Overview
ISO 22786:2025 - Textiles - Animal welfare in the supply chain - specifies general requirements for the production, preparation and traceability of cashmere fibre, including guidance on ethical claims and supporting information. The standard covers management and control of cashmere goat farming and herding across both housing and nomadic production systems, and addresses sustainable use of rangelands, reproduction, feeding, health, fibre harvesting, labelling and traceability of fibres and herds.
Keywords: ISO 22786, cashmere, animal welfare, supply chain, traceability, ethical claims, cashmere fibre production.
Key topics and technical requirements
ISO 22786:2025 structures its requirements to ensure animal welfare and transparent cashmere supply chains. Major technical topics include:
- Management systems and governance
- General requirements for on-farm management, staff training and documentation.
- Housing and nomadic systems
- Shelter types, space and structural requirements, indoor environment and hygiene for both stationary farms and nomadic production.
- Feeding, water and reproduction
- Feeding space, nutrition management, reproductive care, breastfeeding, rearing and weaning practices.
- Health and biosafety
- Health planning, responsible use of veterinary drugs, immunization, biosafety and disinfection measures.
- Ranch and rangeland management
- Sustainable grazing, pasture use, manure treatment and land stewardship.
- Routine husbandry
- Salt/mineral supplementation, hoof care, castration and other routine treatments with welfare considerations.
- Cashmere harvesting and raw fibre handling
- Timing, site, personnel, tools (combing/shearing), packaging classification, inspection and raw fibre records.
- Traceability, labelling and ethical claims
- Recordkeeping for fibre and herd traceability, labelling requirements and supporting information for ethical/animal welfare claims.
Applications and who uses this standard
ISO 22786:2025 is intended for organizations seeking to demonstrate responsible cashmere production and transparent supply chains, including:
- Cashmere farmers and herders (housing and nomadic systems)
- Fiber processors, textile manufacturers and brands
- Supply chain managers, auditors and certification bodies
- Sustainability and compliance officers managing ethical claims and traceability
- Regulators and NGOs working on animal welfare and sustainable textiles
Practical uses include designing on-farm welfare protocols, implementing traceability systems, preparing documentation for ethical labelling, and guiding third‑party audits.
Related standards
ISO 22786 complements other international and sectoral standards on textile traceability, animal welfare and product labelling. Organizations should align ISO 22786 implementation with applicable national regulations and textile industry best practices to support credible ethical claims and sustainable cashmere supply chains.