John Lewis to fund sustainable cashmere programme in Inner Mongolia in effort to safeguard the future of the cashmere sector
Thursday 25 February 2021
Today, John Lewis has announced plans to fund a three year programme run by the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA), to support the expansion of the SFA’s new Cashmere Standard from Mongolia to the Inner Mongolia region of China.
Climate change and increased global demand for cashmere are putting pressure on the fragile ecosystems the cashmere industry relies upon. In response to this, a global standard has been developed by the SFA to promote best practice in land management, animal welfare, fibre processing and supply chain transparency; ensuring the long-term viability of the cashmere sector.
John Lewis is funding the training of 420 herders in Inner Mongolia, on the global standard. Training will be provided by a leading animal welfare NGO, the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare(ICCAW), together with experts from a local agricultural university. Once the herders have completed their training, they will carry out self-assessments against the requirements of the Standard and undergo independent farm inspections before being given SFA accreditation.
In the first year, the programme will focus on animal welfare, and then it will be expanded to cover the protection of biodiversity and how to secure herder livelihoods in the long term.
Marija Rompani, Partner & Director of Ethics and Sustainability for the John Lewis Partnership said: “It’s very important to us and our customers that all of the raw materials in our products are sourced in a way that’s good for the animals, land and people 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.
“We’re 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 who are dependent upon the production of cashmere fibres.”
Una Jones, CEO and Founder of the SFA added: “We 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 to achieve consistent high standards and protect the livelihoods of those dependent upon it.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About the John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical idea nearly a century ago, the Partnership is the largest employee-owned business in the UK and amongst the largest in the world, with over 78,000 employees who are all Partners in the business. For all intents and purposes, the Partnership is a social enterprise; the profits made are reinvested into the business - for customers and Partners. John Lewis operates 42 shops plus one outlet across the UK as well as johnlewis.com. Waitrose has 331 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 59 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, as well as specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitroseflorist.com for plants and flowers.