Cashmere Goats
The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) has reported strong independent verification results for The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS), which has been active in improving cashmere production practices since 2020. The standard focuses on animal welfare, environmental protection, and fair working conditions while ensuring full traceability of cashmere fibres.
Independent auditors confirmed that participating cashmere farms and producers continue to meet high requirements across all key areas. Nearly 3,700 farms and 12 producers completed verification successfully and are the only ones authorised to market cashmere under the GCS certificate this season. According to the findings, the verified groups met 100% of core indicators and over 90% of the main and basic indicators, which require continued improvement.
adoption has also grown significantly. Between 2023 and 2024, textiles containing GCS-verified cashmere increased by 30%, with 6 million GCS-labelled garments reaching the market in 2024. Along with long-term partners such as H&M, J.Crew, and The White Company, new partners now include Mango, Magasin, Marimekko, and Nordstrom.
AbTF noted robust compliance across social and environmental standards. All verified farms and producers met requirements related to employee safety, working hours, and complaint mechanisms. Compliance in animal welfare and management reached 92%, while feeding standards were met completely, showing a 15% improvement. Additionally, 88% of farms are implementing rotational grazing practices to support soil conservation.
The audits also identified areas where further progress is needed, including more accurate documentation and ensuring adequate, stable space for goats during specific conditions. GCS emphasises that goats must have sufficient access to pasture and yard areas connected to the stables.
AbTF leaders highlighted that the results show the effectiveness of long-term collaboration with partners and the growing global demand for verified, traceable, and responsibly sourced cashmere.