Inside Outdoor Winter 2015

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collaboration on the part of multiple
brands to develop guidelines that not
only prevent animal cruelty, but will also
be adopted and can be monitored.
In the end, 2013 and 2014 were
benchmark years for down standards.
Patagonia published its 100% Traceable
Down Standard in 2013, and beginning
Fall 2014, all Patagonia down products
will contain 100% Traceable Down. Also
in 2014, a consortium of textile industry
organizations led by The North Face
ushered in the Responsible Down Stan-
dard (RDS), and Swedish outdoor ap-
parel maker Fjӓllrӓven developed stan-
dards of its own. In addition, Germany’s
Downpass Association introduced a
down standard.
All of the new down and feather
standards are similar but not exactly the
same. Here, Inside Outdoor looks at the
new standards, some of which are still in
development.
Patagonia’sTDS and
the GlobalTD
In 2002, Patagonia introduced
down into its product line without
scrutinizing the farming or produc-
tion methods of its suppliers. The
company later became the subject of
a highly publicized investigation by
Four Paws, an animal rights group,
for using “cruel down” plucked
from force fed animals. In response,
Patagonia decided to take a deep look
at its practices and supply chain and
resolved to develop a standard for ani-
mal welfare that could be modeled by
the entire outdoor apparel industry.
The Traceable Down Standard, as it is
called, has since been shared with NSF, a
global certification body, under the name
“The Global Traceable Down Standard.”
NSF has been charged with helping
companies worldwide join Patagonia in
its efforts to reduce animal cruelty in the
sourcing of down.
With the Traceable Down Standard,
all Patagonia down products will
contain 100% Traceable Down begin-
ning fall 2014. Under that standard, live
plucking and force feeding are prohib-
ited throughout the supply chain, which
for Patagonia begins at the parent farm
where birds can remain for four years
laying eggs. Independent auditors visit
parent farms to ensure best practices.
Independent auditors also visit hatcher-
ies to ensure baby birds are treated and
transported humanely and also visit the
raising farms, where birds in the supply
chain are at the highest risk of being
force fed. In the slaughterhouse, down
is washed and segregated to prevent
accidental blending with non-certified
down. Patagonia’s 100% Traceable
Down remains segregated at the down
processor, in transit and at the garment
factory. Meanwhile, garment sewers re-
ceive special training for handling 100%
Traceable Down.
Patagonia has taken this initiative a
step further by launching a consumer-
facing public education campaign
) in
stores, in its catalog, in print and online
advertising, on YouTube (with their
‘What the Pluck’ video), on social media,
and in a broad public relations push.
The Responsible
Down Standard
The RDS was designed for global use
by the entire feather and down supply
chain. To date, this standard has been
picked up by more than 30 brands,
which now use it to certify their down.
This includes The North Face, Eddie
Bauer, H&M, Adidas and Helly Hansen.
In addition, more than 300 sites have
been certified to date in Eastern Europe,
China, and Taiwan. The RDS Interna-
tional Working Group, which collaborat-
ed on the development of the standard,
includes The Outdoor Industry Asso-
ciation, Four Paws, Allied Feather and
Down, Down Lite, Textile Exchange and
several apparel brands.
RDS has been active for certification
since February 2014, and in development
since 2012. The development of this stan-
dard has included desk and field studies,
pilot audits, research, training and certifi-
cation at farms and slaughter houses, and
work with auditors.
Anne Gillespie of Textile Exchange,
the organization that owns and will
oversee administration of the RDS, esti-
mates that RDS is now supporting well
more than 25 million birds. She says that
number is expected to grow as brands
adopting the standard move over time
from partial to full compliance, and as
additional brands embrace RDS.
Life on the farm, for geese in the Patagonia supply chain
RDS logo of compliance
Inside Outdoor | Winter 2015 18