Ventura, Calif.-based outdoor apparel retailer Patagonia Inc. has announced that beginning with the Fall 2014 season, its entire collection of down-insulated products will be made with 100-percent traceable down.
Patagonia Traceable Down is sourced from birds that have not been force-fed or plucked for their feathers during their lifetime. The company's down supply chain has been authenticated using a holistic traceability audit comprising a physical inspection of the entire supply chain, from farm to factory, conducted by an independent, third-party traceability expert.
"Affidavits from suppliers are commonly accepted with minimal verification," said Wendy Savage, social and environmental responsibility manager, Patagonia. "It is also common practice to certify only parts of the supply chain without linking all entities that handle the down. Patagonia's traceability program is hands-on every step of the way. We begin our audit at the parent farm, where the eggs are laid, and follow it all the way to the garment factory, where the down is placed in our garments. We need to understand every single part of the supply chain - otherwise we can't truly feel comfortable claiming the down as traceable."
