Convincing a brand to adopt a third-party standard can be a tough sell. Persuading an entire country? Well, that’s practically unheard of. But something nigh miraculous happened on the way to the Sustainable Textile Conference, the five-day industry affair organized by Textile Exchange in mid-October.
Defying all odds, the nonprofit announced that two key Argentine wool organizations—Federacíon Lanera de Argentina and the state-run Prolana—will be adopting the “language, content, and suggested best practices” of its Responsible Wool Standard, which promotes the welfare of sheep and the land they graze on.
The move marks the first time that Textile Exchange, a group that champions the use of more sustainable fibers in the global supply chain, will be positioning one of its suite of standards on such a broad scale.