About Us

SUSTAINABLE FIBRE ALLIANCE

The Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) is a non-profit standard holding and membership organisation. We represent a global alliance of supply chain actors, stakeholders and industry experts with a mission to ensure the long-term viability of the cashmere sector.

Through our work, the SFA aims to minimise the environmental impact of cashmere, safeguard livelihoods and ensure high animal welfare standards. We work with the end-to-end supply chain, connecting livestock herders to brands and retailers in the global fashion industry.

The SFA Cashmere Standard outlines five global principles for responsible cashmere production, click on the icons below to learn more about each of these key principles:

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
DECENT WORK
BIODIVERSITY & LAND USE
ANIMAL WELFARE
FIBRE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

There are multiple ways to get involved with our work, and by doing so, you will be taking decisive steps towards securing a more sustainable future for cashmere and the people whose livelihoods depend upon it.

Whether you are a working professional looking to join our team, a brand or manufacturer looking to source SFA-Certified cashmere, a stakeholder wanting to provide feedback on our standards through public consultations, or a business seeking opportunities to support one of our unique work programmes for herding communities, you can learn more about how to get involved here, or by clicking on the categories below.

MEMBERSHIP

Become a Member of the SFA

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GET CERTIFIED

Discover how to become SFA-Certified

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TRAINING SESSIONS

Attend online sessions with the SFA team

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PROVIDE FEEDBACK

Participate in SFA Public Consultations

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WORK PROGRAMMES

Start or Join an SFA Work Programme

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JOIN OUR TEAM

Join our UK & Mongolia Team

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WHY WE NEED TO ACT

Today, the sustainability of the cashmere industry is under threat. Political transitions and international demand for this luxury fibre have prompted dramatic increases in goat numbers. Coupled with changing land use practices and climate change, this has led to overgrazed and degraded pastures that are less able to support both domestic livestock and native wildlife.

Faced with unstable markets and rising economic hardship, herders are forced to give up their nomadic lifestyle and migrate to the cities, where job prospects are limited. If given the choice, many of these ‘stewards of the rangeland’ would continue to live in the countryside and continue the herding tradition, living close to nature and their animals.

Growing consumer awareness and industry regulation means that brands and retailers are under pressure to demonstrate responsible sourcing in their supply chains. The SFA offers a holistic and globally-recognized standard that addresses the key sustainability and welfare issues related to cashmere production and provides assurance for ‘responsibly-produced cashmere’.

Our APPROACH

The SFA encourages the adoption of responsible sourcing and production practices that benefit people, livestock and the environment. We are unique in truly representing herder voices and the strength of our producer relationships, due to the heritage of SFA.  Our standards allow companies to demonstrate their commitment to transforming the cashmere sector and make credible claims about SFA-Certified products.

Market-led and grassroots
We provide a voice for the cashmere industry and a deep understanding of rangeland systems and the challenges facing the livestock herders

Inclusive
Our membership brings together the whole cashmere supply chain, from herders and farmers to traders, processors, manufacturers, brands and retailers

Evidence-based
Our work is holistic and adaptive, incorporating social-ecological research with local traditional knowledge and best practice

Collaborative
We work with others who share a common vision for cashmere, pooling our resources to maximise our impact on the ground

GUIDED BY NUTAG

We believe that for cashmere to be truly sustainable, we must look at the whole system. This principle of holistic sustainability is at the heart of our approach and is captured by the Mongolian word ‘nutag‘. Nutag refers to the concept of “homeplace” or “homeland“, but it also encompasses the nomadic culture of herders, their ancestral history and traditional knowledge. In other words, nutag describes everything about pastoral life.

We’ve used this concept to guide our approach, working with herders, practitioners and academics to incorporate traditional knowledge with scientific knowledge and best practice to promote resilience for rangelands.

WHERE WE WORK

The SFA has offices in the UK and Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and a partnership with the International Cooperation Committee for Animal Welfare (ICCAW) in China.

 

The SFA Cashmere Standard and Clean Fibre Processing Standard cover raw production and primary processing of cashmere fibre in Mongolia and China, while the SFA Chain of Custody operates globally along the full supply chain. We work across 17 provinces in Mongolia and 7 regions in China

We have over 60 members from 13 countries around the globe, consisting of traders, processors, spinners, suppliers, manufacturers and brands and retailers.

Members

OUR MEMBERS CARE

The SFA is supported by a growing membership of over 60 supply chain companies that have committed to helping transform the global cashmere sector. SFA membership offers a way for companies to take decisive steps towards securing a more sustainable future for cashmere and demonstrating responsible sourcing to buyers. Learn more about the benefits of SFA membership and how to apply.

If you wish to trade in SFA Certified cashmere but do not wish to become an SFA member, you can register as a Chain of Custody Participant for a small annual fee. Learn more about joining the Chain of Custody

Our Story

HOW WE GOT HERE

Over the course of 9 years, the SFA has grown from a concept into the world’s first global organisation for cashmere sustainability, with our training and certification programme able to reach over 160,000 herders in Mongolia and China. Our two founders grew up in the Mongolian countryside and saw first-hand how climate change and overgrazing was impacting the land. River beds were drying up, grasslands were turning to desert, and the families that once thrived in this environment faced a growing struggle. The Sustainable Fibre Alliance grew from their desire for a lasting, market-based and scalable solution for protecting Mongolia’s rich rangelands and pastoral culture for future generations.

Johnstons of Elgin and Burberry are two of our founding members, helping to establish the SFA as a reputable and impactful organisation within the fashion industry. Scroll through the timeline below to learn more about our story.

People

Board of Directors

UK Team

Mongolian Team

Standard Setting Improvement Committee Members

The SFA Standard Setting Improvement Committee (SSIC) was created to provide the SFA Secretariat with advice from a variety of informed perspectives about optimising the design and delivery of the SFA's Standards for the pursuit of the SFA's mission. If you are interested in becoming a sitting member of the SSIC, please email standards@sustainablefibre.org

 

Latest News

Catch up on all the latest News, Events and Opportunities

Access to Finance for Herder Communities in Mongolia

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SFA Mongolia Conference 2024 | Summary

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Climate Disaster Impact on Mongolian Cashmere Supply | 2024 Market Overview

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Natural Fibre Connect 2024: Wool Days in Biella | SFA Event Overview

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Training Provided for BIA Programme for Mountainous & Island Areas

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Herder Trainings Conducted in Scope of the Eastern Steppe Project

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SFA Open Letter to the EU Council | Herder Perspective on PEF

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Phase Two of Dzud Support | Aid Delivered to 1,760 Herding Families

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SFA Cashmere Standard v2.0 Public Consultation is Now Open

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SNF Global Conference 2024 Summary | Beijing, China

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What Does Decent Work Mean to Women Herders in Rural Mongolia?

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Dzud Hits Mongolia | Devastating Conditions for Livestock & Herders

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SNF Global Conference 2024 | Event Overview

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Ensure Your Supply Chain is Certified Against the SFA CFPS

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What Makes Cashmere, Cashmere?

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2023 Highlights

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SFA Chain of Custody Standard Public Consultation is Now Open

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Winter Preparation & Feed Management | Field Research

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SFA Mongolia Conference 2023 | Summary

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The SFA is Hiring for a Head of Operations!

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Access to Finance for Herder Communities in Mongolia

Read More

Climate Disaster Impact on Mongolian Cashmere Supply | 2024 Market Overview

Read More

Training Provided for BIA Programme for Mountainous & Island Areas

Read More

Herder Trainings Conducted in Scope of the Eastern Steppe Project

Read More

SFA Open Letter to the EU Council | Herder Perspective on PEF

Read More

Phase Two of Dzud Support | Aid Delivered to 1,760 Herding Families

Read More

SFA Cashmere Standard v2.0 Public Consultation is Now Open

Read More

What Does Decent Work Mean to Women Herders in Rural Mongolia?

Read More

Dzud Hits Mongolia | Devastating Conditions for Livestock & Herders

Read More

Ensure Your Supply Chain is Certified Against the SFA CFPS

Read More

What Makes Cashmere, Cashmere?

Read More

2023 Highlights

Read More

SFA Chain of Custody Standard Public Consultation is Now Open

Read More

Winter Preparation & Feed Management | Field Research

Read More

The SFA is Hiring for a Head of Operations!

Read More

The SFA is Hiring for a Project Manager!

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2022 Highlights

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Mongolia’s Academy of Science Partnership

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Natural Fibre Connect 2022

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COP26 | The SFA meets with the Mongolian Delegation

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Event

SFA Mongolia Conference 2024 | Summary

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Event

Natural Fibre Connect 2024: Wool Days in Biella | SFA Event Overview

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Event

SNF Global Conference 2024 Summary | Beijing, China

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Event

SNF Global Conference 2024 | Event Overview

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Event

SFA Mongolia Conference 2023 | Summary

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Event

Natural Fibre Connect is Back

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Event

SFA Cashmere Conference Summary | Biella, Italy

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Event

SFA Cashmere Conference | Biella, Italy

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Event

Ulaanbaatar Conference 2022 | Summary

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Event

Natural Fibre Connect | Virtual Conference Summary

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Event

Natural Fibre Connect 2022

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Event

Sustainability in the Cashmere Sector Conference | Culture Panel

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Event

Sustainability in the Cashmere Sector Conference

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Event

Don’t Miss Wool Connect, September 7-9

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Event

Save the Date – Sustainability in the Cashmere Sector Conference 2021

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Event

Sustainable Cashmere Working Group Meeting, 28.04.20

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Event

Animal Welfare Working Group, 04.06.20

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Event

Exhibition, London Design Biennale, 04.09.18

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Event

Sustainability in the Cashmere Sector Conference, 23.05.19

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Event

Parliamentary reception, London, 11.09.18

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