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SFA Mongolia Conference 2024 | Summary

Posted by Katy Edwards

"Overcoming Challenges & Meeting Expectations in Natural Fibres" - Summary of the SFA Mongolia Conference 2024

On 6th September 2024, SFA Mongolia successfully hosted their annual conference in Ulaanbaatar under the theme of Overcoming Challenges & Meeting Expectations in Natural Fibres.

The event was organised by the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Light Industry (MoFALI) and the Ministry of Environment & Tourism (MET) of Mongolia. Over 130 participants attended to discuss and seek solutions to critical issues facing the cashmere and wool sectors, such as climate change and risk resilience, pasture management, and improving cashmere quality.

Opening remarks were given by representatives from MoFALI and the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change (MECC). This was followed by a presentation from the SFA, highlighting our main objectives for implementing standards and our initiatives targeted at herders and cooperatives.

The event was then sectioned into three distinct topics:

  • Overcoming Dzud Disaster Risk
  • Rangeland Stewardship Council – Global Rangeland Standard
  • Opportunities & Requirements for Improving Cashmere Quality

Government representatives, herders, cooperatives, cashmere processing companies, brands, and international experts actively participated in the discussions.

Key Presentations

One of the central themes of this year’s conference was climate change, with a particular focus on overcoming the negative impacts of the Dzud disaster through preparedness and collaboration. Presentations were delivered by government officials, herders, cooperatives, researchers, and international experts, addressing ways to mitigate the social and economic impacts of natural disasters through efforts of advanced preparation to reduce livestock loss.

The first-panel discussion of the event featured key presentations:

  • Collaboration Between the Government & Herders in Dzud Preparedness
  • The Social & Economic Impact of Dzud as a Natural Disaster
  • Experiences & Lessons in Minimising the Impact of Dzud

G. Naranchuluun, Head of the Department of Livestock Policy Implementation Coordination at MoFALI, emphasised the current state of the livestock sector, the importance of preparedness for Dzud, and the critical nature of cooperation between the Mongolian government and herders. They highlighted the challenges posed by pasture degradation and environmental changes, noting that 8.1 million livestock were lost in 2023.

“The designation of 2026 as the ‘International Year of Rangelands & Pastoralists’ presents an opportunity to raise global awareness about the importance of Mongolia’s traditional pastoral systems and the value of healthy, organic products derived from this sector. We aim to use this year to promote the unique characteristics of nomadic livestock farming, its environmental benefits, and its sustainable practices while expanding international cooperation.” – G. Naranchuluun

D. Kadirbek, Head of the Management Department at the School of Economics & Business at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences, presented the findings of a study conducted in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) ADAPT Project. The study involved 1,001 herder households across 44 soums (regions) in Zavkhan, Khovd, Dornod, and Sukhbaatar aimags (provinces), providing detailed insights into livestock losses, economic damage, and the decline in herders’ income during Dzud, outlining the broader social and economic impacts.

“Livestock farming accounts for 12.8% of Mongolia’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), 4% of its total exports, and provides 54% of the added value in food production. As such, the development of this sector is critical for the economy, food security, and livelihoods. We clearly see the direct link between the frequency of Dzud and climate change. In 2024, approximately 8 million livestock perished, accounting for about 10% of the national herd, marking the highest loss since 2010. This loss resulted in economic damage of 2.5 trillion MNT, leading to a 27% decline in agricultural GDP growth.” – D. Kadirbek

Kh. Altantsetseg, representing the “Herders’ Cooperative Strength” from Bat-Ölzii soum in Övörkhangai aimag, shared the cooperative’s experiences and emphasised the importance of training, preparation, and skills in minimising the impacts of Dzud. Following the presentations, the SFA introduced a series of videos titled “Lessons from Dzud & Overcoming Its Challenges”,  summarising herders’ experiences and research findings on coping with Dzud.

Panel Discussions

Preparedness & Collaborative Efforts to Minimise Losses from Dzud

Rangeland Stewardship Council – Global Rangeland Standard

The Rangeland Stewardship Council’s (RSC) Global Rangeland Standard was introduced during the event, a new international system aimed at promoting sustainable rangeland management and responsible resource use in agriculture-based industries – including wool, cashmere, leather, meat, and dairy. This standard encompasses principles related to rangeland use, legal compliance, indigenous and local peoples’ rights, fair labour, and effective management.

A key solution for rangeland conservation and restoration, the standard is supported by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the GEF-funded STELARR (Sustainable Investments for Large-Scale Rangeland Restoration) Project, implemented by IUCN and executed by ILRI. According to Louise Baker, Director of the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD, the standard offers the most effective pathway for preserving rangeland resources.

Senior Analyst S. Erdenetsetseg, from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Tourism, shared current research on rangeland degradation and desertification in Mongolia, providing insights into the government’s initiatives to address these issues.

Open Roundtable on the RSC’s Global Rangeland Standard

Participants at the open roundtable and consultation discussion reviewed the draft version of the Global Rangeland Standard, submitting their feedback in writing. They discussed potential modifications, additions, and deletions to improve the draft. The consultation acknowledged that the standard could improve raw material quality, protect rangelands, and enhance herders’ livelihoods. It was also recognised that the standard could boost the value of cashmere and other animal-based raw materials, improving economic circulation in the sector.

To learn more about the Rangeland Stewardship Council and the development of the Global Rangeland Standard, please visit the RSC website at rangelandstewardship.org

Opportunities & Requirements for Improving Cashmere Quality

During this session, speakers highlighted the importance of improving the quality of Mongolian cashmere and raw material collection practices. Representatives from processing plants and herder cooperatives shared innovative practices for sorting and storing raw materials, such as switching from polypropylene to cloth bags. Research on improving cashmere quality through better feeding practices was also presented.

Key presentations included:

  • The Demand, Value & Importance of Certified Cashmere
  • Organising Breeding Programs to Improve Cashmere Quality
  • Results of Feeding Trials to Improve the Yield & Quality of Cashmere
  • Experiences & Lessons in Replacing Polypropylene Bags for Raw Cashmere
  • The Importance of Sorting Cashmere by Colour & Storing in Standard-Compliant Bags

During the panel discussion, Z. Uuganbayar, from Khanbogd Cashmere LLC, emphasised the critical role of herders in improving cashmere quality. He urged herders to avoid using damaged bags and eliminate the use of polypropylene bags. His company collaborates with the “Lusin Serchim” cooperative, which ensures raw cashmere is sorted and packed in labelled bags, streamlining the sorting and quality assurance processes.

SFA Herder Sustainability Awards

The highlight of the SFA Mongolia Conference is the presentation of the annual SFA Herder Sustainability Awards, supported by SFA brand and processor members, recognising the dedication toward the sustainability efforts of the participating herders and cooperatives for demonstrating leadership in sustainable practices, livestock management, and social responsibility.

Cooperatives “Khörkhiin Naran” from Nomgon soum, Umnugovi province, and “Janjin Tolgoi” from Erdenetsogt soum, Bayankhongor province, were recognised for improving the quality of cashmere preparation and increasing the value of raw cashmere from herders.

“Tselmeg Orkhon” a cooperative from Ölziit soum, Arkhangai province, was awarded for its high performance in training, evaluation, and continuous improvement.

The “Jinst Jiguur” cooperative from Bayankhongor soum, Bayankhongor province, was recognised for their successful efforts in training member herders against the SFA Standards.

Four cooperatives from three provinces were awarded for their quality improvement, increasing the value of cashmere from their member herders, high performance in training on SFA Standards, capacity building, and evaluation.

Five women herders were recognised for demonstrating their social responsibility and environmental stewardship in their sustainable livestock management.

“I’m sincerely grateful for SFA for constantly supporting us in improving the sustainable cashmere fibre structure and quality.” – Gereltuya Shombuu, Best Female Herder awardee, Khovd province, Mongolia.

Five young herders were recognised for upholding traditional nomadic herding culture while embracing modern practices and managing livestock through environmentally friendly practices.

“I have joined the cooperative three years ago. There are many advantages to preparing animal produce and raw materials. I particularly find the SFA training provided by the cooperative useful. We improve our skills in goat combing and sorting fibre for the supply chain.” – Tegshbayar Lhayambuu, Best Young Herder awardee from Khuvsugul province, Mongolia.

Five cooperative leaders were acknowledged for their success in collaborative efforts, leadership, and their role in social development.

Acknowledgements

The organisers of this year’s event would like to sincerely thank all the guests, speakers, herders, cooperatives, government representatives, and international organisations who participated in the SFA Mongolia Conference 2024: Overcoming Challenges & Meeting Expectations. Their contributions, insights, and shared experiences have provided invaluable input for our future activities.

The ideas and support presented during the conference will significantly contribute to the sustainable development of the cashmere and wool sectors and global competitiveness. We are confident that our collaborative efforts and the solutions we have developed will lead to tangible results and further support the growth of this vital industry.

We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to this year’s SFA Herder Sustainability Award supporters whose invaluable help made this event successful. Their generous contributions have helped reinforce our shared commitment to sustainability and recognise the hard work of Mongolia’s herders and cooperatives.

Thank you, and we look forward to continuing this journey of successful collaboration!

Tamir Bud

SFA COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

26 September 2024

Original posted on 11 September 2024: https://sustainablefibre.mn/nfc-2024-sub-session-in-mongolia/ 

Climate Disaster Impact on Mongolian Cashmere Supply | 2024 Market Overview

Posted by Katy Edwards

This year, in 2024, the global cashmere supply chain experienced an unanticipated challenge due to the natural climate disaster that struck large regions of Mongolia this past winter and early spring. As the world’s second-largest supplier of cashmere, Mongolia was severely affected by the extreme winter weather event known as Dzud, specific to the regions of central and east Asia. Heavy snowfall covered entire regions, forming ice floors underneath the snow drifts, hindering herds from reaching grass and forage, resulting in an over 10% loss of livestock for the country.

According to the 2024 Dzud – Livestock Loss report from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Light Industry of Mongolia (MoFALI), 11.5% of the country’s livestock perished due to malnutrition, stamina, and extreme cold, totalling over 7.44 million livestock across the country. Of this total, an estimated 2.5 million goats were recorded to have been lost.

Figure 1. Livestock were unable to reach grasses and forage under the thick layer of snow and ice sheets due to Dzud.

As we continue to extend our support to the affected herders in Mongolia, it is essential to recognise the broader implications for the global cashmere supply chain. This disaster has led to a notable increase in raw cashmere prices due to reduced volume and delayed harvests. During the cashmere season of 2024, the price for raw cashmere fibre rose to 185,000 MNT per kg (approx. £40-£45), up from 165,000 MNT per kg (approx. £36-£38) the previous year. This price hike has resulted in lower purchase quantities by some producers.

Several factors have contributed to this year’s cashmere shortage, some of which are highlighted below:

1. Livestock Loss

The accumulated loss of goats, accounting for around 20% over the past two consecutive years, has drastically decreased the volume of raw Mongolian cashmere available to the market. In 2023, the ‘SFA-certified’ cashmere volume was 1,322 tonnes, while this year, it has reduced to 600 tonnes only, with a maximum expected volume of around 800 tonnes.

2. Delayed Harvesting

The freezing temperatures and longer-lasting cold weather have caused delays in the natural shedding time of cashmere goats, resulting in lower output and decreased fibre quality, with more coarse hair mixed into the greasy fibre.

Vandandorj Sumiya, SFA Mongolia’s Country Coordinator, explains, “As combing is delayed, more coarse hair will be loosened, and greasy cashmere will have higher coarse hair content, thus after dehairing, the clean fibre content will be lesser than that of normal years.” 

Figure 2. Processors receiving 'SFA-certified' dehaired cashmere would not be affected by the upcoming Export Ban.

3. Export Ban

The Mongolian government’s upcoming export ban on non-dehaired cashmere, originally expected to be effective from the 1st of July 2024, could have prompted hasty purchases by non-national processors and driven up prices. However, the government has extended the effective date for this ban to July 2025. Nevertheless, this change would not affect processors supplied with dehaired cashmere from ‘SFA-certified’ sources in Mongolia. Some processing factories scheduled for SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard audits may experience delays this year due to low fibre volumes, which should only cause minimal impact on the sector given the extended export regulation deadline.

4. Climate Risk Resilience

Triggered by climate change, the frequency and severity of natural events such as Dzud have begun to increase. However, with this increase in Dzud occurrences, effective coping and adaptation strategies are still lacking in some of Mongolia’s herding communities, especially in the country’s most remote areas. Climate risk resilience has become a key topic for the SFA this year and was the main theme of discussion during the annual SFA Mongolia Conference, held in Ulaanbaatar at the beginning of September 2024.

Figure 3. Mongolian herding communities received welcome supplies purchased by the SFA and supporting SFA Members.

Each of these factors has played its part, causing a potential ripple effect along the cashmere supply chain and throughout the market this year.

The SFA continues to work closely with herders, supporting them with long-term resilience and sustainability programmes, providing better market access, and mediating preferential financing. Through the continued support of our Members and Chain of Custody Participants, who rallied together at the beginning of the year to provide much-appreciated disaster relief funds, our efforts are now progressing towards establishing the SFA’s Community Development Fund. The fund aims to support targeted interventions to mitigate natural disaster impacts, such as Dzud, improving livelihood resilience and sustainability in herding communities.

The proposed activities of the SFA’s Community Development Fund address the critical issue of recurring climate disasters and the severe impact on herder livelihoods, such as livestock populations, mental and physical health, and providing essential support for female herders and herding communities that have been the most adversely affected. It includes:

  • Providing immediate financial support to fulfil the needs of food and basic amenities for herder communities. 
  • Supporting the community to restock their herd as their main source of income and livelihood activity. 
  • Research and action for continued support to build resilience for such situations through access to finance, livestock insurance, and capacity-building programmes.

Get Involved

By establishing the SFA Community Development Fund, the SFA encourages its Members and Chain of Custody Participants to work together to reduce the impact risk of natural disasters within the supply chains, such as the effects of Dzud and drought. Together we can enhance effectiveness, support socio-economic stability, and strengthen cashmere supply chain resilience against climate change.

Want to be a part of this crucial movement?

Contact us now to start making meaningful changes to strengthen the supply chain and support herder livelihoods. Email info@sustainablefibre.org

To learn more about this year’s Dzud disaster and our efforts to support herder communities, read our previous articles below:

Tamir Bud

SFA COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

24 September 2024

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

Posted by Katy Edwards

Wool Days in Biella

16th – 20th September 2024

Città Studi, Biella, Italy

Buy Tickets

A WORLD WITH MORE NATURAL FIBRES BY 2030

Natural Fibre Connect (NFC) will host its next annual event this September with its Wool Days in Biella, Italy. The event will feature three days of mill tour activities from the 16th to the 18th of September, a recycling side event in Prato on the 18th of September, and conclude with two main conference days in Biella on the 19th and 20th of September.

As co-hosts and organisers of the NFC, the SFA will participate in a series of sessions throughout the two-day main conference. Read below to discover more about one of these sessions…

RANGELAND STEWARDSHIP & GLOBAL STANDARDS

Join SFA’s CEO, Una Jones, during the first day of plenary sessions on Thursday the 19th as we introduce the highly anticipated session on Rangeland Stewardship & Global Standards. A direct follow-up from last year’s event, the session will provide conference attendees with exciting updates and developments from this past year.

A panel discussion will bring together key partners of the Rangeland Stewardship Council (RSC), showcasing the collaborative and multistakeholder mission of the organisation. The session will cover key topics such as the One Health approach, diverse rangeland commodities, transparency, and a bottom-up strategy.

Concluding the session, the SFA’s Head of Standards, Dr David McElroy, will conduct an informative section where in-person attendees will have the unique opportunity to take part in a short consultation for the Global Rangeland Standard (GRS) – do not miss out on providing you valuable feedback for this new and innovative global standard.

SUPPORT THE SFA'S EVENTS

This dialogue is crucial for the SFA and RSC to deepen environmental impact and cannot be achieved without the vital help of our SFA Members. Contact us directly to learn more about sponsorship opportunities for SFA events and conferences.

Become an SFA Event & Conference Supporter

JOIN THE SFA MEMBERS' DINNER

The SFA will be looking to host a special dinner on Friday the 20th of September for all SFA Members joining the event, alongside our in-person team and Board of Directors. Please let us know if you are available to join and we will provide more information.

Join the SFA Members' Dinner in Biella, Italy

Click the button below to visit the Natural Fibre Connect (NFC) website and learn more about this year’s event. Ensure you purchase your ticket now to secure your seat!

Want to find out more about speaker opportunities, sponsorship, or any other aspect of this year’s event? Then please contact either the NFC or SFA teams for more information.

See you in Biella!

Natural Fibre Connect 2024 Website

Katy Edwards

SFA MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

13 August 2024

Training Provided for BIA Programme for Mountainous & Island Areas

Posted by Katy Edwards

The Mountain Partnership, under the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation (UN FAO), supported by the Small Grants Programme of the Global Environment Facility (SGP / GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched a scholarship programme that aims to support innovative business ventures within agricultural and textile value chains. This programme seeks to enhance the adaption and resilience of local communities in mountainous and island areas through technical assistance and capacity building.

The Business Incubator & Accelerator (BIA) for Mountainous & Island Regions programme is being implemented in countries such as the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Fiji, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Peru, the Philippines and Uganda. Over 100 manufacturing organisations from these countries are participating in the programme, including six enterprises and cooperatives from Mongolia.

In Mongolia, the SFA is collaborating with the Agricultural Cooperative of Mongolia (AGRI-COOP / NAMAC), the Environment & Development Association JASIL and the Saraana Nature Conservation Foundation to support and empower local cooperatives and herder groups that work with these organisations.

As part of the programme, in May 2024, the SFA Mongolia team and the NART Training & Research Center provided training, practical sessions and technical assistance on the requirements and standards of the cashmere market and on producing high-quality cashmere. Participants of these training sessions include the “Sanjin Bogd” cooperative in the Bayanuul soum of the Gobi-Altai province and the “Karatau” herder group in the Deluun soum of the Bayan-Ulgii province.

Continuing with the training sessions and providing technical assistance, on the 15th of June 2024, the SFA Mongolia team organised a Cashmere Sorting & Preparation Skills Training alongside SFA Good Practice Training sessions for herders of the “Bulgiin Undarga Devshil” and “Yandag Kher Kharuul” cooperatives in Bayandelger soum in the Tuv province.

By participating in these training sessions, herder households have learnt to adopt international best practices and incorporate them into their daily lives, which is crucial for the responsible preparation and supply of high-quality cashmere to international standards.

Translated by Tamir Bud

SFA COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

5 July 2024

Original posted on 20 June 2024: https://sustainablefibre.mn/archives/8195

Herder Trainings Conducted in Scope of the Eastern Steppe Project

Posted by Katy Edwards

The Promotion of Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity Conservation in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia’s Drylands Project – or Eastern Steppe Project – has begun implementation in nine soums within the provinces of Dornod, Khentii and Sukhbaatar in Mongolia, starting in 2021 and continuing throughout 2025.

Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia (MET), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FOA), the project aims to contribute to the protection of the fragile ecosystem of the drylands and support the livelihoods and resilience of herder communities in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia.

Within the scope of the second component of the Project, the SFA are co-implementing the sub-project of the Development of Environmentally Friendly Animal Husbandry by Introducing SFA Certifying, Tracing, & Sorting Systems, supporting partnerships between herder groups and cooperatives, local government, and the private sector, to develop value chains and create access to markets for sustainably produced agricultural products.

The Project carried out Animal Husbandry & Cashmere Fibre Harvesting Code of Practice and Cashmere Sorter competency-based training sessions for herders of cooperatives in Dornod and Sukhbaatar provinces on the 22nd and 23rd of April 2024.

In the scope of the Eastern Steppe Project, the SFA provided training in the Munk-Khaan soum, in the Sukhbaatar province, on the 22nd of April 2024. Over 30 herders of the Ashid-Munkh Bayan cooperative joined the training session where they learnt how to produce primary-sorted cashmere fibre at the household level, as well as understand the requirements for implementing the SFA Animal Husbandry and SFA Cashmere Fibre Harvesting Codes of Practice.

The same training session was provided in the Sukhbaatar soum, in the Sukhbaatar province, and the Matad soum, in the Dornod province, on the 23rd of April 2024, to around 40 herders of the Davsan-Ukhaa and Tenuun-Darkhan cooperatives, supporting and enhancing their knowledge.

The SFA Mongolia team provided further training sessions to the Uulbayan soum, in the Sukhbaatar province, on the 25th of April 2024 and will continue to share and spread the knowledge and information to more herding communities.

Translated by Tamir Bud

SFA COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

27 June 2024

Original posted on 25 April 2024: https://sustainablefibre.mn/archives/7923

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

Posted by Katy Edwards

Subject: Herder Perspective on the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)

Date: 13th June 2024

Dear Council of the European Union,

I am writing to you not only as the CEO and Founder of the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) but also on behalf of the millions of herders and herding communities in Mongolia, China, Afghanistan and across the world. We are deeply concerned about the European Council’s movement towards the Green Claims Directive (GCD) and its references to the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF).

The introduction of the PEF legislation and methodology will undoubtedly lead to a rise in greenwashing claims within the fashion industry, as the lack of carbon acknowledgement alongside no social, cultural or biodiversity elements, does not accurately reflect the differences between plastic-derived fibres and natural fibres.

Natural fibres are an important source of income for the world and its millions of Indigenous communities, for example, one-third of Mongolia’s population depends on their livestock, which makes up 80% of a herder’s income. It is this livestock sector in Mongolia that provides food security for the entire population and therefore classes cashmere as a strategic commodity for Mongolia. However, this income would likely diminish if the PEF legislation were to come into effect, and the collateral damage to herders would be catastrophic, as the majority would become impoverished, leading to the end of an indigenous way of life and nomadic culture.

Altansukh Tumee, a cashmere herder and leader of the Bayntol cooperative in Mongolia, said during the Growers Perspective session at the Natural Fibre Connect (NFC) 2023 conference, that “Overcoming these climate issues and keeping animal husbandry sustainable, we have several programmes and financial programmes on this. But since the cashmere alone makes up almost 70% of households’ income, with this income we have to do everything, like paying our children’s school fees and all other things…the Mongolian Government issued soft loans, but because of this shortage of properties to provide as a collateral, we are not able to get that additional funding to improve our livelihoods and to spend the money on livestock husbandry.”

During the Growers Perspective session at NFC, Frances van Hasselt, a mohair grower and designer in South Africa, also said “The biggest problem that we face…is the price volatility at land-level. We are doing all this stuff, we’re getting the standards, and we are 100% supported. But what is unsustainable is that in the mohair industry, from one sale to the next, you do not know what you are going to get for your mohair.”

This new legislation would also see the diminishing of the natural fibre sector over time with a huge decrease of pastoralists and stewards looking after the world’s rangelands. Mongolia has one of the largest intact rangeland habitats in the world, with a unique array of native wildlife. Collectively, these regions are home to a wide range of internationally important animals and plants, many of which are endemic and globally threatened.

Jock Menzies, a wool grower in Australia, said during the same NFC session that “A lot of our neighbours are all getting sold up to cattle farmers that are not continuing to grow wool because the economics are not there for us to continue…We need to make this a lot better because, otherwise, if we are not able to be sustainable we are obviously not going to be able to supply the wool…but also we won’t have the situation where we can do all of the good things to the environment on our land as well. A good farmer plants trees and looks after his environment but if we are not able to do that, because we are not getting paid enough, then that is the first thing that suffers, which is not what we want for the planet.”

If the European Council votes to include the PEF methodology on the 17th of June 2024, the Green Claims Directive will have a significant impact on the survival of many Indigenous communities that depend on livestock herding globally, marginalizing pastoralist practices, and will instead accelerate the growth of fast fashion.

On behalf of cashmere herding communities across Mongolia, China and Afghanistan, we urge the EU to reconsider the use of the current PEF and PEFCR methodology and ensure that this policy truly reflects the impact of the natural fibre sector.

The SFA have joined together with a global collective of herders, farmers and supporters to sign the open letter to the Council of the European Union to ensure the voices of those at the grassroots-level are heard. View the open letter here.

Una Jones

SFA CEO & FOUNDER

21 June 2024

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

Posted by Katy Edwards

With incredibly kind offers and contributions from our international members and partners, the SFA was able to deliver our second phase of aid throughout April 2024, providing much-needed support to the herders of our member cooperatives who had been affected most by the Dzud disaster this winter and early spring.

First Phase of Support

In response to the devastating Dzud situation in Mongolia, the SFA team begun our first phase of support throughout February and March 2024, appealing to all our member factories, not only in Mongolia, but reaching out to all our international members and brands to join the cause.

During this first wave of response, the SFA Mongolia team delivered the below to 8 cooperatives in 5 soums in the Dornod, Sukhbaatar, Khentii and Arkhangai provinces:

  • 60 tons of protein feed.
  • 400 litres of beneficial microorganism liquid supplement.
  • 560 fuel vouchers worth 20,000 MNT.
  • 250 blankets / jackets for newborn goats and animals.

To learn more about what Dzud is, the different variations, how it affects people, animals and the environment, take a look at our previous article titled Dzud Hits Mongolia | Devastating Conditions for Livestock & Herders.

Second Phase of Support

Throughout April 2024, and with continued support from SFA member brands and companies internationally, the SFA Mongolia team delivered further aid and provisions to 300,000 livestock animals of 1,760 herding households in 20 cooperatives and across 12 soums in the Khentii, Sukhbaatar and Dornod provinces, which had suffered the the most from the Dzud disaster. The aid delivered during the second phase consisted of:

  • 26,880 kg of mineral fodder.
  • 1,460 blankets / jackets.
  • 4,380 kg of powder milk supplements for newborn goats and animals.
  • 14,200 kg of flour.
  • 10,000 kg of rice.

According to this report on the Dzud livestock loss in Mongolia, the country has suffered a loss of 11.46% livestock as of the beginning of May 2024, with a total number reaching a devastating 7.41 million. This data was issued by Mongolian government organisations, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Light Industry (MOFALI), the National Agency Meteorology and the Environmental Monitoring (NAMEM), the State Emergency Commission, the United Nations Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Wildlife Support

Protecting biodiversity and conservation of habitat is one our five key principles of the SFA standards. Due to the harsh climate conditions, herbivore wildlife across many of the regions of Mongolia were severely affected with the lack of vegetation available for grazing leading to high death rates. Many of the animals ventured down from the mountains in search of food, travelling long distances to do so. Therefore, alongside provisions for herder communities and their livestock, the SFA Mongolia team transported and distributed 2,000 kg of nutritious grass hay bales and 2,000 kg of salt minerals to key corridors for native herbivore wildlife, such as red deer, gazelle and roe deer.

Continual Support

From everyone at the SFA, we would like to say a huge thank you for the generous donations and kind offers of support from our members and partners. We are proud to announce that we have raised over £153,000 so far for the SFA’s Dzud emergency fund effort.

“Alongside the emergency fund to help with the immediate disaster relief, we have established a Community Development Fund to support the recovery of herders affected by climate crises, such as dzud. The longer-term planning is crucial to strengthen the capacity and capability of herder organisations in disaster preparedness, risk management and improved governance. The impacts of climate change are increasing in intensity and frequency across the country.”

Una Jones, SFA CEO & Founder.

As part of our next steps and actions, we are planning to carry out a comprehensive socio-economic research study in understanding climate risk impact, with specific focus on dzud risk and diverse drivers of herder resilience, as a critical way to better support herder communities and build better systems changes holistically.

If you would like to learn more about the SFA’s efforts in supporting herders and building climate risk resilience, then please do reach out to the team below. Additionally, we will be hosting a Disaster Risk Committee Consultation meeting and are encourage anyone who would like to support herder’s climate risk resilience to join the discussion and get involved. Please email the team at info@sustainablefibre.org to find out more.

Tamir Bud

SFA COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

4 June 2024

SNF Global Conference 2024 Summary | Beijing, China

Posted by Katy Edwards

Make it Last

The first Sustainable Natural Fibres (SNF) Global Conference, aimed at advancing sustainability and responsible practices within the world’s natural fibres sector, took place in Beijing, China on the 11th and 12th April 2024 with resounding success. Organised by the International Cooperation Committee on Animal Welfare (ICCAW) with support from the SFA and the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute (CCMI), this international and collaborative event welcomed nearly 400 in person participants from a diverse and global community.

Covering the length and breadth of the natural fibres supply chain, the SNF Global Conference offered a platform for international speakers to highlight key topics and trends affecting the industry as a mechanism for opening global discussions and networking opportunities. With participants ranging from herders and farmers to producers and manufacturers, brands and retailers to NGOs and governmental bodies, this two-day event hosted a series of plenary sessions on the first day, with breakout meetings and consultations taking place on the morning of the second day and concluding with a special event hosted at Beijing’s U-Town Shopping Centre.

Insightful Plenary Sessions & Panel Discussions

The first day of the SNF Global Conference saw an impressive schedule, with an Opening Ceremony that included welcome speeches by 5 representatives from local government and NGOs. Immediately following was a series of 3 standout Presentations that set the stage for key areas of discussion within the Chinese natural fibres sector:

  • Study on the Status Quo & Development Trend of Cashmere & Wool in China
  • Present Situation & Developing Trend of Sericulture Industry in China
  • Sustainable Development Practice in Feather & Down Industry

 

Important perspectives and insights were then brought to the forefront during the main part of the day, the Presentations & Panel Discussions, which encompassed 4 dedicated sessions each hosted by an expert chair and collectively saw 26 speakers welcomed to the stage.

Split across 2 sessions, the Global Brands & Retailers Presentations & Panel Discussions saw many SFA brand members and partners taking part in important conversations. Chris Gaffney, CEO of Johnstons of Elgin, gave an engaging presentation on the history of the brand and their sustainability journey towards 100% certified cashmere. Erdenetuya Mangaljav, Founder of Sor Cashmere, presented an overview of the SFA-Certified Primary Processor and provided insightful information on the Mongolian cashmere and wool industry to all those present. Members of the first panel were asked to provide one sentence or word on the conference’s theme of Make it Last – their answers included the ideas of togetherness, connection, synchronicity and flexibility of all within the supply chain to create a more sustainable future for natural fibres.

Global Brands & Retailers Session One Panel Members:

  • Chris Gaffney, CEO of Johnstons of Elgin
  • Matteo Farinoni, Raw Material Purchasing Referent at Loro Piana
  • Man Lam, CEO of M.ORO Cashmere
  • Brian Yu, General Manager of Artwell
  • Cheng Xudong, Chairman of Chifeng Dongli Cashmere
  • Zhao Xinhao, Deputy General Manager of the Consinee Group
  • Fabio Garzena, President of CCMI

Global Brands & Retailers Session Two Panel Members:

  • Tana Dai, General Manager of the Erdos Group
  • Michael Huang, Managing Director of Greater China Region from Brunello Cucinelli
  • Ma Jiangtao, Chairman of YUTENG Cashmere
  • Liu Hongyan, Senior Manager of Corporate Communication at Jnby Design
  • Tsumoto Yoshihiko, Assistant to CEO for East Asia Bloc at Itochu
  • Erdenetuya Mangaljav, Founder of Sor Cashmere

“If you don’t know where the fibre comes from, then you can’t improve the quality.” Chris Gaffney, CEO of Johnstons of Elgin, on the importance of traceability in the supply chain.

“It is rare for me to attend a conference on such a dedicated topic.” Tana Dai, General Manager of the Erdos Group, on the conference’s theme of global natural fibres and sustainability.

The afternoon hosted a unique opportunity during the Herders, Producers & Processors Presentations & Panel Discussions, which brought together a diverse range of speakers that represented herding and farming communities from China, Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Afghanistan and South Africa. Ronald Lamb, Cashmere & Wool Processing Expert from DAI, gave an insightful talk on the benefits of Afghan cashmere alongside the devastating hardships that the country’s herding communities face day-to-day. Marco Coetzee, General Manager of Mohair South Africa, provided an update to conference attendees on the Mohair industry and their very own sustainability journey.

Herders, Producers & Processors Panel Members:

  • Ganzorig Altangerel, Leader of Mongolia’s “Ashid Munkh Bayn” Herder Cooperative
  • Munkhtsetseg Tumendemberel, Leader of Mongolia’s “Shine Burgaltai” Herder Cooperative
  • Marco Coetzee, General Manager of Mohair South Africa
  • Ronald Lamb, Cashmere & Wool Processing Expert from DAI Global
  • Cara Loomis, Research Analyst at the SFA
  • Sainculuu Amarsanaa, MEL, Partnerships & Communications Manager at SFA Mongolia

“Since childhood, we are taught to protect the land.” Ganzorig Altangerel, Mongolian Herder Cooperative Leader, on their relationship and deep connection with the environment and land around them.

“Climate change has had a significant influence on herders, as small rivers and lakes have dried up leaving little vegetation.” Munkhtsetseg Tumendemberel, Mongolian Herder Cooperative Leader, on the visible changes they have witnessed due to climate change.

The chair for the panel discussion, Chu Xueqin, Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection China, concluded the session with a statement that truly encapsulated the global and collaborative aims of the event, to advance sustainability and responsible practices within the world’s natural fibres sector:

"We are not divided by borders."

Next to present was Eco-Age’s CEO, Harriet Vocking, and Woolmark’s Greater China Senior Manager of Marketing Communications and Sustainability, Holly Ho, who talked about the effects of legislation, such as PEF, within the industry.

Harriet’s presentation shifted the focus of the conference to the connection with the consumer, showcasing many of Eco-Age’s engaging projects and influential activities alongside Woolmark’s Filter by Fabric campaign. Holly provided insightful information on sustainability within the Chinese market, followed by a deep dive into consumer insights and Woolmark’s recent projects within China.

“It is possible, if we make enough noise, to make change.” Harriet Vocking, CEO of Eco-Age.

Concluding the first day of the SNF Global Conference was the Animal Welfare & Certifications Panel Discussion that brought together ICCAW’s Vice President, Ayongxi, SFA’s CEO, Una Jones, RSPCA’s Head of International, Paul Littlefair, and the Deputy Dean of Inner Mongolia’s Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Sciences, Sun Haizhou, to talk about this significant topic that goes hand-in-hand with the world of animal-derived natural fibres.

“To show ‘this is what we do and how we deal with it’ is crucial to the consumer.” Paul Littlefair on the fundamental connection between natural fibre standards and best practice animal welfare for brands and retailers in the global fashion market.

“We [SFA] initially followed the five freedoms of animal welfare but last year changed to the five domains, which works better with indigenous herders.” Una Jones on the importance of working together with herding communities to improve animal welfare practices.

Engaging Breakout Sessions & Roundtable Consultations

The morning of the second day saw the conference focus on fibre and project specific sessions with 4 dedicated and simultaneous breakout events available for attendees to join. These were:

  • Cashmere & Wool Industry Session
  • Down & Feather Industry Session
  • Silk Industry Session
  • Rangeland Stewardship Council – Global Rangeland Standards & B4L Consultations

SFA’s Head of Standards, Dr. David McElroy, spoke during the Cashmere & Wool Industry Session on the importance of chain of custody and traceability within the animal fibres sector, presenting a case study on the process of SFA & ICCAW certified cashmere. “It is just so inspiring to see so many different people, from different backgrounds, who are passionate about the same things that we are passionate about.” says David following the Cashmere & Wool Session. “There are really big challenges within the world – within the cashmere industry – and to see so many people who are interested to solve these problems, and have so many ideas to do so, is great.”

Running alongside was the Rangeland Stewardship Council – Global Rangeland Standards & B4L Consultations Session. Hosted by the SFA and UNCCD, the event received support from the GEF-funded STELARR (Sustainable Investments for Large-Scale Rangeland Restoration) Project, which is implemented by IUCN and executed by ILRI. SFA’s CEO, Una Jones, begun proceedings with an introduction to the Rangeland Stewardship Council (RSC) and its mission to advance the sustainable management of the world’s rangelands.

The first part of the session provided a platform for a range of expert speakers to present on different inputs and outputs relevant to the RSC, including land degradation neutrality, animal welfare, value chains, One Health, and more.

RSC Session Speakers:

  • Sarah Toumi, Donor Relations & Private Sector Engagement at UNCCD
  • Peter Hughes, Head of Sustainable Business Development at Eurofins | BLC
  • Una Jones, CEO of the SFA
  • Fiona Flintan, Senior Scientist Rangelands & Pastoralism at ILRI
  • Paul Littlefair, Head of International at RSPCA
  • Dr. Cara Loomis, Research Analyst for the SFA

After the presentations concluded, guests of the session were invited to break into 2 groups to discuss global indicators for rangeland stewardship and the challenges and opportunities each of these indicators come up against. The main challenges discussed included the use of hazardous materials and pesticides, stocking rates, the economic and social aspects of the rangelands, migratory and grazing patterns, and the importance of herding and indigenous communities in rangeland management.

The session closed with a presentation provided by UNCCD’s Associate Programme Officer, Radhika Jain, on the organisation’s Business for Land (B4L) Strategy. “What asks do you have from UNCCD – organisations like the UN, other international organisations, governmental bodies – and what can we do to facilitate your task?” a question that Radhika posed to those present towards the end of the session. “We have always been ‘what can the private sector do for us?’ but I [UNCCD] think it should be the other way around. We are facilitators for you, so we can all work in a holistic environment.”

Youth Sustainable Forum at U-Town Shopping Centre

During the afternoon of the second day, the SNF Global Conference co-hosted a special event within one of Beijing’s biggest shopping centres, U-Town. The Youth Sustainable Forum focused on providing engaging, consumer-level information from different areas of the natural fibres industry to an audience comprising both conference attendees and members of the general public, beginning with a fashion showcase.

Speakers at the event included Liu Fei, Brand Communication Manager of the Erdos Group, and Lauren Moore, Head of Communications & Sustainability at Mohair South Africa. This forum created a vital connection for the SNF Conference to engage directly with customers and the public to discuss important issues of sustainability and development to generate wider conversation.

Factory Tours of YUTENG & M.ORO Cashmere

On the Saturday directly following the conference, the SFA team and many of the SNF event attendees travelled from Beijing to China’s Hebei province where they had the unique opportunity to visit and tour two cashmere facilities – YUTENG and M.ORO Cashmere. For some, it was their first exposure to the cashmere manufacturing process, with team members from the facilities on hand to provide in-depth information and knowledge into the processes of dehairing, scouring, sorting, spinning, dyeing and more, which took place within the factories. A special thanks to YUTENG and M.ORO Cashmere for organising and hosting this incredible and educational excursion!

Thank you!

As co-organisers and supporters of the conference, the SFA team would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the conference hosts, the International Cooperation Committee on Animal Welfare (ICCAW) of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation (CAPIAC), for creating a beautiful and engaging event.

We would also like to thank all of our incredible partners, members and industry friends for their wonderful support both in attending and participating in the many sessions and panels of this two-day event.

We hope that the discussions and conversations that have taken place will help to drive collaboration towards a more sustainable future of the natural fibres sector and foster relationships that will encourage development to Make it Last.

Katy Edwards

SFA MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Update: 14 May 2024

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

Posted by Katy Edwards

In 2022, on behalf of the SFA, María E. Fernández-Giménez with the assistance of Tugsbuyan Bayarbat, Chantsallkham Jamsranjav and Tungalag Ulambayar hosted a series of participatory workshops with women herders from Mongolia’s Arkhangai and Bayankhongor provinces. Discussing what decent work meant to them, the sessions looked at how women herders relate to their work – characterised by a connection with nature, their herd, the family unit, their community and the wider Mongolian population.

What does decent work mean?

Broadly speaking, it relates to employees earning a sufficient income from the work they do in a fair and safe environment, and while it might have different meanings depending on geography, culture and economic development, the term decent work is somewhat rigid in its definition. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines decent work as “productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity”, with the four pillars of their Decent Work Agenda  – employment creation, social protection, rights at work, and social dialogue – pivotal in the development of The United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs); Goal Eight is Decent work and Economic Growth.

Access to decent work is one of the Five Global Principles of the SFA’s Cashmere Standard and ensures ‘fair hiring practices and working conditions, equality in wages, the protection of traditional communities, the prevention of child labour, gender equality and the promotion of health and safety’. The Principle is also guided by the eradication of forced labour, while ensuring equal pay and decision-making roles for women. Developed inline with the ILO’s own definition, the SFA’s Decent Work Principle often applies to communities that live in remote, rural locations which can be a regulatory challenge. However, conversations across the supply chain are important in addressing such challenges, as they capture the realities of herders’ working lives. They also provide vital insight for standards such as the SFA’s by contextualising the nuances of herders’ own definitions of decent work within their day-to-day – something that might not necessarily be captured by international development agencies.

Conversations from the workshops highlighted two overarching themes: the definition of what decent work meant to the women in a practical sense, and how the societal expectations impact the women’s access to it. The facilitators used themes inline with, but not exclusive to, the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda to discuss their definition of decent work. This covered the women’s opinions on meaningful and productive work in healthy and safe environments, as well as freedom from abuse, harassment and discrimination, social protection and security, social dialogue, cooperation and opportunities for professional development and learning.

It’s widely accepted that herding in Mongolia is more than just a livelihood, it’s a way of life that brings meaning, a sense of identity, culture and tradition – it’s an occupation that creates feelings of dignity, pride and purpose – especially when the work is valued and respected by the wider society; an important component of the global understanding of decent work. Discussing the position of herders in modern Mongolia, the participants noted how respect for herders and the herder lifestyle had dwindled in recent years, with young people increasingly opting to live in urban areas in pursuit of life away from rural pastoralism. According to The International Organization for Migration (IOM), this is a countrywide shift, with dramatic rural-to-urban migration raising the capital Ulaanbaatar’s population to almost 1.5 million – half of the entire country’s total population. With this migration, the women feared the loss of their culture and tradition, emphasising a lack of cultural education and a disconnect between those living rurally and in urban environments. The development of a more secure rural economy was just one of many suggestions the women made in reference to not only encouraging people back to the countryside, but also as a means to secure productive work and income year-round from their livestock. They also touched on the prospect of alternative rural employment as another solution. Interestingly, the women intrinsically linked decent work and productivity, raising a further five points that they thought vital to their access to both:

  • Stable and sufficient income from livestock. 
  • Access to the means of production (seasonal pasture lands, water and minerals, shelters and corrals (animal pens) and livestock).
  • Access to the knowledge and the information they needed to work.
  • Fair and timely pay for hired herders.
  • Protection from climate hazards.

It’s important to understand that cashmere is just one of several income streams for Mongolian herders who herd a mix of goats, sheep, cattle, camels and yaks – dependent on their geography. The mixed herds provide a range of produce ranging from cashmere fibre to meat and dairy, and generate seasonal income throughout the year. As Mongolian herders are predominantly reliant on this produce, access to resources and means of production is paramount to their access to decent work year round. A great example of this was discussed by the workshop participants from Arkhangai. The women spoke of their relative success in adding value to their produce through the production of ‘fancy’ aaruul (a traditional Mongolian curd cheese) which they sold directly to customers in the capital and other cities across Mongolia. They keenly noted that aaruul, along with sales from other such value-added dairy products, accounted for roughly 80% of their household income. In a later discussion regarding the production of value-added produce and their access to opportunities for professional development and learning, the women all strongly desired increased access to vocational training, forums and knowledge sharing in order to independently improve the earning potential of their produce.

Another important factor that sits front and centre of both international and more localised decent work agendas is the impact of climate change and the realities of its effect on rural pastoralists. With a changing climate, fragile ecosystems, such as those seen in Mongolia, are already dealing with the brunt of more extreme weather. According to Save the Children, Mongolia is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, with a significant rise in dzuds – catastrophic weather events when a drought in the warmer months is followed by extreme temperature drops and snowfall. In the past, dzuds were known to occur once every decade or so, however in recent years they have become much more common. The National Agency of Meteorology and the Environmental Monitoring (NAMEM) of Mongolia reported that as of February 2024, a total of 80% of the country has been in a dzud weather disaster, with iron- / glass-dzud hitting regions covering 58 soums, across 13 provinces of Mongolia. The snow fall, along with the fatally low temperatures, restricts livestocks’ access to food, creating significant challenges for herders. When discussing the impact of dzuds, long term weather forecasts was one way the participants said could help them in their preparations, with the groups all in agreement that such pre-warnings would allow them to stockpile hay for the animals, as well ensuring appropriate access to shelters.

While much of the discussions focused on the welfare of the land and livestock in the herder context, the women also spoke of the challenges they’d experienced with their own and other’s health and safety whilst working – a core component of the Decent Work Agenda. The ILO’s International Labour Standard on occupational safety and health states the importance of how ‘workers must be protected from sickness, disease and injury arising from their employment’. It also understands that this might not be the case for millions of workers worldwide – with some difficulties arising when the lines are blurred between the workplace and home and when income streams are seasonal. Using cashmere as an example, cashmere is harvested in the spring, over a course of a few months. Within that period, tens of millions of goats across the country are harvested for their fibre. This level of intensity can create a number of challenges with respect to health and safety, especially as the home and workplace, as previously mentioned, are one and the same. The women spoke about a number of issues including the importance of ‘safe and healthy working conditions that promote mental wellbeing and limit excess stress’ as well as ‘ensuring the work is appropriate for the ability and age of the person doing it’. The women, especially those from Arkhangai, expressed how taking time away from work and vacations played an important role in the reduction of workplace stress, especially as all the women agreed about the impact of their ‘triple labour burden’ – caring for the livestock, children and the elderly, the processing dairy products and housekeeping. It’s customary for children, especially adolescents, to support their family by helping with milking, cashmere harvesting and the processing of products from the animals, alongside caring for younger siblings. The workshop participants, worryingly, identified how children, especially boys, were increasingly being removed from school too soon in order to do so, thus not finishing their education. With respect to decent work, many of the women mentioned the importance of education for children, especially how the education of their children in soum centres (a community and commercial centres with access to facilities, education and commercial opportunities) played a significant role in their development. Soum centres have dormitories for children to attend school, however if those spaces are full, the women are expected to stay with the children, which was noted to potentially create marital stress. As the family and labour unit are the same, this can often lead to children being educated at home – another addition to the triple labour burden.

Another important factor raised by the participants was how the triple labour burden impacted their ability to access health care, due to time constraints along with a number of other obstacles. Some noted how health insurance was too expensive for them, while most of the women complained about how health care was not readily available, with doctors appointments difficult to obtain. They also discussed how they didn’t have confidence in the training of the bag (a smaller division of the soum) and soum doctors available to them – with many expressing worry about mis-diagnosis and dismissals of their symptoms. This, combined with their remote locations, presented a very real concern for the women, especially with respect to access to vaccinations, regular check ups and other preventative care and screenings.

In the context of community cooperatives and collectives, women across the various groups emphasised the critical need for organisations representing herders’ rights. These organisations would address pressing issues such as the loss of grazing lands, environmental degradation, inadequate access to health and veterinary services, and the absence of preschool facilities in remote rural areas. Particularly, they underscored the necessity for representation specifically tailored to women herders. Due to the triple labour burden the women highlighted the profound social isolation they sometimes experienced. They also expressed a desire for increased opportunities to participate in community and cultural events, seeking avenues for social connection and engagement. There was also a recurrent observation regarding the shift in herder culture towards individualism, which they saw to have eroded traditional forms of community solidarity, collective work, cooperation, and mutual support. While some communities still maintain these traditions, others have experienced a decline, impacting both local and global perspectives on accessing decent work opportunities. These observations underscore the importance of revitalising and preserving communal values to foster more inclusive and sustainable decent work for women herders.

The insights gleaned from discussions between the workshop facilitators and the women herders immediately shed light on something interesting. In terms of the ILO’s approach to decent work, which is categorised under somewhat rigid frameworks, the women herders held a more holistic perspective on what constitutes decent work. From their perspective, decent work relied heavily on the interdependent integration of human, environmental and livestock health and wellbeing.

The participants emphasised the importance of:

  • The health of the environment in which they do the work.
  • The health of the livestock on which their livelihoods depend, and which in turn depend on a healthy environment.
  • Human health and wellbeing – which is also linked to the two previous points.

These points prompt reflection on the potential gap between global standards and the realities and requirements of herders, especially women, in Mongolia’s countryside. However, it also offers an opportunity for organisations like the SFA, which use international standards to craft their own standards, to develop an approach to decent work that makes use of insights from both ends of the spectrum.

Learn more about how the SFA incorporates decent work practices into their standards here.

Lotti Blades-Barrett

8 March 2024

Dzud Hits Mongolia | Devastating Conditions for Livestock & Herders

Posted by Katy Edwards

The National Agency Meteorology and the Environmental Monitoring (NAMEM) of Mongolia reports that as of February 2024, a total of 80% of the country is in a “Dzud” weather disaster, with Iron / Glass Dzud hitting regions covering 58 soums, across 13 provinces.

According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) report on the 26th of February 2024, the loss of livestock reached 2.3 million, an 86% increase compared to the same period last year.

Map showing areas affected by Dzud in Mongolia and their severity level on the 10th February 2024.
Reference NAMEM.

What is Dzud?

Mainly occurring in steppe regions of central and east Asia, Dzud is a winter weather phenomenon in which deep snow, severe cold, or other conditions render forage unavailable or inaccessible, leading to high livestock mortality. Dzud is considered a disaster due to its effects on livestock populations that support the livelihoods of a third of Mongolia’s population.

Not just leading to a disastrous number of livestock loss, Dzud can also threaten human lives as it makes travel conditions and transportation impossible. Food, drink, fuel, medicine, and other necessities quickly become unreachable for a period beyond the regular supply reserves of households. The devastation it brings can have a turning impact on household livelihoods, as well as local and national economies.

There are many types of Dzud, from White Dzud and Cold Dzud to Black Dzud and
Hooves Dzud, each with their own extreme conditions and harsh weather affects.

Each type of Dzud brings its own extreme level of conditions that challenge herders beyond their provisions for already harsh Mongolian winters. Although not regular in occurrence, scientists documented changes in regional climate in the past 60 years and predict that Dzud will likely increase in frequency and magnitude with future atmospheric changes.

How does Dzud affect animals?

With this year’s disaster hitting especially hard, Mongolia is expected to see more snowfall throughout the beginning of March. With this, animal mortality will reach devastating numbers due to the lack of feed and water, combined with the extreme cold, as herders exhaust their winter reserves.

Records warn that a tough spring is likely to  follow these harsh Dzud conditions, with storms, blizzards, and floods causing a late arrival of fresh grass. Herders will need intense strength as they start to approach offspring season and prepare for already weakened survivor herds following the Dzud disaster.

How does Dzud affect people?

Herder communities and their families are physically affected by the Dzud with road blockades making it difficult to reach water, food, fuel, and to stock up on supplies. Additionally, being cut off from medical and emergency services can cause serious situations for those who need it.

With a shortage of cash on hand, many herders will try to restock these necessities by exploiting an advance sales payment for their upcoming cashmere harvest. Burdening to their already decreased harvest in the spring, this will affect them financially during the cashmere season with a loss on actual market price.

Besides livestock and financial loss, herders will suffer from stress and mental well-being as an outcome of these tough conditions. Especially young herders, who need moral support to cope with the loss and devastation. In many cases, herders face a total loss of livestock that will likely force many to migrate to urban settlements, adding to the already overpopulated slums and poverty in the city.

How can we help?

The Mongolia government, managed by the State Emergency Commission, began immediate response to the disaster situation by making roads accessible, distributing hays, fodders for animals, and necessary relief to herders. However, despite government measures and aid from international donor organisations, more assistance in parallel is needed to reach and support all households to mitigate animal and livestock losses effectively.

Utilising knowledge and previous experiences from reports such as “Lessons from the Dzud” (co-written by SFA founder Batkhishig Baival), we are informed through science on how best to adapt and increase resilience in these disastrous situations. The report recommends that short-term aid relief should link to sustainable long-term development support. In line with the recommendations presented in this report, the SFA has begun initiating immediate aid for SFA herder organisations in the regions that have been hit hardest. Through organised coordination with local governments and herder communities, the SFA Mongolia team begun distributing vital animal feed and supplies this week to six SFA herder organisations spread across three soums in the north-eastern provinces.

Animal feed is purchased with support from
SFA brand members and partners.
SFA Mongolia team distributes animal feed to
herder organisations in worst hit areas.

The SFA works with established herder organisations that consist of multiple herding families in a communal grazing area, supporting them in governance, capacity building, and participatory planning to bring benefits to their livelihood. Find out more about how we support herder livelihoods and more through our work and standards here.

Throughout the last week, we have begun raising funds internally with incredible support from SFA members and partners to look to purchase and deliver essential items, such as fodders, blankets for animals, salt, supplements, batteries, medicines, and milk supplements for newborn animals. These items are purchased from local suppliers at the province level and handed over to herder organisation leaders, ensuring efficient distribution to herders in need, as well as supporting local businesses.

Supplies are delivered to the heads of SFA herder organisations,
who will distribute out to their member households.
Certificate of appreciation is received from Khentii province government, with thanks to SFA Mongolia and our members.

Thank you to SFA Members & Partners

On behalf of our SFA herders and herder organisations, we would like to say a huge thank you to all our brand and retailer members, chain of custody participants and partners who have already reached out to us with amazing offers of support. Without your generous donations and joint efforts, we wouldn’t be able to support our herder households in working to overcome the Dzud disaster by providing much-needed moral support.

Ms Narantsetseg, head of the Yavin-Bulag herder cooperative, of Umnudelger soum Khentii Province, expressed profound gratitude for the aid received via video call to the SFA Mongolia & UK team:

“It is the first aid we receive for the entire soum. The cube feeds are crucial for this time. We are distributing them to co-op members and begging Mother Nature to turn the season soon. Thank you SFA for the aid!”

While initial relief efforts have garnered commendation from local authorities, the road ahead remains fraught with challenges. The SFA aid campaign is ongoing and calling members and other partners in the natural fibre industry for support. If you would like to get involved with our Dzud natural disaster plan and emergency fund, please contact info@sustainablefibre.org.

A Mongolian proverb says:

“It is worth helping with a single needle when in need, rather than a whole camel in time of prosperity.”

Tamir Bud

SFA COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

29 February 2024

SNF Global Conference 2024 | Event Overview

Posted by Katy Edwards

11th – 12th April 2024

Jinhai Lake International Convention Centre

Pinggu District of Beijing, China

SNF Conference Summary

Building a Sustainable Future

In collaboration with the SFA and other likeminded organisations, the Sustainable Natural Fibres (SNF) Global Conference is a two-day event that is free to attend by registering your interest to join through the button above. This international conference is aimed at advancing sustainability and responsible practices within the natural fibres and fashion textile sector, covering animal fibres, down, silk, and other ethically sourced materials.

It serves as a learning platform for all stakeholders engaged in the industry supply chains, from herders and growers to manufacturers and international brands, as well as research and academic institutions, government bodies, private sector bodies and NGOs.

By fostering a collaborative environment, the event allows participants to come together, exchange ideas and cultivate synergistic relationships to raise awareness and promote climate action.

Experience the event

The global gathering will unite stakeholders from the natural fibres, fashion and retail sectors, including:

Growers & Herders

Standards & Certification Bodies

Associations

Processors & Manufacturers

Brands & Retailers

NGOs

Brokers & Exporters

Designers

Consultants

Media & Press

Academia & Students

Government

Be informed, inspired and empowered

The conference will feature plenary sessions, interactive workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities.

High profile speakers and experts will provide insights on emerging trends, present-day challenges, and strategic approaches to safeguard communities involved in natural fibre production. Discussions will highlight successful case studies and facilitate meaningful conversations on creating a more sustainable future. Topics to be addressed include:

  • Climate change impact on herders, farmers and growers.
  • Sustainability trends in natural fibre and fashion industry.
  • Global brands and local enterprises collaboration for sustainability.
  • Regenerative agriculture.
  • Animal welfare considerations.
  • Innovative supply chain tools and technologies.
  • Green finance opportunities.

Sustainable fashion showcase

As part of the two-day event, the conference will launch the Sustainable Natural Fibre International Fashion Design Competition as well as feature a showcase for emerging designers specialising in the use of natural fibres. Innovative design creations will be exhibited at the conference venue, while a fashion show for a new generation of talented designers will take place at the U-town Shopping Centre.

Participants will have the opportunity to witness progressive fashion crafted by up-and-coming designers, skilfully blending creative concepts with a commitment to sustainability.

Contact us for information about how to enter the fashion competition and showcase.

China emerges as the ideal location to host the
SNF Global Conference

As the world’s largest producer and exporter of textile raw materials, including cashmere, China possesses unparalleled expertise in natural fibres and holds significant influence in the global textile industry.

By embracing eco-friendly manufacturing practices and technological innovations, China can serve as a catalyst for inspiring global efforts towards sustainability.

The country’s dynamic fashion industry and rapidly growing consumer market create an ideal environment for advocating sustainable choices. As Chinese consumers increasingly prioritise environmental considerations, China has the potential to spearhead worldwide trends towards greener fashion alternatives.

Cashmere-Fibres

Join us in Beijing

The Pinggu District in Beijing offers a blend of natural beauty and culture. Nestles among stunning landscapes, Pinggu offer picturesque views of Jinhai Lake and hosts the International Peach Blossom Festival every year in April.

In addition to its natural attractions, Beijing’s cultural richness is reflected in its iconic landmarks such as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall of China.

The city also boasts a vibrant culinary scene, bustling markets, dynamic arts and entertainment, and a thriving fashion and retail hub that blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary style.

Prepare for your journey

To ensure a smooth and efficient journey to Beijing, we recommend securing your travel arrangements well in advance.

For air travel, your destination will be one of the three major airports: Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport, or Beijing Nanyuan Airport.

For those travelling by high-speed train, the nearest station to the Jinhai Lake International Convention Centre is Yanjiao Railway Station.

It is important to note that entry into China may require a valid visa. To obtain comprehensive information regarding visa requirements and application procedures, we suggest reaching out to the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country of residence.

Enjoy your stay

The SNF Global Conference will take place at the Jinhai Lake International Convention Centre, situated in the scenic Pinggu District of Beijing. Its unique design is inspired by its natural surroundings of mountains, valleys, and integrated rock formations.

To ensure your comfort and convenience, accommodations at the Grand Metropark Jinhai Lake Hotel in Pinggu District and the Crowne Plaza Beijing Chaoyang U-Town in Chaoyang District have been arranged and will be fully covered for the duration of the event. Additionally, meals will be provided throughout the conference to ensure that all participants have a seamless and enjoyable experience.

Conference Schedule

Please find below the current draft version of the conference schedule.

Thursday 11th April 2024
REGISTRATION & CHECK IN
Jinhai Lake Convention Centre
8:00AM
WELCOME & OPENING SESSIONS
Welcome remarks and presentations on emerging trends, challenges, and breakthroughs in sustainable practices.
9:00AM
LUNCH
Buffet lunch is provided at the conference venue.
12:00PM
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
Natural Fibre Comprehensive Forum
1:00PM
FASHION DESIGN COMPETITION SHOWCASE
4:00PM
SNF CONFERENCE BANQUET
Venue TBC.
7:00PM
Friday 12th April 2024
OPENING REMARKS & AGENDA
Jinhai Lake Convention Centre
9:00AM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Roundtable discussions for animal fibre, down, and silk sectors.
9:30AM
LUNCH
Buffet lunch is provided at the conference venue.
12:00PM
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
1:00PM
FASHION SHOW & COMPETITION AWARD CEREMONY
4:00PM
CLOSING REMARKS
6:00PM

Sponsorship Opportunities

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS PLATINUM GOLD SILVER BRONZE SUPPORTER
AMOUNT IN USD
$24,000
$12,000
$6,000
$3,000
$1,500
COMPLIMENTARY CONFERENCE PASSES
15
10
6
3
1
LOGO ONSITE
VERY PROMINENT
VERY PROMINENT
VERY PROMINENT
PROMINENT
PROMINENT
SOCIAL MEDIA MENTION
TABLETOP EXHIBIT
POP-UP AT U-TOWN CENTRE
DISTRIBUTION OF PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
SPECIAL MENTION BY CONFERENCE MODERATOR

Please do contact us for more details on how you can become a sponsor.

Take part in a global network

The Sustainable Natural Fibres Global Conference is organised by the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW) of the China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation (CAPIAC).

The conference is held in collaboration with the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) and the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute (CCMI). It is supported by the Government of the Beijing Pinggu District.

Partners of the event include Australian Wool Growers’ Association, Mohair South Africa, China Down Industry Association, National Wool Industry Technology System, National Mulberry and Silkworm Industry Technology System and Inner Mongolia Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.

Register to join by clicking the button below or for more information about how to take part in this exciting event, please contact our communications team at the following email address: info@sustainablefibre.org

Whether you have inquiries about registration, speaker opportunities, sponsorship, or any other aspect of the event, we are happy to assist you.

See you soon!

SNF Conference Summary

Katy Edwards

SFA MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Update: 6 March 2024

Ensure Your Supply Chain is Certified Against the SFA CFPS

Posted by Katy Edwards

It is SFA policy that only cashmere that has been dehaired and scoured in compliance with the SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard (CFPS) can be considered to be ‘SFA Certified’. The timeline has now been defined and primary processors will have until 1st November 2024 to become certified. In order to achieve this deadline, please reach out to your supply chains and make sure they are certified, as after this date they will no longer be able to supply ‘SFA Certified’ cashmere without CFPS certification. Additionally, we will be providing training for CFPS over the next few months, so please do reach out to us at info@sustainablefibre.org if organisations within your supply chain would like to attend.

To help you communicate the benefits of certification and the process for getting certified, we have created the guide below. Please share it with your supply chain and encourage them to get certified as soon as possible.

What is the SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard?

The SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard has been developed for primary processing plants that sort, scour (wash) and de-hair raw cashmere fibres. The requirements are focused on the reduction and elimination of harmful chemicals such as APEOs in line with ZDHC’s MRSL, efficient use of energy and water, and ensuring safe and fair working environments.

The standard can be applied to processing plants that sort, prepare, scour and / or de-hair cashmere fibre along with the environmental, social and supply chain elements of the business that run alongside these operations. This helps to provide economic growth for herders and the supply chain, as processes such as sorting help to increase the value of fibres. This continuous improvement within your supply chain, supported by the standard, will allow for better measuring and monitoring in key areas such as carbon reduction.

It is split into different units for each of these processes, and processing plants must achieve compliance in all units that are relevant to its function. By becoming certified against the SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard, your supply chain is proving that it is committed to the following principles:


SOCIAL & ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Fair labour & working conditions
  • No child labour
  • Health, safety & hygiene


ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

  • Safe use of chemicals & hazardous substances
  • No APEOs
  • Energy & water usage
  • Controlled environmental waste management

SUPPLY CHAIN & BUSINESS OPERATIONS

  • Long-term economic growth
  • Economic value for herders & supply chain
  • Accountability & effective management through KPIs

What are the Benefits of Certification?

1. Increased value through SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard

The SFA offers the SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard as a way for the primary processors in your supply chain to demonstrate their commitment to, and success in, meeting environmental and workplace best practice. Achieving this allows primary processors to sell SFA Certified fibre as part of the Chain of Custody. The SFA also provides support, training, and assessments in the Standard.

2. Increased value through SFA Chain of Custody

To meet the growing consumer expectations for transparency and sustainably produced goods, the SFA has implemented a Chain of Custody within its Standards. This allows the primary processors within your supply chain to validate their fibres as those originating from certified sources and attain greater value. This ensures that you, and other buyers along the supply chain, can trace the certified status of your purchases.

3. Links to fibre producers

Primary processors, who are SFA certified, gain access to cashmere-connect.com where they are visible to Mongolian herder organisations and can access valuable information about them. Events such as the “Herding Organisation & Processor Meet & Greet”, which promotes collaboration between processors and herders, are also open to certified members. These offerings have been invaluable during global events like the Covid pandemic, when traders who usually facilitate the connections were unable to travel.

4. Market links

Access to cashmere-connect.com also provides visibility to other SFA members and Chain of Custody participants. The platform displays business contact details and in addition, certain processors may disclose the quantity of raw fibre they currently have in stock. It helps to promote trust between buyers and sellers of the cashmere sector through a common Standard.

5. Focused training

Through the Clean Fibre Processing Standard, the SFA offers training sessions and in-depth training manuals across all three areas of cashmere fibre primary processing. These are:

  • Sorting
  • Scouring
  • Dehairing

We will be providing training over the next few months, so please do reach out to us at info@sustainablefibre.org if organisations within your supply chain would like to attend.

6. Invitations to SFA events

In addition to providing training on our Standards, the SFA offers many networking events, member meetings and conferences. Certified processors are also given the opportunity to speak at SFA conferences to present their perspectives on diverse topics related to the cashmere sector.

7. Greater understanding of their agency as cashmere processors

The main objective of the SFA is to promote the sustainable and responsible production of cashmere that adheres to global standards. In pursuit of this objective, the SFA encourages processors to source and process responsibly in order to add value and reputation as well as continuous improvement to bring social and environmental change. Additionally, an emphasis is placed on operating efficiently and transparently to ensure accountability within the industry and your own supply chain to help bring about better measuring and monitoring.

8. Be better informed about opportunities to integrate SFA Standards

The SFA’s grassroots approach involves actively engaging with those who adhere to the SFA Standards into their day-to-day operations. Feedback from processors on how to demonstrate compliance and show improvements, including inputs on practical limitations, play a pivotal role in forming and refining the SFA requirements.

How do they become certified?

1. Register with the SFA

First and foremost, if the primary processors within your supply chain are looking for certification against the SFA Chain of Custody and / or Textile Exchange Content Claim Standard to produce, process and/or trade ‘SFA Certified’ fibre they must register with the SFA. Registering with the SFA will generate a unique reference number for their company.

To get started, they need to email membership@sustainablefibre.org.

2. Find a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB)

Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) are independent third parties accredited to carrying out certification and other activities related to the assurance of certification schemes. The list of CABs approved to conduct certification activities for the SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard and SFA Chain of Custody can be found here on the SFA website.

3. Complete an assessment and, if they’re successful, become certified

Their chosen CAB will be able to provide more information on the certification process including how long it takes and costs.

Is your supply chain certified ready?

With the information provided above on the benefits and process of becoming certified against the SFA Clean Fibre Processing Standard and SFA Chain of Custody, we do hope that you reach out to your supply chains over the coming months to ensure that they are certified and have their relevant scope certificates come 1st November 2024 to help keep your supply chain running smoothly.

Katy Edwards

SFA MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

26 January 2024

What Makes Cashmere, Cashmere?

Posted by Katy Edwards

Unravel cashmere's unique qualities and their role in the responsible production of cashmere.

The insurance of high-quality cashmere fibre is one of a number of important factors that feed into its responsible production – the core of the Sustainable Fibre Alliance’s (SFA) mission. Achieving gold standard sustainable fibre should exist in conjunction with the commercial interests of the sector. However, such an outcome depends on an approach that holistically focuses on a number of key environmental, welfare and production areas – it also takes time, which does not often work well in the context of fast fashion. In this article, we are going to explore how cashmere’s properties, origins and qualities play a significant role in steering the industry’s longevity and authenticity, alongside reducing its environmental and social impact.

Cashmere is combed or sheared from cashmere goats predominantly herded or farmed on arid plains in China, Mongolia and Afghanistan. High quality cashmere relies on the seasonal, subzero temperatures of these environments in order for goats to grow the insulating undercoats that the fibre is harvested from. Cashmere is world renowned for its softness, warmth, elasticity and, when knitted or woven, its ability to keep its shape. Once recognised for its exclusivity, cashmere is now a high street and supermarket staple and is available to suit more democratised price points. However, the casualty of quantity is quality, with lower grade fibres added to the mix to meet the growing demand for cheaper, faster fashion.https://www.traditionrolex.com/22

Cashmere’s unique qualities stem from a number of core, measurable properties including fineness (the fibre’s diametre), length, colour and crimp, which vary depending on a number of factors including the age, breed and welfare of cashmere goats, their environment and the way in which the fibre is harvested, stored and processed. The standards for the welfare of cashmere goats vary depending on their location, but all prioritise the natural behaviours of cashmere herds and their mental wellbeing, access to good quality food, clean water and shelter when required. In Mongolia, the welfare of cashmere goats is intrinsically linked to the quality of their natural environment, which has come under strain due to climate change and overgrazing. Ensuring the preservation of the goats’ natural habitat is dependent on effective herd management and regenerative herding practices to ensure grasslands are utilised and maintained in line with nature, not against it. Effective Management and Animal Welfare, along with preservation and improvement of good quality cashmere fibre are three of the five Global Principles outlined by the SFA’s Cashmere Standard for the responsible production of cashmere. The continued decline of cashmere fibre is a direct symptom of overconsumption and poses a significant threat to the livelihoods and prosperity of cashmere herders, as well as to the integrity and longevity of cashmere fabric. By committing to improving fibre quality, the SFA aims to secure livelihoods for cashmere herders, enabling them to maintain their traditional way of life with incomes that can sustain them. Furthermore, it sits at the heart of the SFA’s call-to-action for developing sustainable cashmere supply chains in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to eradicate poverty (Goal One) and to encourage and incentivise the sustainable production and consumption of cashmere fibre (Goal Twelve). However, improving cashmere fibre quality is not a simple fix and it takes time to see marked differences, especially as cashmere goats produce harvests just once a year. In line with the SFA’s Cashmere Standard, there are a number of key areas that herders need to focus on in order to maximise on fibre quality including responsibly breeding goats that produce good quality fibre, knowledge sharing between herder communities, and monitoring and adapting their methods depending on the outcome of their annual harvest. Knowledge sharing is especially important in the context of environmental responsibility, not only in cashmere, but across the entirety of the fashion sector and other global industries. Applying effective knowledge and methods to one group is good, but sharing such insight across an expanse of groups and communities is excellent. This is how long lasting sector-wide sustainable impact is made.

The key to unlocking high quality, high grade cashmere fibre – graded from A to C, depends on the aforementioned environmental and welfare conditions goats reside in, but it also depends on several other external factors. For instance, the way in which the fibre is sorted and stored. The age and colour of goats are important to the overarching quality of fibre and, in mixed herds, the SFA Cashmere Standard ensures that fibres are sorted and stored with this in mind to separate different grades of cashmere fibre. Fibres are also stored using materials that reduce the likelihood of contamination, be that via fragments from the storage itself – such as fragile polypropylene bags, or other foreign, biological materials.

To protect the integrity of cashmere fibre, fibres are tested in laboratory settings to ensure the quality and authenticity of cashmere goods. Industry leaders such as the CCMI and SGS respectively promote and use various technologies, like optical and scanning electron microscopes to check fibre scales, along with other properties such as fibre fineness in order to test these perimetres, identifying products that are falsely labelled via fibre blends or fibre qualities that are below industry standards.

When asked: ‘How does effective fibre testing and identification have an impact on the cashmere’s industry progression toward increased sustainability?’ CCMI’s President Fabio Garzena responded:

“Testing methods – microscopy before and more recently instrumental methods like proteomics and DNA had, have and will have a direct impact on the sustainability of the fibre. If the cashmere wasn’t recognised as such by testing or if its value and integrity wasn’t protected in the past and now, and hopefully in the future (mainly by the action of CCMI and its members), the cashmere industry would have not been sustainable and the value chain and its viability could have been compromised. Today we associate the concept of “sustainability” with animal welfare, grassland management and soil degradation, but these important aspects are the most recent of many challenges that the entire cashmere industry has faced, is still facing, and will face.

There is still a need for further innovations in testing technology. Today, we lack a reliable quantitative methodology to measure the blends of recycled and virgin cashmere. Even qualitative evaluations are not reliable or standardised. Recycled cashmere is cashmere, but of course has a lower quality compared to virgin cashmere, however most of the recycled cashmere is not sold as such to consumers, which are unaware of what they are buying. This is not transparent for consumers and is unfair competition for the supply chain that lives on virgin cashmere and is producing the cashmere that will be recycled in the future.

Everything is “sustainability”: some aspects or past challenges have been resolved only because they have become “business as usual”, but cannot be ignored, but managed daily. Current “sustainability” efforts are more challenging because they need more network integration and collaboration, which is complex and needs time and compromises to be accepted by everyone.”

When mentioning significant trends or changes in cashmere fibre testing, and whether fibre quality or purity has changed over recent years, Fabio said:

“During the last decade there have been various, very important innovations in the testing technologies related to animal fibers recognition and quantification, which of course includes cashmere. Proteomics methods have been developed and standardised and their use is and will get more widespread with the reduction of their cost (already similar to traditional microscopy). Such instrumental methodology has resolved, once and for all, the issue of distinguishing cashmere from yak or very fine wool with a fully objective method (an improved DNA based method will add further tools in this direction). Microscopy of course is objective but relies on technicians’ skill, so is very difficult to master. Instrumental analysis requires training and investments in expensive equipment, but can scale up easier if needed.

About quality and purity, these are concepts that depend on where and when we consider such features: quality of cashmere might be slightly reduced compared to the past, but this has nothing to do with purity. Purity is a concept related to manufacturing in all the different stages of the supply chain, of course without considering “intentional blends” made with fraudulent intent. For those cases of course testing technology have been an extremely important tool.”

The fineness of cashmere fibre is defined by the fibre’s diameter, measured in microns – a micron is one millionth of a metre (µm). The micron count of cashmere fibre can measure anywhere from 15 microns to 19 microns, with some super fine cashmere measuring as low as 14 microns from adult goats. For context, The International Wool Textile Organisation states wool fibres can range from 17 microns for super fine merino wool to 40 microns for much coarser wool used in carpets and hard wearing textiles. The fineness of cashmere fibre is what makes it soft and gentle on skin, with finer fibres achieving higher premiums. Fibres with higher micron counts such as wool are known for their irritation when worn next to skin. In contrast, cashmere’s fineness reduces irritation and increases practical versatility with a range of applications in garment and accessory design and production.

A much sought after, super fine cashmere, reserved only for the upper echelons of the luxury market – is baby cashmere – cashmere harvested from kids less than one year old. As goats mature their fibre thickens, but young kids produce cashmere with an average micron count of just 13.5 microns, which takes an entire season to produce just 30 grams. For context, an adult cashmere goat produces on average over 110 grams per growing season, so baby cashmere is an extremely rare and expensive fibre.

Another defining feature of cashmere quality is the length of the fibre – known as the ‘staple length’ – with lengths ranging from approximately 28mm to 42mm. The longer the staple lengths the higher the quality, because longer fibres are easier to spin and produce stronger yarns, fabrics and clothing that are more resistant to pilling (the bulbs that form in areas of high friction). Longer fibres also allow cashmere garments and fabrics to retain their shape better, with shorter fibres producing more fragile garments that have a more common tendency to stretch after wear and washing – feeding into the unsustainability of fast, throwaway fashion.

Multiple studies have identified how harvesting methods can impact fibre length, with industry leaders preferring the traditional combing method over shearing. Combing is when the fine cashmere undercoat is gently removed from the goat’s coarser guard coat during shedding season and naturally maintains the entirety of the fibre’s length, while reducing the removal of coarser guard hairs. Cashmere purity refers to the ratio of fine cashmere fibre to coarser guard hair exceeding the 30 micron limit. As identified by the CCMI, classified cashmere garments and fabrics should not contain more than 3% (by weight) of cashmere fibres above this limit. By shearing, coarser guard hairs are more prominent in harvests.

Cashmere is lauded for its ability to take dyes and retain its colour fastness – the capacity of materials to keep their colour. Lighter cashmere fibres are more versatile with respect to this and are therefore seen to be more valuable. White fibres, the industry’s gold standard, remove or reduce the need for bleaching at the dye phase and provide a wider variety of colour options. For darker fibres, bleaching is a necessity but can be harsh on fibres and can therefore impact the strength of the fibres in the long run. However, white cashmere fibre is not a natural norm and is most easily attained in a controlled farm setting, such as those seen in China. Cashmere goats herded in Mongolia and Afghanistan as a part of traditional pastoral lifestyles vary greatly in colour, with fewer white goats set against herds ranging from greys, browns and sometimes black. Mongolia’s national herd is known for its grey and brown goats, while Afghanistan’s herd is darker again, with goats producing grey, dark brown and sometimes black fibres. Selective breeding is one way the SFA is working with herders towards increased fibre quality, which involves the breeding of goats with fibres in a range of colours that are longer, finer and with higher levels of crimp.

Crimp refers to the natural waves of cashmere fibres, with higher crimp more prominent in finer fibres. Cashmere fibres are naturally wavy, providing essential insulation for goats raised in cold climates. Fibres with increased levels of crimp are of a higher standard and are linked to cashmere’s elasticity and the aforementioned insulation properties. Higher crimp not only increases insulation through the capture of heat bubbles in the wave, but it also enables fibres to lock together more effectively during the yarn spinning phase of production. Crimp is also known to give cashmere its loftiness and famously luxurious drape.

While setting the precedent for the continuation and increased flow of high quality cashmere fibre should be set by the cashmere industry itself, the consumer still has a significant role to play. Due to the nature of cashmere, it should not play a role in any decisions to impulse buy. Investing in pieces that last and are well made from high quality, responsibly sourced materials is paramount to the move to more environmentally and ethically sustainable fashion and textiles. While consumers might not have access to in-depth technical information, understanding the journey of cashmere and the importance of fibre quality for the sustainability of the cashmere industry is integral to making responsible purchasing decisions.

Lotti Blades-Barrett

22 January 2024