Cashmere, made from the down of the goat of the same name, is very popular in the West. But high demand can lead to environmentally damaging intensive farming, as well as production methods associated with poor working conditions for breeders and animal mistreatment.

Establishing trust through transparency

As a result founded in 2005 in Germany to promote the creation of sustainable value chains in the textile and fashion industry, the Aid by Trade Foundation has developed an independent standard for cashmere wool in 2019. Called The Good Cashmere Standard, it aims to improve the well-being of cashmere goats and the working conditions of their breeders, while protecting the environment. “Unfortunately, textile fiber fraud is not conducive to consumer confidence. For fashion brands, guaranteeing the transparency and reliability of their supply chain has become a key issue. By entering into this partnership with The Good Cashmere Standard, our aim is to promote full traceability of responsible cashmere, from the place where the goats are reared to the point of sale,” explains Amit Gautam, founder and CEO of Textile Genesis. “The challenge is also to put an end to illicit practices such as artificially duplicating stocks. Our technology creates digital twins that mirror the physical flow of goods to identify and validate each stage, avoiding this type of fraud. The collaboration between Textile Genesis and The Good Cashmere Standard will enable optimum tracking of cashmere produced in compliance with the quality standards defined by The Good Cashmere Standard. We look forward to continuing our partnership to support the implementation of traceability for further standards,” he concludes.

Building supply chain integrity

Christian Barthel, Head of Business Development at the Aid by Trade Foundation adds: “With The Good Cashmere Standard, we have not only created a trusted and influential benchmark for sustainably sourced cashmere, but also met the global demand from retailers and brands for sustainable cashmere fibres. With a strong focus on traceability and transparency, we have invested in developing a robust system that allows us to trace every order back to its cashmere producer, right from the beginning. We are now delighted to further strengthen our commitment by partnering with Textile Genesis and offering both existing and new partners the opportunity to work on a reputable and technologically innovative platform.” In conlusion, following the signature in October 2023 of a memorandum of understanding with the International Cotton Association (ICA) and the launch last January of two consortiums with footwear and leather players, Textile Genesis confirms, with this new collaboration, its central place in the ecosystem of players mobilizing for more sustainable and responsible fashion.