Responsible Wool Standard

The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary standard that addresses the welfare of sheep and the land they graze on.The goals of the Responsible Wool Standard are to provide the industry with a tool to recognize the best practices of farmers; ensuring that wool comes from farms that have a progressive approach to managing their land, practice holistic respect for animal welfare of the sheep and respect the Five Freedoms of animal welfare.The RWS requires all sites to be certified, beginning with the wool farmers and through to the seller in the final business to business transaction. Usually the last stage to be certified is the garment manufacturer or brand. Retailers (business-to-consumers) are not required to be certified. Farms are certified to the Animal Welfare and Land Management and Social Modules of the RWS. Subsequent stages of the supply chain are certified to the Content Claim Standard requirements.

The goals of the Responsible Wool Standard are to provide the industry with the best possible tool to:

• Recognize the best practices of farmers;

• Ensure that wool comes from farms with a progressive approach to managing their land, and from sheep that have been treated responsibly;

• Create an industry benchmark that will drive improvements in animal care and land management and social welfare where needed; and

• Provide a robust chain of custody system from farm to final product so that consumers are confident that the wool in the products they choose is truly RWS.