{"id":164248,"date":"2021-02-25T13:38:46","date_gmt":"2021-02-25T13:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/john-lewis-to-fund-sustainable-cashmere-programme-in-inner-mongolia\/"},"modified":"2021-08-06T12:10:25","modified_gmt":"2021-08-06T12:10:25","slug":"john-lewis-to-fund-sustainable-cashmere-programme-in-inner-mongolia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/john-lewis-to-fund-sustainable-cashmere-programme-in-inner-mongolia\/","title":{"rendered":"John Lewis to fund sustainable cashmere programme in Inner Mongolia"},"content":{"rendered":"
John Lewis is funding a three-year programme run by the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA), to support the expansion of the its new Cashmere Standard from Mongolia to the Inner Mongolia region of China.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The SFA developed its standard to promote best practice in land management, animal welfare, fibre processing and supply chain transparency<\/strong> to ensure the long-term viability of the cashmere sector.\u00a0Climate change and increased global demand for cashmere are putting pressure on the fragile ecosystems the cashmere industry relies upon.<\/p>\n John Lewis is therefore funding the training of 420 herders in Inner Mongolia,<\/strong> on the global standard. Training will be provided by a leading animal welfare NGO, the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare(ICCAW),\u00a0together\u00a0with experts from a local agricultural university. Once the herders have completed their training,\u00a0they will carry out\u00a0self-assessments against the requirements of the Standard and undergo independent farm\u00a0inspections\u00a0before being given SFA accreditation.<\/p>\n In the first year, the programme will focus on animal welfare, and then it will be expanded to cover the protection of biodiversity<\/strong> and how to secure herder livelihoods in the long term.<\/p>\n Marija Rompani; Partner and Director of Ethics and Sustainability for the John Lewis Partnership explained: \u201cIt\u2019s very important to us and our customers that all of the raw materials in our products are sourced in a way that\u2019s good for the animals, land and people<\/strong> involved in their production. We have committed to ensuring all key raw materials in our own-brand products will be from sustainable or recycled sources by 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very proud to be a pioneer member of the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA) and to play a part in developing their global standard for sustainable cashmere production. This work will protect the welfare of the goats, the land and the livelihoods of thousands of families<\/strong> who are dependent upon the production of cashmere fibres.\u201d<\/p>\n Una Jones, CEO and Founder of the SFA\u00a0added:\u00a0\u201cWe are delighted to have the support of John Lewis, a respected brand, and their suppliers. Together with our other pioneering partners we are confident we can lead the way in developing the cashmere industry<\/strong> to achieve consistent high standards and protect the livelihoods of those dependent upon it.\u201d<\/p>\n