What Is the Good Cashmere Standard?
The Good Cashmere Standard (GCS) is a cashmere standard from the Aid by Trade Foundation. It audits goat herders and the stations that buy and dehair their fiber on goat welfare, working conditions and land use. It focuses on Inner Mongolia, and a GCS-labeled product can't contain unverified cashmere.
What GCS checks
- Goat welfare, built on the Five Domains model, with more than 150 welfare indicators
- Pay, safety and working conditions for herders and their workers
- Land management, crop management and biodiversity
- Yearly third-party audits at both the herder and the buying or dehairing station
- Immediate exclusion for goat abuse, child labor outside the standard's allowances or prohibited pesticides
What GCS doesn’t cover
- Spinning, dyeing and finishing. The criteria cover the farm and the first stage of processing.
- Chemical residue in the finished sweater
- Nomadic herding systems
- Cashmere from outside Inner Mongolia, where the standard focuses
GCS questions
Can a GCS sweater contain other cashmere?
No. The Good Cashmere Standard says a product with its label can't contain any non-verified cashmere, and certified and uncertified fiber has to be kept apart at every stage.
How are the goats combed or shorn?
The standard requires combing or shearing at the time of year goats naturally lose their hair, and combs can't have sharp edges.
Which version is current?
Version 2.0. The Good Cashmere Standard says its criteria became mandatory in 2025.