Global Traceable Down Standard
All our virgin down is certified to help ensure the birds that supply it are not force-fed or live-plucked.
Why
All virgin down that Patagonia sources is traced from parent farm to final fiber processing facility, so that the birds that supply it are protected by the Advanced Global Traceable Down Standard (Advanced Global TDS), which we consider to be the strongest animal-welfare and consumer-assurance standard for the goose and duck down supply chain. This standard includes robust requirements in all areas of the birds’ lives and especially protects against force-feeding and live-plucking.
We trace our down
of all virgin down we source is certified by NSF to meet the Advanced Global Traceable Down Standard
Where We Are
One hundred percent of all virgin down we source is certified by NSF to meet the Advanced Global TDS and so are our down suppliers. An important part of their certification is the onsite auditing of hundreds of parent farms, hatcheries, raising farms and slaughterhouses to inspect for and help ensure animal-welfare practices. Our tracing process goes all the way back to the parent farms—where birds are raised to produce eggs and where the highest risk for live-plucking occurs. Even though we don’t get down from birds at parent farms, we feel obligated to look out for their welfare since they are an essential part of the down supply chain.
What’s Next
By sharing what we’ve learned about our supply chain and exposing gaps that can put animals at risk, we hope to inspire brands, buyers and down producers to adopt higher standards and the Advanced Global TDS certification.
