Goose and duck down is still one of the best insulation materials
More international outdoor brands have signed up to a scheme aimed at ensuring humane treatment of birds used for down, which is used as clothing insulation.
The North Face, Marmot, Mammut, Helly Hansen and Outdoor Research are among companies that have signed up to the responsible down standard produced by Textile Exchange.
This is a non-profit organisation set up to promote sustainability in the clothing industry, including the outdoor sector.
The responsible down standard was developed by The North Face, Textile Exchange and Control Union Certifications to ensure geese and ducks whose down is used are subject to humane treatment.
Leading suppliers Allied Feather & Down and Downlite have worked with the companies to develop the standard.
The move follows criticism in the past of welfare standards for the fowl, including the use of force-feeding for geese used for foie gras production, and live plucking.
A spokesperson for The North Face said: “The goal of the RDS is to enable traceability and change the down industry as a whole, not just one brand’s supply chain.
“Certain brands have committed to introducing certified down into their products beginning as soon as autumn 2015, and The North Face, in particular, has committed to 100 per cent certified and responsibly sourced down across all product lines by 2017.”
Anne Gillespie, director of industry integrity for Textile Exchange, said: “I am proud of the effort that went into the development of the RDS.
“We did extensive research, including visiting the sourcing regions in remote areas of Europe and Asia to fully understand the conditions we had to address, and worked with a diverse set of stakeholders that gave us a broad perspective of the issues.
“As more brands adopt the RDS, it will bring improved animal welfare conditions and better traceability in the down supply chain at a much larger scale than any one organisation or one supply chain could accomplish alone.”
Adam Mott, director of sustainability at The North Face, said: “We are incredibly excited to see the adoption of the RDS across industry and competitive boundaries.
“The brands adopting the RDS today are helping lead the charge to transform the down supply chain in an entirely new way.
“When we set out to develop the RDS, we knew that in order to truly succeed we had to create something that was global, open and adaptable. Today we are seeing the realisation of this vision, yet it is only the beginning.
“We welcome other brands to join in the commitment to source more responsible down.”
