Responsbile Mohair Standard
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXTILE EXCHANGE
Introduction
The Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) is an international, voluntary standard that addresses animal welfare in goat farms and chain of custody of mohair from certified farms to the final product.
Individual sites are certified by independent third-party certification bodies using annual audits. Material is tracked from the farm to the final product using transaction certificates, following the requirements of Textile Exchange’s Content Claim Standard (CCS). For more information or to apply for certification, please visit Textile Exchange here.
The RMS 1.0 development process began in 2019, and the standard was published on March 17, 2020.
The Responsible Mohair Standards key objectives
Provide the industry with a tool to recognize the best practices of farmers.
Ensure that mohair comes from farms that have a progressive approach to managing their land, practice holistic respect for animal welfare of the goats and respect the Five Freedoms of animal welfare.
Ensure strong chain of custody for certified materials as they move through the supply chain.
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Protecting Animal Welfare
By means of a dedicated Industry Angora vet, ensuring best practices are in place and constant training for farm workers.
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Preserving Land Health
Progressive methods of land management are practiced on RMS farms, protecting soil health, biodiversity and native species.
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Protecting Social Welfare
Social welfare, working conditions, and health and safety of workers is addressed.
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Chain of Custody
Certification ensures that the identity of RMS Mohair fibre is maintained at all times: from the farm to the final product.
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Stakeholder Engagement
The RMS was developed with the input of farmers, animal welfare experts, land conservation experts, brands and retailers from all parts of the globe.
How does the RMS work?
The RMS requires all sites to be certified, beginning with the mohair farmers and through to the seller in the final business to business transaction. Usually the last stage to be certified is the garment manufacturer or brand. Retailers (business-to-consumers) are not required to be certified. Farms are certified to the Animal Welfare and Land Management and Social Modules of the RMS. Subsequent stages of the supply chain are certified to the Content Claim Standard requirements. If you wish to be certified to the RMS, you can contact one of the listed certification bodies.
Tools and Support
In this section you will find templates for plans and records required by the RMS and other tools and resources to help with the process of implementing the RMS.