WHAT IS THE SFA ANIMAL FIBRE STANDARD
The SFA Animal Fibre Standard defines best practices for responsible cashmere and animal fibre production. Focused at the herder-level, the standard covers the most pressing sustainability issues associated with raw fibre production and outlines the intended outcomes achieved through the standard’s adoption.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE STANDARD
The SFA Animal Fibre Standard was published in December 2024 following an extensive revision and multi-stakeholder consultation throughout 2023 and 2024.
Previously known as the SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0, which was first introduced in January 2023, the revisions began as a global integration of national-level standards and the addition of requirements for decent work and improving fibre quality. Since the publication of the SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0, stakeholders raised concerns that the animal welfare requirements may not meet evolving consumer expectations, triggering the ISEAL Code of Good Practice requirement for further consultation. As such, the SFA postponed the transition deadline for the SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0 until after consultation and development work was carried out. The SFA has since reviewed considerable feedback received to develop the SFA Animal Fibre Standard v1.0.
The SFA Animal Fibre Standard has been restructured to allow for future scope expansion to include other animal fibres, however, v1.0 still only covers cashmere fibre production.
View the latest version of the SFA Animal Fibre Standard and related documents in the Resources section of the website.
SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Following the revisions of the SFA herder-level standard, we published a Summary of Changes document alongside the SFA Animal Fibre Standard that provides a detailed report of the consultations held throughout 2023 and 2024 as well as background on the previous SFA Cashmere Standard v1.0, outcomes of the review and a stakeholder engagement report.
View the SFA Animal Fibres Standard – Summary of Changes document here. Additionally, you can discover this document alongside similar ones outlining the development of the SFA Standards System in the Provide Feedback section of the website.
FIVE GLOBAL PRINCIPLES
The SFA Animal Fibre Standard lays out the definition of responsible cashmere and natural fibre production, by upholding five global principles, which are that herders:
- Improve the welfare of their fibre producing animals
- Safeguard biodiversity and use land responsibly
- Promote decent work
- Preserve and enhance fibre quality, and
- Operate an effective management system
Click on a principle below to learn more
GUIDANCE FOR SFA MEMBERS
Herder organisations and farms currently registered with the SFA will continue using the previous SFA Codes of Practice until the SFA Animal Fibre Standard becomes effective from 1st April 2025, and we recommend producers familiarise themselves with the new SFA standard. SFA and its partners will be offering training on the implementation and assurance of the new standard, visit the Training Sessions section for more information.
Within the new SFA Animal Fibre Standard, we will no longer award bronze, silver and gold certificates based on compliance. Instead, the new system will include requirements for continuous improvement built into the standard. Suppose you currently hold a bronze, silver or gold certificate. In that case, it will remain valid through to its expiration date, and certificates may continue to be awarded to those compliant with the old Codes of Practice system until the effective date of the SFA Animal Fibre Standard. Certificates achieved during that period will remain valid for 12 months before expiring.