RWS – Responsible Wool Standard

The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is a voluntary, global standard, which ensures the welfare of sheep and sustainable use of the land used for grazing. Introduced in 2016, by the non-profit organisation Textile Exchange, it aims to promote ethical and environmental practices in the wool industry.

Core principles of the RWS:

• Animal welfare: ensuring that sheep are kept in a manner correct for the breed. Amongst other things, this includes guaranteeing access to clean drinking water at all times and enough feed, appropriate for the age of the animals. Interventions such as mulesing and branding are strictly forbidden.
• Land management: Encouraging sustainable farming methods, to prevent the degradation of the land due to overgrazing and protect biodiversity. The use of pesticides is reduced to the absolute minimum.
• Fair working conditions: All companies along the production chain guarantee fair working conditions and appropriate pay. Exploitation and child labour are prohibited.

LAMBSWOOL

Our yarn LAMBSWOOL embodies these principles in every fibre – the entire production chain is RWS certified.

The wool originates from merino sheep at Congi Farm in Eastern Australia, which has belonged to the Field family for over a century. An exceptionally high quality of fibre is assured by employing the latest technology along with sustainable, certified management of the flock.

Processing is then carried out in Italy, by our partner for many years Botto Giuseppe, who have been producing high quality yarns and fabrics since 1876. What stands out as a true rarity: all production phases, from washing to combing, spinning and dyeing to finishing, take place exclusively in their own factories.

All stages in the finishing, including the dyeing process, are also certified Cradle to Cradle, which means that at the end of its life the yarn is completely biodegradable, under the right conditions, leaving no harmful substances.

With LAMBSWOOL, we offer you a yarn that is appealing for its superfine quality, and all the more so for meeting the highest ethical and ecological standards. So you can realise your knitting projects with a clear conscience, in the knowledge that you are acting positively to protect animals and the environment.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Textile Exchange – Responsible Wool Standard

Cradle to Cradle Certified™