We are proud to say WoolTribe products use soft, luxurious Merino wool produced in the United States by Shaniko Wool Company. But that's just the beginning of the story.
What makes the wool we use even more special is the fact that it is certified under both the Responsible Wool Standard AND the Nativa-Regen certification process. But what do those certifications mean, and why do they matter?
Responsible Wool Standard
The Responsible Wool Standard certification program is managed by Textile Exchange, an organization that "...exist(s) to make sure that the materials used to make them are produced in a way that supports our planet, its ecosystems, and its communities."
At its core, Responsible Wool Standard certification gives customers all along the supply chain the confidence in the goods they are purchasing. Through regular audits conducted according to a strict suite of requirements, every part of the supply chain, from pasture to purchasers of end goods are assured that people, land, and animals are all treated fairly.
From the Textile Exchange website:
Ensuring responsible wool from sheep to store.
- Animal welfare protection: The Five Freedoms of animal welfare are protected with reference to standards and best practices around the world.
- Land health preservation: Progressive methods of land management are practiced on RWS farms, protecting soil health, biodiversity, and native species.
- Social welfare protection: Social welfare, working conditions, and the health and safety of workers are addressed.
- Chain of custody: Certification makes sure the identity of the RWS wool is maintained from farm to final product. Learn More
- Credible certification: A professional, third-party certification body audits each stage in the supply chain.
- Confident communication: Only products that meet all requirements may be labeled with the RWS logo.
- Stakeholder engagement: The RWS is managed with the input of farmers, animal welfare experts, land conservation experts, brands, and retailers from all parts of the globe.
Nativa-Regen
Nativa-Regen certification is all about traceability, sustainability, animal welfare and corporate social responsibility. The specific areas of focus include animal welfare, land and environment, and corporate social responsibility. From the Native Precious Fiber website:
NATIVA™ has developed The NATIVA™ Protocol.
The NATIVA™ Protocol certifies every step of the supply chain, from farm to brand, and ensures:
- Animal Welfare. To ensure animal welfare each farmer has a management plan, assessing feeding, breeding, behaviour, animal handling and health and infrastructure. This includes stress free shearing and the prohibition of mulesing.
- Land Management / Environment. NATIVA™ ensures that the capacity and quality of its farms are managed sustainably, protecting the environment. At industry level, the facilities involved are adequately managed to reduce their environmental impact or avoid it completely.
- Corporate Social Responsibility. The sustainability and economic growth of farming depends greatly on the socio-economic welfare of farmers and their communities. As part of the United Nations Global Compact, Chargeurs Luxury Materials is committed to respect, defend and apply principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption both at farm and industry level.
Where is WoolTribe in all of this?
We have chosen to use only Shaniko Wool Company wool for any of our products that include wool. While the knitting mills we work with are not yet certified, the wool is certified all the way through the spinning stage - when the wool is made into yarn that then is made into the products we hand dye and otherwise turn into the goods you see on our website. Our goal is to become Responsible Wool Standard certified, and to become an official partner of the Native-Regen initiative.
The Bottom Line
We don't actually have just one bottom line, we have three: People, Planet, and Profit. If people and planet (and all the natural resources and living things on it) aren't taken care of, it really won't matter how well any company does. Without a healthy planet, healthy people, environment, and animals, profit doesn't matter.