In response to an industry need, Textile Exchange and the multi-stakeholder International Working Group, have developed the Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS). The standard is designed to verify and identify alpaca fiber produced in farming systems that respect animal welfare and the environment. The standard applies a strong assurance system to perform regular audits of the farms and to track the material from the farm to the final product.
The draft RAS is aligned with the existing Responsible Wool Standard and the Responsible Mohair Standard. It is structured around the Textile Exchange Animal Welfare Framework, which sets out the principles and expectations that guide and connect Textile Exchange's Animal Welfare Standards.
In December 2020, the International Working Group voted to approve the draft and move forward to the public stakeholder review period.
The public feedback period will run from January 24th – February 28th, 2021.
During this time, we welcome feedback and comments on the draft from the general public. This feedback should be limited to the species-specific application of the requirements.
The RAS is set to launch in April 2021. There will be an informational webinar hosted at that time.
Any questions or comments can be directed to ResponsibleWool@TextileExchange.org.