For two days, experts from the global cashmere and textile industry, representatives of international non-governmental organisations and scientists met in Hamburg, Germany at the invitation of the Aid by Trade Foundation for this year's The Good Cashmere Conference 2025. Representatives from Textile Exchange, Four Paws, Zadig&Voltaire, Marc O'Polo, Kering, Textile Genesis, Haelixa and others discussed the progress, challenges and successes in the production of sustainable cashmere.

The focus was on innovative technologies such as virtual reality, scientifically based measures implemented jointly with the herders to protect animal welfare, biodiversity and transparent supply chains. “The Good Cashmere Standard is not merely a set of rules and criteria; it is a commitment to a better future for the cashmere industry,” stated AbTF founder Michael Otto.

The Good Cashmere Standard is now the largest standard and has been committed to sustainable cashmere production and traceability in the supply chain for five years. More than 50 international fashion brands and companies now use GCS-verified cashmere fibers, including Asos, Bestseller, Banana Republic, Cos, H&M, J. Crew, Marc O’Polo, Samsøe Samsøe and The White Company.

Trade meets production and science: Louisa Lösing (Global Nature Fund), Adam Cobb (US scientist), Michaela Weber (Marc O'Polo), Brian Yu (Artwell Cashmere), Alexandra Perschau (AbTF; from left to right).Credits: Catrin-Anja Eichinger for AbTF

Focus on animal welfare

How to promote the welfare of cashmere goats was also discussed at the conference. International animal welfare experts emphasised the fundamental importance of positive experiences within animal welfare concepts for species-appropriate and economically successful goat husbandry: “The Good Cashmere Standard is recognised for its pioneering role and effective implementation on farms. The standard translates scientific findings into agricultural practice and employs training, digital solutions and model farms as pioneers for responsible cashmere production,” states the press release.

According to the latest GCS verification results, the core indicators of the standard as well as environmental requirements are met 100 percent – while social and animal welfare aspects already achieve fulfilment rates of over 90 percent.

Focus on biodiversity

Another central theme of the conference was the conservation of biodiversity. The sustainable production of GCS cashmere takes place around the cities and leagues of Bayan Nur, Wuhai, Alxa, Ordos and Baotou, the grasslands of Inner Mongolia in China; according to AbTF „one of the world’s most fragile natural landscapes“.

Among the questions raised at the conference was how to protect the biological balance that sustains the livelihoods of the 5,500 GCS farms and two million cashmere goats from drought and other climate-change induced weather extremes. “Scientists, NGOs like the Global Nature Fund, as well as brands like Marc O’Polo or producers from China agree: Protecting the grasslands in Inner Mongolia is essential for the future of cashmere production. Collaborations along the textile supply chain as well as modern grazing and knowledge management for herders are crucial for this,” was the consensus.

Anna Heaton of the Textile Exchange called for a systemic, impact-oriented approach to sustainability that focuses on actual results rather than just regulatory compliance. “Life cycle assessments based on primary data, collected directly from farms and farmers in Mongolia and China, for example, ensure practical relevance and accuracy. True sustainability in textiles requires more than just ticking boxes. It requires measurable impact, continuous improvement and a broader, more inclusive approach,” stated Heaton.

Cashmere goat and farmer. Credits: Aid by Trade Foundation