Furmark means guaranteed animal welfare and environmental standards
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Furmark® means guaranteed
animal welfare and environmental
standards
Furmark® means guaranteed
animal welfare and environmental standards
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Guaranteed animal welfare Furmark® summarised
and environmental standards
Furmark® is a comprehensive global 1. Furmark® is the global certification
certification and traceability system for and traceability system for natural fur
natural fur that guarantees animal welfare that guarantees animal welfare and
and environmental standards. environmental standards
Applying across the supply chain and with
certified, traceable products available to
consumers from Autumn 2021, Furmark® is a 2. Furmark® is a simple, recognisable
simple, recognisable mark of quality, assurance,
and confidence. mark of quality, assurance, and
Developed in consultation with conscientious confidence
consumers and contemporary fashion groups
and brands, the certification system ensures
that every step of production meets strict,
globally-recognised standards. Natural fur is
highly regulated at international, national, 3. Furmark® animal welfare and
regional, and local levels.
environmental programmes are
To ensure consumers, retailers, and brands
have complete assurance and confidence science-based, third-party certified, and
when buying fur, Furmark® draws together
independently-verified certification programmes
transparent
under one system.
What does Furmark® mean in practice? As
an evidence-led system, Furmark® ensures
Furmark® is based on three key principles standards across the supply chain, rather than 4. Furmark® products are traceable,
simply the earliest stages.
Science: certification programmes and verified, and guaranteed to have met
their individual protocols are science-
based and approved by independent
In line with contemporary societal values, and
to rightly provide the level of transparency
the highest standards
experts. consumers expect, traceability sits at the heart
of Furmark®. Those buying Furmark®-certified
Independent inspection: certification products will have full access to detailed
programmes are verified by third parties information about their purchase via an
and publicly available. integrated QR code and a tracking number on
the garment label and tags. Furmark® products
Transparency: certification programmes are traceable, verified, and guaranteed to have 5. Furmark® launches in Autumn 2021
are sustainable, relevant, accessible, and met the highest standards.
traceable.
Furmark® – guaranteed animal welfare and
environmental standards.
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Furmark® supply chain
Furmark® Supply
The Furmark® Supply Chain
Chain
Farm-raised Fur
Farm-raised Fur
S U S TA I N A B L E N AT U R A L F U R
AuctionHouse
Auction House Dressing&&Dyeing
Dressing Dyeing Manufacturing
Manufacturing Retail
Retail Consumer
Consumer
Fur
Wild Fur
Natural fur fromNatural
specificfur
Natural furfrom
fromspecific
specific The Chain Point
The
The traceability
ChainPoint
ChainPoint traceability
traceability Manufacturers record record
Manufacturers
Manufacturers receipt
record receipt
receipt Independent experts
Independent
Independent FILK
experts
experts and
FILKFILK
andand
farm-raised and farm-raised
wild fur
farm-raised andwild
and wildfur
fur system captures movements
system
system capturesmovements
captures movements of certified
of of pelts.
certified
certified Manufacturers
pelts.
pelts. Manufactur-
Manufactur- FACT
FACTFACT tasked
are are to
to ensure
tasked
tasked to ensure
ensure
certification programmes that
certificationprogrammes
certification programmesthat through
that each stage of
through
through the
each
each stage
stage ofof
thethe are able
ersto
ersorder
are are
able labels
able toinside
order
to order labels
labels compliance and
compliance
compliance assurance
andand assurance
assurance
are sold at auction. supply chain. the Chain Point system: through the value chain.
areare
are aresold
soldatatauction.
auction. supply
supply chain.
chain. each label inside
inside thethe
carries a ChainPoint
ChainPoint
unique system:system: through
through the the value
value chain
chain
eacheachlabel
traceability code. label carries
carries a a unique
unique
traceability
traceability code.
code.
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Furmark® certification programmes
Furmark
Furmark® ®Farm-Raised
Farm-Raised Furmark
Furmark®®Wild
WildFur
Fur
Certification
CertificationProgrammes
Programmes Certification
CertificationProgrammes
Programmes
S U S TA I N A B L E N AT U R A L F U R
North
North North
North
Swakara
Swakara American
American Farm-Raised
Farm-Raised WelFur
WelFur American
American Wild
WildSable
Sable
Farm-Raised
Farm-Raised Sable
Sable Wild
WildFur
Fur
International
International Scientific
Scientific Federal
Federal
Agricultural NSF
NSF Research
Research Centre
Agricultural Validus
Validus Baltic
Baltic Baltic
Baltic Centre
Academy International
International Institute
Instituteofof for
Academy (USA)
(USA) Control
Control Control
Control forHunting
Hunting
for Africa (Canada)
(Canada) Fur
FurFarming
Farming Development
for Africa Development
(NIIPZK)
(NIIPZK)
Furmark® ®Farm-Raised
Furmark Farm-Raised Furmark
Furmark®®Wild
WildFur
Fur
Certification
CertificationBodies
Bodies Certification
CertificationBodies
Bodies
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Evidence-based, independently
inspected, and sustainable
Furmark® responds to consumer desires for a
simple, recognisable mark of quality, assurance, and
confidence and brings together the leading
species-specific, science-based, and
independently-assessed certification programmes.
S U S TA I N A B L E N AT U R A L F U R
Additionally, Furmark® requires that fur be
dressed and dyed according to a dedicated Wild fur case study: North American
chemical standard for the fur industry, created Wild Fur
with the International Fur Dressers and Dyers
Association (IFDDA)1 and the independent Already subject to a wide range of
testing and research institute FILK 2. The laws, regulations, checks, and controls,
certification process involves declarations, ensuring population and environmental
samples, and on-site visits. sustainability is key to how wild fur is
harvested in North America.
Adding another level of certification, Farm-raised fur case study: WelFur
manufacturers - in order to create Furmark®- Shaped by brands such as LVMH Group,
certified products - must have undergone a WelFur4 is a science-based animal wel- the major North American fur auction,
dedicated Furmark® due diligence exercise. fare assessment programme designed Fur Harvesters Inc, and working with the
Conducted by FACT3, this due diligence covers to certify Mink, Fox, and Finnraccoon leading global inspection, testing, and
business, reputation, disclosure, associations, fur farms across Europe and around certification organisation, Baltic Control,
and company registration. the world. Inspections - performed by the principles of wild fur certification
third-party assessors - cover inspection were codified in 2019.
protocols centred on the four principles
of animal welfare: good housing, good They include the audit of management
feeding, good health, and appropriate and control systems of the trading body
behaviour. In order to obtain WelFur (aucton) for wild furs derived from the
certification, each fur farm must undergo US and Canada. In 2020, third-party
three initial visits to evaluate the whole animal welfare experts Baltic Academy
production cycle. Crucially, certification developed the detailed protocol with
assessments grade fur farms on the four the support of an independent technical
principles and on specie-specific criteria. advisory committee, comprised of experts
from USA and Canada. The final protocol
Testament to the success of WelFur, it is was used as a basis for the subsequent
the first-ever animal welfare programme audit of the trading body which was
to be promoted by the European completed by Baltic Control in March
Commission through its database of ‘soft 2021.
law’ initiatives. WelFur is recognised by
the Commission as a Self-Regulation and Wild fur sold through Fur Harvesters Inc
Co-Regulation Initiative. is now certified under Furmark®.
1) http://www.ifdda.info/home.html
6 2) https://www.filkfreiberg.de/
1) http://www.ifdda.info/home.html
3) https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/
4) https://www.sustainablefur.com/animal-welfare/
2) https://www.filkfreiberg.de/ 6
3) https://www.fact-uk.org.uk/
Providing the transparency Communicating certification:
consumers deserve Furmark® label options
What does Furmark® certification mean to the Retailers are an essential source of fur
Furmark® incorporates a range of leading animal welfare
everyday consumer? Only a final product that information for the consumers and retailers certification programmes for farm-raised and wild fur.
has followed all of the Furmark® processes will be on hand to proactively and reactively
- from start to finish - can be described as inform, advise, and assist consumers While Furmark® offers “end-to-end” certification, the sector
Furmark®- certified. This is one of the unique considering sustainable natural fur with
achievements of Furmark® and means that literature, guidance, and support on Furmark®.
recognises that important certification claims can be made
consumers can buy Furmark ®-certified for the animal welfare certification programmes that come
products with the highest level of confidence.
under the Furmark® certification system.
Furmark®, from start to finish, means that the fur
used must come from the constituent animal
welfare and environmental programmes (such Label option 1: end-to-end certification
as WelFur4) before being sold at auction. Furmark® brings together expertise
All end-to-end certified Furmark products carry
®
across the 21st century supply chain:
From the auction, the certified fur must labels complete with a unique alpha-numeric
only be dressed and dyed according to the code. Supplied by independent labelling The organisation
dedicated Furmark® standard by an approved specialists Nilorn, these labels and codes overseeing the entire
IFDDA organisation. connect to the bespoke traceability feature Furmark® system
hosted on the Furmark® website.
The ChainPoint traceability system captures FILK, the third-party
fur movements through each stage of the When the consumer inspects the label and enters testing institute for the
supply chain from auction to retail. the code, consumers have access information dressing and dyeing
regarding the fur type; fur origin; certification chemical standard
Manufacturers must undergo a dedicated due programme of that fur; manufacturer; and place
diligence check, conducted by FACT, before of manufacturing. Leading on due
accessing the ChainPoint traceability system. diligence and anti-
There is flexibility in what can be displayed via counterfeit measures
Once inside, manufacturers can also link the data transfer. Ultimately, this alpha-numeric
the supply chain management system with code not only gives access to traceability
product labels (ordered from Nilorn) that information, it also confirms that product has Developing the
carry a unique serial number. Based on this gone through end-to-end certification and is a labelling solution
framework the manufacturer can output verified Furmark® product.
products - garments, accessories or trims
that carry the Furmark® label as a sign of Providing the
certification and traceability. Label option 2: certified auction collections traceability solution
The IFF is working with auctions in order to
ensure that a form of Furmark® claim can be Independent animal
made solely on the certified auction collections. welfare certification
experts
This will include a specific label offer. Our
aim is to provide those who use pelts from the
leading animal welfare programmes that come The International Fur Federation (IFF) was established in 1949 and
under Furmark® but whose product does not is the only organisation to represent the international fur industry
follow the end-to-end certification process. and regulate its practices and trade. The IFF promotes the business
This ensures that the leading animal welfare of fur, establishing certification and traceability programmes on
welfare and the environment. It is also committed to supporting
and environment sustainability benefits of
young designers and retailers who intend to go into fur and fashion.
the relevant certification programmes are Notable, the IFF represents 56 members associations in over 40
communicated to and recognised by the countries around the world, and membership encompasses all parts
consumer. of the fur trade and supply chain.
Exacting animal welfare Integrated environmental
standards standards
Scientific, evidence-based standards that Environmental stewardship is one of the
begin with the animals themselves. foundations of the contemporary fur trade
and fur is part of the solution to the ‘fast
fashion’ problem.
Furmark® provides a clear, understandable At the centre of Furmark® is a natural material
indication of animal welfare standards. which represents ‘slow fashion’, quality, and
Behind that mark is an industry at the forefront individuality. As a biodegradable, renewable
of modern animal welfare — something that, alternative to synthetic textiles (such as fossil
rightly, starts with the animals themselves. fuel-derived fibres), natural fur accords with the
environmental concern. It can last decades and,
Natural fur is subject to a wide-ranging system when necessary, be repaired, reworked, reused,
of international, national, regional, and local and remodelled, extending the lifetime of the
requirements, regulation, and legislation. product.
These interconnected and overlapping checks
and controls are rightly in place: they set a high Fashion designers are increasingly turning
bar, but the fur sector believes in even higher to natural materials for inspiration: crucially,
standards, based on scientific knowledge. environmental standards are integrated into the
Furmark® certification system.
Furmark® means going above and beyond the
standards set out by international, national, Sustainability is not confined to the materials
and local laws and regulations that govern or the processes involved: it is found in the
the fur sector. communities that make up the sector. People
in the fur sector’s supply chain are located in
WelFur certification, North American Farm- every corner of the world, reflecting the nature
Raised certification, North American Wild of this long-established trade. As a deep-rooted,
Fur certification, Swakara certification, sustainable sector, fur allows many indigenous
Farm-Raised Sable certification, and Sable communities to carry out their traditional way
certification are all included in the Furmark® of life while providing for their families in some
system because of focus on exacting animal of the harshest climates on Earth. The sector
welfare standards. is committed to defending and promoting the
communities that depend on natural fur.
Given the responsibility that society rightly
expects businesses to demonstrate, and the At the heart of Furmark ® is a natural,
rights of consumers to confidently buy natural sustainable, biodegradable, and long-last
sustainable fashion, the fur sector’s focus is on material recognised for its unique qualities.
science-based animal welfare: something that
can be objectively assessed and continually
improved.
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