Supported by the North American textile company J.Crew and other partners in the textile chain, The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS) launched its third model farm in Inner Mongolia, China. As a source of inspiration and connections for cashmere producers and herders, the farm will enable experts and working professionals to exchange ideas about solutions in sustainable cashmere production and to stay on the cutting edge of the industry. Overall, there are now three GCS model farms that serve as key platforms for conveying practical knowledge and demonstrating successful approaches to animal welfare in order to meet the growing demand for responsibly produced cashmere.
With 200 hectares and 600 cashmere goats, Eridenibatu is the third farm that GCS has developed into a model farm with the help of partners. Its doors have been open for training sessions since mid-2024. “With the addition of Eridenibatu, we are pleased to now support two model farms operating in accordance with The Good Cashmere Standard®,” says Katherine O’Hare, Vice President Sustainability at J.Crew Group. She explains, “Model farms play a crucial role in advancing responsible cashmere production under The Good Cashmere Standard® in Inner Mongolia as they establish best practices in responsible cashmere production. This initiative also aligns with our goal of sourcing 100 percent of the key fibers used in our materials from sustainable sources.”
In 2022, GCS began developing model farms to support herders in their transition to sustainable cashmere production. “The Good Cashmere Standard’s model farms are a source of inspiration, promoting a team spirit among GCS herders and partners by exemplifying the best practices under the Good Cashmere Standard®,” explains Figo Li, a GCS representative in China, adding, “We are very pleased to be working with our partners to ensure that our third model farm will show herders feasible solutions for the well-being of animals, people, and nature and will make it easier for interested herders to make a start in sustainable cashmere production.”
Model farms are characterised by a particularly innovative and pioneering spirit. In order to propagate their success, model farms receive technical and material support to conduct training courses for their peers and neighbouring farms. The Good Cashmere Standard® and its partners provide further organisational and financial support for their activities, for instance by covering training costs. Up to four times per year, the model farms open their doors to interested goat herders.
The Good Cashmere Standard® was established by the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) in 2019 with the aims of protecting the welfare of cashmere goats, conserving biodiversity and the environment, ensuring decent working conditions on cashmere farms, and promoting transparency in the supply chain. Today, GCS is the world’s leading standard for sustainably produced cashmere fibres.
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