H&M, Eddie Bauer, The North Face, Others Commit to More Responsible Down

by | Oct 22, 2014

This article is included in these additional categories:

H&M, Eddie Bauer, The North Face, Marmot, Mammut, Helly Hansen, Outdoor Research, DownLinens, Down & Feather Co. and other leading international fashion, bedding and outdoor brands have adopted the Textile Exchange’s Responsible Down Standard, a third-party certification standard that can be applied to any waterfowl-based supply chain to help ensure humane treatment of animals from gosling to end product.

The goal of the RDS is to enable traceability and change the entire down industry, the Textile Exchange says. Certain brands have committed to introducing certified down into their products beginning as soon as Fall 2015, and The North Face, in particular, has committed to 100 percent certified and responsibly sourced down across all product lines by 2017.

In late 2012, The North Face combined forces with Textile Exchange and Control Union Certifications, an accredited third-party certification body, to design and implement the RDS across primary sourcing regions in Europe and Asia, and in US processing sites. This included working with suppliers Allied Feather & Down and Downlite to analyze and certify every step of the down supply chain.

Upon completion of the standard, The North Face gifted it to Textile Exchange to administer and evolve the standard as needed with the hope of engaging more brands and down suppliers to begin to implement the RDS, which officially launched in January.

Late last year Patagonia said it will use 100 percent traceable down across its entire collection of down-insulated products starting in the Fall 2014 season.

 

 

Additional articles you will be interested in.

Stay Informed

Get E+E Leader Articles delivered via Newsletter right to your inbox!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Share This