Beginning April 2025, a new SFA Animal Fibre Standard v1.0 will be effective for all producers trading ‘SFA-Certified’ cashmere fibre. This supports the Sustainable Fibre Alliance’s vision for a responsible and inclusive global natural fibres sector that safeguards the health and well-being of people, animals, and the environment through global principles for responsible fibre production.
- The SFA Animal Fibre Standard was published in December 2024 following an extensive revision and multi-stakeholder consultation throughout 2023 and 2024.
- Herder organisations and farms currently registered with the SFA will continue using the previous SFA Codes of Practice until the SFA Animal Fibre Standard becomes effective from 1 April 2025.
- The SFA Animal Fibre Standard has been restructured to allow for future scope expansion to include other animal fibres; however, v1.0 still only covers cashmere fibre production.
- Previously known as the SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0, which was first introduced in January 2023, the revisions began as a global integration of national-level standards and the addition of requirements for decent work and improving fibre quality.
- Since the publication of the SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0, stakeholders raised concerns that the animal welfare requirements may not meet evolving consumer expectations, triggering the ISEAL Code of Good Practice requirement for further consultation.
- As such, the SFA postponed the transition deadline for the SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0 until after consultation and development work was carried out. The SFA has since reviewed considerable feedback received to develop the SFA Animal Fibre Standard v1.0.
SFA ANIMAL FIBRE STANDARD: The SFA Animal Fibre Standard defines best practices for responsible cashmere and animal fibre production.
- Focused at the herder level, the standard covers the most pressing sustainability issues associated with raw fibre production and outlines the intended outcomes achieved through the standard’s adoption.
The SFA Animal Fibre Standard lays out the definition of responsible cashmere and natural fibre production, by upholding five global principles, which are that herders:
- Improve the welfare of their fibre producing animals;
- Safeguard biodiversity and use land responsibly;
- Promote decent work;
- Preserve and enhance fibre quality; and
- Operate an effective management system.
ABOUT: The Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) is a non-profit standard holding and membership organisation representing a global alliance of supply chain actors, stakeholders and industry experts with a mission to drive positive change in natural fibre value chains.
- The SFA aims to minimise the environmental impact of cashmere and other animal fibres, safeguard livelihoods and improve animal welfare standards.
- It works with the end-to-end supply chain, connecting livestock herders to brands and retailers in the global fashion industry.
