By SportsOneSource Media, June 3, 2016 The Responsible Down Standard, which was spearheaded by outdoor apparel brands and their suppliers to promote ⦠On a mission to protect the welfare of geese and ducks, the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is an independent, voluntary, globally recognized certification that acknowledges and rewards companies for ethical practices. The goals of the Responsible Wool Standard are to provide the industry with a tool to recognize the best practices of farmers; ensuring that wool comes from farms that have a progressive approach to managing their land, practice holistic respect for animal welfare of the sheep and respect the Five Freedoms of animal welfare. Multiple times in their lives, ducks and geese are held down by workers who tear out their softest feathers. Outlined in this report is our commitment to being 100 percent Responsible Down Standard-certified by 2021, as well as the introduction ⦠... PETA President and co-author of Animalkind. These down products are exported throughout the world and sold to consumers who don't understand the complexity of the supply chain," said Anne Kellogg, PETA's manager of corporate affairs. All Textile Exchange standards are developed through a multi-stakeholder approach to address gaps in available ⦠And it even allows a 30- to 60-day window for most violations to be corrected, during which time farmers can still sell their down as âresponsibleââso âcertifiedâ down may come from birds who were confined to cages and slaughtered while fully conscious and subjected to other acts of cruelty. Hanna Denes points out that the RWS is by far the best available global tool to help improve the welfare of ⦠The company is also âhumane washingâ its use of down by touting the abysmally inadequate Responsible Down Standard, which allows for injured animals to languish in pain for days before theyâre put out of their misery. New Down Standard Faces First Fight with PETA New Down Standard Faces First Fight with PETA Media, RDS in the news. Read More. Responsible Down Standard. Some have now put policies in place to ensure their down is ethically sourced â North Faceâs responsible down standard, for instance, has been shared with other industry players including H&M. While some companies claim to use âethically sourcedâ feathers that are certified by the misleadingly named Responsible Down Standard (RDS), PETA ⦠Textile Exchange strongly opposes PETAâs claim that the Responsible Wool Standard is a kind of greenwash. Textile Exchange Standards Standards Textile Exchange develops and manages a suite of standards that provide the industry with a way to verify sustainability claims from the raw material to the final product. New Down Standard Faces First Fight with PETA. Down feathers are often plucked from live birds. Textile Exchange responds to PETA allegations against the Responsible Down Standard Updated: June 6, 2016 In the light on the ongoing pressure from PETA on individual brands, we feel that it is important to point out the facts as simply and clearly as possible. People for the Ethical Treatment of ⦠While we are disappointed by PETAâs efforts to undermine the â¦