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RWS – Responsible Wool Standard

RWS is a standard that ensures wool comes from farms that guarantee animal welfare and apply good practices in pasture and soil management. It applies from the field to the final product, including all intermediate stages.

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    RWS – Responsible Wool Standard

    About the standard

    Created by Textile Exchange, RWS sets requirements for the humane treatment of sheep (no mulesing, access to water, feed, and veterinary care) and for responsible soil and biodiversity management on producing properties. The entire supply chain, from shearing to the finished product, must be certified for a brand to use the RWS seal.

    The Standard applies to products that contain at least 5% non-certified virgin wool, calculated as a percentage of the material.

    The certification falls under the umbrella of Responsible Animal Fiber (RAF), which includes the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS), and Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS).

    Scope

    • Applies to all locations in the wool supply chain

    From the farm, wool processing, assembly of final products, to the seller in the final business-to-business transaction. Recycled wool is not eligible for certification.

    • Can be applied globally.
    • Applies to products containing at least 5% RWS wool
    • Calculated as a percentage of the material. It can also apply to wool processing by-products (e.g., lanolin or wool grease), where 100% of the wool processing by-products come from RWS wool, and to non-food slaughter products.

    Features

    RWS certification is not just a formal requirement: it functions as a strategic tool that drives real improvements throughout the entire production chain. Its main benefits include:

    Accredits good practices in the treatment of sheep, such as the prohibition of mulesing and responsible management throughout the production cycle.

    It allows the origin of RWS wool to be identified throughout the entire supply chain, generating trust and transparency.

    Promotes progressive environmental management, protecting pastures, soils, and biodiversity in productive establishments.

    Facilitates access to brands and buyers that require verified sustainability and traceability certifications.

    Why choose Control Union?

    Control Union has been auditing livestock and textile operations for over 20 years. Our experience in both the field and industry allows us to offer a comprehensive RWS service: we certify from the livestock farm to the final product, in multiple countries and regions.

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    Application Process

    To start the certification process with Control Union, you only need to follow these steps:

    Application Form – Textiles Certification

    Start your application

    You can contact our team directly or complete the online form.

    Review of your application and initial contact

    Once we receive your information, our team will get in touch to clarify any questions, validate the service scope, and guide you through the next steps.

    Receipt of the financial proposal

    We will send you a detailed technical-commercial proposal, which includes the services to be audited, estimated timelines, and the budget.

    Service confirmation

    Once you return the signed proposal, we formally start the process and schedule the audit according to your timeline and availability.

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    How can we help?

    Would you like more specific information about our certification programs? If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know; we’d be happy to contact you.

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