The Sustainable Fibre Programme (SFP) draws heavily on local and regional concepts of sustainability, in line with the global definition of social, economic and environmental concepts. It takes the best of organic agricultural and husbandry processes and translates them into more widely achievable and sustainable practices, with the rigidity of maintaining a conversion period – a well-known concept in organic certification schemes.
The goal of SFP certification is to approach the fashion and textile industries in a way that helps safeguard the livelihoods and wellbeing of people by reducing poverty while minimising the impact on the environment. This standard addresses:
- The welfare of farmers' labour rights and a fair pricing system.
- Environmental concerns including GHGs by reducing contaminants during use, conserving water and energy for a safe, hygienic and better working environment.
- Profiting in a fair and transparent manner which is socio-economically viable.
The SFP considers the entire chain of custody, from fibre to retail, by using traceability through content claim standards. It features fibre quality parameters – making contamination with non-sustainable fibres easily identifiable by laboratory analysis.