteria of each of the three ISEAL Codes of Good Practice – Standard-Setting, Assurance and Impacts and adheres to the ISEAL Credibility Principles.
Credibility Principles - At a Glance 1. Sustainability
Standards scheme owners clearly define and communicate their sustainability objectives and approach to achieving them. They make decisions that best advance these objectives.
2. Improvement
Standards scheme owners seek to understand their impacts and measure and demonstrate progress towards their intended outcomes. They regularly integrate learning and encourage innovation to increase benefits to people and the environment.
3. Relevance
Standards are fit for purpose. They address the most significant sustainability impacts of a product, process, business or service; only include requirements that contribute to their objectives; reflect best scientific understanding and relevant international norms; and are adapted where necessary to local conditions.
4. Rigour
6. Impartiality
Standards systems identify and mitigate conflicts of interest throughout their operations, particularly in the assurance process and in governance. Transparency, accessibility and balanced representation contribute to impartiality.
7. Transparency
Standards systems make relevant information freely available about the development and content of the standard, how the system is governed, who is evaluated and under what process, impact information and the various ways in which stakeholders can engage.
8. Accessibility
To reduce barriers to implementation, standards systems minimise costs and overly burdensome requirements. They facilitate access to information about meeting the standard, training, and financial resources to build capacity throughout supply chains and for actors within the standards system.
All components of a standards system are structured to deliver quality outcomes. In particular, standards are set at a performance level that results in measurable progress towards the scheme’s sustainability objectives, while assessments of compliance provide an accurate picture of whether an entity meets the standard’s requirements.
9. Truthfulness
5. Engagement
10. Efficiency
Standard-setters engage a balanced and representative group of stakeholders in standards development. Standards systems provide meaningful and accessible opportunities to participate in governance, assurance and monitoring and evaluation. They empower stakeholders with fair mechanisms to resolve complaints.
Claims and communications made by actors within standards systems and by certified entities about the benefits or impacts that derive from the system or from the purchase or use of a certified product or service are verifiable, not misleading, and enable an informed choice.
Standards systems refer to or collaborate with other credible schemes to improve consistency and efficiency in standards content and operating practices. They improve their viability through the application of sound revenue models and organisational management strategies.
GETTING STARTED: RWS SUPPLY CHAIN CERTIFICATION • The Responsible Wool Standard requires all sites to be certified, beginning with the wool farmers and through to the seller in the final business-to-business transaction. • Farms are certified to the Animal Welfare and Land Management Modules of the RWS. Subsequent stages of the wool supply chain are required to be certified against the requirements of the Content Claim Standard (CCS), up to the seller in the last business-to-business transaction. • The CCS ensures the accuracy of RWS certified wool content by verifying the presence and amount of certified wool in a final product. Facilities are certified to the standard, and each shipment of goods must be accompanied by a transaction certificate.
How to Become Certified
Certification is carried out by Certification Bodies. Certification Bodies can be approved for the Farm and/or the Processing Scope of the RWS. If you wish to be certified to the RWS, you can contact one of the licensed Certification Bodies listed on ResponsibleWool.org.
What Does it Cost?
The cost of certification is made up of the Textile Exchange fee ($250 per certified unit) and the certification body cost. The pricing structure of the different certification bodies varies, and should be available on their website or by request. In addition to the price structure of the certification body, the cost of certification will also be influenced by the location of the site and the complexity of the site operations. As an estimate, an RWS supply chain scope certification for a simple site should cost in the range of $1,500 to $3,000 for the initial inspection, while subsequent inspections will be less.
Where Can I Get Help & Support?
Supply Chain Certification Toolkit: This toolkit provides information on certification process for the RWS, the chain of custody for the CCS, how to ensure compliance and information on costs. Visit http://responsiblewool.org/tools-and-support/for-supply-chains/ for further tools and resources. If you can’t find what you need there, please contact ResponsibleWool@TextileExchange.org.
Spend more time in answering the why than the what and the how; bring suppliers on the journey so that it becomes their cause and not just yours; be focussed in terms of products that you want to convert and give upfront volume commitments; celebrate small successes with suppliers and appreciate their hard work. - Manu Rastogi
Textile R&D and Responsible Materials Manager at Kathmandu
GETTING STARTED: SOURCING RWS
1
Read & Understand the RWS
2
Make a Commitment
3
Set Targets & Timelines
4
Create a Strategy & Work with your Suppliers
• You can download the standard at: ResponsibleWool.org/certification/ • If you have any questions, contact: ResponsibleWool@TextileExchange.org • To further understand the way that Textile Exchange standards work, you can also download the Certification Toolkit at: TextileExchange.org/integrity/
Work with all of your internal and external stakeholders to make a firm commitment to the RWS. The benefits are: • Internal buy-in from all parts of your organization is a key factor to success. • Having a public commitment for where you are going will give you a level of defence against any activism. • Your supply chain will be better able to meet your needs when they clearly understand your expectations, and are part of setting realistic timelines.
• Targets need to be realistic, taking into account the lead times to get farms certified and for certified wool to move through the supply chain. • Targets should also be meaningful: volume is how you can drive change in the industry and demonstrate to farmers and consumers that you are serious about animal welfare and land health. • Be ambitious! Set a longer-term goal with key milestones for short and medium term steps for getting to that goal.
• Identify products that share fiber specs and contribute to volume. • Consider adjust product specs to match available supply. • Consider using blends of RWS and other fibers to keep costs down, and help build supply.
Creating a strategy and setting targets for RWS will require input from internal and external partners. • Work with your internal team. The internal groups that may have input on your RWS strategy include: senior management, sourcing, design, marketing and your CSR department. • Work with your suppliers • Ask for support from Textile Exchange or the Certification Body as needed.
Identify suppliers: Look at your current supply chain and identify which suppliers you know and evaluate their willingness and potential to work with the RWS. Decide if you can work with your current suppliers or if you need to find new ones. If you need new ones, please visit www.responsiblewool.org or contact ResponsibleWool@TextileExchange.org.
STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE When H&M brand, ARKET decided to launch the Merino Project, they searched far and wide for the perfect supply of RWS certified wool. They found it across the globe in Uruguay.
LANAS TRINIDAD PEDRO OTEGUI Director
Q: Why did you decide to become RWS certified?
More transparency. Customers in the shops are looking for natural, renewable, sustainable and traceable products. They also want to know where the wool comes from. The RWS program encompasses all these features.
a very good potential for becoming RWS certified. And of course better markets, means better prices!
Q: What advice do you have for brands thinking about sourcing RWS certified wool? With the lead of Textile Exchange, it has been proved that under RWS protocol, wool can be produced and pro-
cessed all the way to the finished garment in a sustainable and traceable way.
Q: What does working with the RWS mean for you?
Wool is a natural and renewable fibre. Production is seasonal so brands and retailers must take this into consideration to secure the wool with enough time.
vironment.
We thank H&M for the opportunity they gave us to be part of their ARKET program and invite you all to visit our website: www.lanastrinidad.com
“We have to deliver to future generations a better environment than the one we inherited�. Lanas Trinidad handles and processes a natural product in harmony with the enThe RWS is in contact with brands and retailers which at the end of the day are the ones who decide the kind of raw material they will use in their garments and collections. It is very important that the whole supply chain is in tune.
Q: What impact has working with the RWS had for farmers? More homework but with a better return. Farmers are very proud of what they do and RWS certification is a sort of recognition.
Uruguay comes from a very good starting point as no mules operation is performed. Animal welfare protocol is in place and there is an official program of land management. These make the impact on farmers easier to handle.
Q: What advice do you have for farmers thinking about becoming RWS certified?
It is definitely worth it. The exercise of getting RWS certification put farmers in the upper league. Uruguay has incredible conditions for grazing sheep: mild weather, no strong winds, no snow, no deserts and no mountains. It is a fantastic place for sheep to live! Most of our farmers have
H&M / ARKET MADELENE ERICSSON
Sustainabilty Business Expert Animal welfare and material ethics
Q: Tell us about your first RWS products and your plans for the future!
Our very first RWS certified products are actually in store now, and they are made from around 100 tons of merino wool spread over 3 micron ranges. The products are sold through our brand ARKET, a modern-day market offering essential products for men, women, children and the home. The products have a separate hang tag on which we explain a bit more about RWS wool. To be able to talk about RWS in connection to our products is very valuable to us. By offering our customers the finest wool products and at the same time, being able to show that those very products support responsible wool production really adds a value and it also help increase consumer awareness.
Our ambition moving forward is to increase our total use of RWS wool for the entire H&M Group and our end goal is to have all our virgin wool RWS certified by the end of 2022
Q: What did the process look like from first exploring the possibility of sourcing RWS wool?
H&M group actually initiated the standard together with Textile Exchange back in 2014 so our process started already back then. We felt an increased need to secure the wool in our products from both an animal welfare and environmental perspective and at that time, there was not so many options around, other than a few local initiatives. But the real hands-on process started in 2016 when the standard was launched. We began by introducing the standard to our key wool product suppliers, and then engaging each part of the supply chain step by step, through networking and trainings. At the same time, we also set our global RWS goal for the entire H&M group to clearly show our ambition forward, and that was key to move forward.
Q: How was sourcing RWS wool different from how you normally source wool?
We had to put a lot of focus on building connections within the upstream supply chain and also creating demand internally to be able to send a strong signal to the suppliers that this is what we really want. For this, it was key to have a global goal on RWS. Another thing that was different in the process was that our engagement towards our suppliers had to start a lot earlier than normal sourcing. But knowing your long-term goal also gives both you and your suppliers a steady direction to work towards, even though it can take some time to get there.
Q: Were there any challenges along the way?
The main challenge in the beginning for us as a buyer was the availability – we really wanted to have certified wool
MADELENE ERICSSON
earlier, but there was very little quantity available and no workable prices at that time. Rising prices on conventional wool globally also made it more difficult to also add the RWS upcharge and keep the internal buying surge. Additionally, there was quality concerns due to change of source origin. Another challenge was that we had to push for chain of custody (CoC) since some supply chain members preferred mass balance system. At the same time, we really wanted to be able to talk about the RWS wool in connection to the products so there was some challenge in persuading all parts of supply chain on getting CoC.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in sourcing RWS wool/designing an RWS certified product?
From a sourcing perspective; build your connections around your supply chain – especially if you need specific microns. Work close with your suppliers to build trust and to find shared solutions to manage obstacles like the price impacts and changing lead times. Build long time relationships if possible. And engage with upstream supply chain members. Go to the farm level if you need to! And it is very important to send a strong demand signal – be persistent and you will get responses. From a brand perspective; make sure you have internal buy-in, set a goal if possible since this makes your ambition clearer. Then communicate both internally and externally why a standard like RWS is important, how it really supports responsible wool production and make the wool industry more resilient and sustainable long term. For more information about ARKET’S RWS certified products, please visit www.arket.com
INSTAGRAM: @ARKETOFFICIAL
RESPONSIBLE WOOL: AIMING FOR THE PINNACLE OF NATURAL FIBRE By: Steven Parsons, Brand & Business Development Manager for Wools of New Zealand
Sheep farming in New Zealand is often a family affair. The people who grow our wool consider themselves guardians of the land. They want to pass it to the next generation in as good, if not better condition, than they were given it.
global standards is a nice place to start the journey to save the planet. We need global action to make a difference.
We call it “Kaitiaki”, which comes from the Maori term Kaitiakitanga, meaning guardianship and protection of the environment. New Zealanders are passionate about the land and the sea that we call home and believe it is
How does a consumer navigate a global minefield of differing values and integrity? How do we trust that a product has been ethically produced and that all that can be practically done to care for the animal’s welfare is being done? We can only achieve trust through transparency. We can only set benchmarks through standards. Cam-
our honour and responsibility to act as stewards of the earth and its creatures.
paigns create awareness for a brief moment. Standards drive meaningful long-term change.
New Zealand wool farmers want to know that the fibre they grow is cherished by the people who take it into their homes and wardrobes.
The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) has been developed to be the global standard for growing wool that can assure people that their wool has been grown to the world’s highest possible standards in land management and animal welfare. Several global brands, including Wools of New Zealand, have teamed up with the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit aimed at enhancing integrity and standards in preferred fibres, to create the RWS. The farm audits are thorough and look deep into how farms are operated. This is not a spot check, rather a full investigation into the operations of each business to ensure animal welfare is of the highest priority.
It would be naïve to believe that all wool grown globally conforms to everyone’s ideal standards in animal welfare, social welfare and environmental protection. The world is a big place with sheep living in vastly different landscapes being shepherded by people from vastly different cultures. Part of being sustainable means respecting and nurturing not only the land but also biodiversity and cultural diversity. We need to find ways to protect our beautiful planet, respect local traditions but at the same time ensure we apply the very best practice and offer enlightenment so traditional farming can benefit from scientific knowledge and advancements.
Wools of New Zealand were invited by Marks & Spencer to work together to create their first RWS menswear products.
“Palliser Ridge is totally committed to best practice. We are receptive to adopting any new initiative that is market driven to lift standards of animal welfare, farm management and the environment. RWS simply recognises the efforts that we put into our land and by farming our animals in the most ethical way.” - Kurt Portas
There is a difference between growing the best fibre in the world and being responsible. Acting responsibly beyond your own farm gate to help others reach the pinnacle of
We knew that M&S would be a powerful partner in influencing the value chain in this journey. Our economies and our industries are under immense pressure to create
CREDIT: WOOLS OF NEW ZEALAND
The Portas family, Lisa, Kurt, Beauden, Axel and 13 other Kiwi farms embraced the opportunity to be at the forefront of this global standard.
products that don’t literally cost the earth. M&S understand that it takes time to change whole industries and are leaders in driving the supply chains towards true sustainability. Abraham Moon & Sons are Marks and Spencer’s chosen fabric producer for the project and for good reason. Moons create exceptional high-quality textiles from exceptional wool in a highly-efficient mill in Yorkshire. All we needed to do was find the right wool. Wools of New Zealand have 700 wool growers producing 14.5 million kg of wool. We specialise in matching the right farms and the wool they produce to the right product. We selected Palliser Ridge in the North Island to be the very first of Wools of New Zealand’s farms to be accredited under the RWS. Kurt Portas runs the property with his wife Lisa, a young Kiwi family committed to working with nature, their two young boys Axel and Beauden and their 10,000 sheep. “Palliser Ridge is totally committed to best practice. We are receptive to adopting any new initiative that is market driven to lift standards of animal welfare, farm management and the environment. RWS simply recognises the efforts that we put into our land and by farming our animals in the most ethical way.” - Kurt Portas Going a step further to prove the provenance of our wool, we partner with scientific verification company Oritain to
provide assurance and full traceability to any wool carrying the Wools of New Zealand brand. Oritain test the actual fibre itself by using advanced isotope technology, to ensure the highest integrity of origin traceability. We have collected samples from individual Wools of New Zealand farms, to create a fingerprint of origin for our RWS wool. This fingerprint is then used to conduct audits in the supply chain, allowing us to easily verify the wool’s origin, without interrupting the manufacturing process, or having to rely on paper or barcode technology. The RWS products by Marks and Spencer use wool that can be traced back to wool growers who have cared for the land and the sheep responsibly and who grow superb wool. We know who grows our wool. We know they love working with nature and are proud to create something pure and beautiful. The Marks and Spencer partnership has allowed us to show the farmers that people actually care about the special care they take on the farms. What message does the Marks & Spencer partnership send to the farmers about sustainability? It matters.
RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD CERTIFIED
PRODUCT FEATURE: EILEEN FISHER Eileen talks about her passion for Responsible Wool I’m excited to share with you a brand new kind of merino we’re introducing at EILEEN FISHER. We call it “responsible wool,” and it marks an important step in our commitment to help build a better industry. Our new supply chain—made up of farms in Argentina and New Zealand—represents an innovative approach to fiber sourcing for EILEEN FISHER: It’s holistic and traceable. From the beginning I’ve loved natural fibers, and the clothes we make with responsible wool are as soft and luxurious as ever. But now they come with the peace of mind from knowing that the sheep are raised according to the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare and the land is managed with deep concern for soil health, biodiversity and the protection of native species. I believe that the only way we’ll have a more responsible industry is if we help lead the change. That means engaging with partners who share our values—other brands, our suppliers and our customers. And that’s how we approached responsible wool: by partnering with Textile Exchange, the right farms and now you. We’re so grateful that you’ve been a part of our journey—we can’t do this impactful work without you. If you’d like to know more about responsible wool, feel free to contact us at customerserviceteam@eileenfisher.com. Warmly,
CREDIT: EILEEN FISHER
ResponsibleWool.org | ResponsibleWool@TextileExchange.org