As of November 1, 2024, a new certification standard will be implemented by the Sustainable Fiber Alliance (SFA). All industrial facilities that wash and/or clean the fibers of ‘SFA Certified’ cashmere and wish to obtain or maintain certification against the SFA Traceability Standard must also be certified according to the SFA Clean Fiber Processing Standard.

The new regulation aims to promote environmentally friendly and sustainable production processes in the industry through the Clean Fiber Processing Standard. In this context, SFA-certified cashmere producers will be required to comply with high-quality and traceability standards in their fiber processing processes.

Certification Claims for Blended Fibers Prohibited

Additionally, as of July 1, 2024, no claims will be allowed for the sale of ‘SFA-Certified Fiber’ or products made from these fibers unless the cashmere content is 100% ‘SFA-Certified Fiber’. This means companies can no longer blend ‘SFA-Certified Fiber’ with non-certified fibers and claim that the product is ‘SFA-Certified’.

These new regulations aim to enhance sustainability standards in the cashmere industry while strengthening the competitiveness of certified fiber producers. SFA’s new standards bring significant responsibilities to industry players while aiming to provide end consumers with more reliable and traceable products.