The Sustainable Fibre Alliance is a non-profit organisation that works with the extended cashmere supply chain from herders to retailers, to ensure the long-term viability of the cashmere sector.
Our goal is to promote the SFA Cashmere Standard to encourage the adoption of responsible production practices that minimise environmental impact, safeguard herder livelihoods and ensure animal welfare.
Visit our main website www.sustainablefibre.org for more information
The SFA Certified Suppliers is a database of herder organisations and first-stage processing plants that have been certified in the Codes of Practice, which underpin the SFA Cashmere Standard – the world’s first holistic sustainability standard for cashmere. Access to this database is open to certified parties and SFA Members.
For herders, certification represents a compliance with the minimum requirements of both the Rangeland Stewardship Code of Practice and the Animal Husbandry Code of Practice. For processors, certification represents compliance with the minimum requirements of our Clean Fibre Processing Code of Practice.
All parties must comply with the SFA Code of Conduct.
Why become SFA Certified?
- This database provides visibility to other herder organisations, traders, processing plants, manufacturers and international buyers along the supply chain who are SFA certified or members.
- Those complying with the relevant Code of Practices will be given an ‘SFA
Certified’ logo that you can use on any business materials you produce. This will allow you to demonstrate your commitment to a sustainable cashmere supply chain to your providers and the winder industry. - Only those certified by the SFA as using sustainable and welfare friendly
practices can make claims regarding the cashmere you are selling. These
claims can be demonstrated if sales have been recorded using one of the SFA’s triplicate books, which will leave you with physical proof of the transaction that you can either keep as paper, or scan/photograph and store electronically. - Those herding organisations and producers certified with the SFA are eligible to be part of the SFA chain of custody, the tracing of SFA certified cashmere through a sustainable cashmere supply chain.
- SFA certified parties will be able to request assistance from the SFA if disputes arise in relation to your trades. Refer to the handbook for further information.
Assurance Process and Award Levels
- After registering with the SFA, herder organisations and processors carry out a self-assessment against the relevant codes of practice, which is then checked by the SFA and independently verified by site visits from trained assessors.
- They can only be accredited against the SFA Cashmere Standard following independent verification of compliance. We have three award levels to indicate the level of compliance with a particular code of practice: Bronze (minimum requirements met), Silver and Gold (fully
compliant with requirements).