Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS)
Also known as: RMS, Responsible Mohair
Textile Exchange standard for mohair from angora goats kept under animal-welfare-compliant conditions — response to PETA revelations from South Africa in 2018.
Description
The Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) was released by Textile Exchange in 2020, after PETA videos in 2018 from South African operations — South Africa supplies around 50 % of the world's mohair — exposed serious abuses in shearing and husbandry of angora goats. Major brands such as H&M, Zara and Gap imposed mohair boycotts; RMS was created as a credible way out.
The standard requires compliance with the five freedoms of animal welfare, safe shearing without injury, access to water and feed, appropriate climate protection, a ban on painful dehorning without anaesthesia and holistic land management. Along the processing chain the same Content Claim Standard (CCS) as RWS ensures traceability from farm bale to finished scarf or sweater. Certification is carried out by accredited bodies such as Control Union.
Properties
| Issued by | Textile Exchange (USA), since 2020 |
|---|---|
| Species | Angora goat (main producer South Africa) |
| Scope | Animal welfare, safe shearing, land management, traceability |
| Chain of Custody | CCS-based material-flow verification |
Related product categories
Sources & references
1- Textile Exchange - Responsible Mohair Standard Textile Exchange https://textileexchange.org/responsible-mohair-standard/
