Michigan-based NSF Sustainability, a division of global public health organization NSF International, has certified the first manufacturers to the Global Traceable Down Standard (Global TDS). Youngone Corporation (Seoul, South Korea), Quang Viet Enterprise (QVE) Co., Ltd. (Taipei, Taiwan) and Shen Gang Tungsang (ShenZhen), Co., Ltd., (Shen Zhen, China) have all achieved certification to the Global Traceable Down Standard, NSF Sustainability said in a press release. Certification to the standard enables an organization to demonstrate the down it processes is from farms that practice the highest levels of animal welfare and that the down is fully traceable throughout its supply chain. “NSF International is proud of these companies for achieving certification to the Global Traceable Down Standard,” said Jenny Oorbeck, General Manager for NSF Sustainability. “These companies have committed to full traceability in handling certified down and ensuring that products labeled Global TDS contain only certified down. With certification, these manufacturers are able to offer brands the assurance they need for full accountability and traceability to original down sources.” All three of these manufacturers are leading suppliers to the down outdoor apparel and sporting goods markets, supplying high quality products to many leading brands. Two of the companies, QVE and Youngone Corporation, are suppliers to outdoor apparel company Patagonia. Based on Patagonia’s commitment to animal welfare in its supply chain, it requires manufacturers in its supply chain to be fully certified to the Global Traceable Down Standard. Shen Gang Tungsang Co., Ltd., the other manufacturer to be certified, is a prominent designer and developer of insulated outdoor products, particularly sleeping bags. “With certification to NSF International’s Global Traceable Down Standard, Youngone Corporation is proud to be one of the world’s first manufacturers that have developed capabilities to support brands with aspirations to achieve high standards in animal welfare and full traceability from original sources of down,” said Ms. Rae Eun Sung, Executive Vice President, Youngone Corporation. The Global TDS is an industry-wide standard for brands and manufacturers that want to source down responsibly. The rigorous criteria include on-site audits to confirm full traceability of down from parent farm to final manufactured product and to verify the ethical treatment of birds throughout their lifecycle. NSF’s Global Traceable Down Standard goes beyond other existing programmes, which start at the hatchery, and extends animal welfare procedures to parent farms where animals typically live for at least four years and would be at greatest risk for live plucking. No other down standard ensures this enhanced level of animal welfare and protection from practices such as live plucking to increase down yield or force feeding birds for foie gras production. Traceability audits ensure compliant down and feather material is fully documented as the only material used in finished goods. All organizations handling the down are also audited to verify they have good management systems to keep the sustainably-sourced down segregated from conventionally-sourced down.
