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With the ORTOVOX Wool Promise (OWP), ORTOVOX has created its own wool standard that stands for animal welfare and sustainable farming. This is one of the reasons why we have awarded ORTOVOX the WIR DENKEN UM label.
For more than two years, ORTOVOX has been talking to wool farmers, suppliers and producers to develop its own comprehensive wool standard. The ORTOVOX Wool Promise is based on the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), but takes a more comprehensive approach that meets the company’s high standards. The OWP focuses on animal welfare, sustainable agriculture and nature conservation, personal and long-term relationships with wool farmers and transparency throughout the value chain.
More than 60 indicators are regularly checked on the farms by certified, independent auditors. ORTOVOX is also working on a certified traceability system to ensure that only wool from selected farms is used in ORTOVOX products.
ORTOVOX has been sourcing its high quality merino wool from Tasmania since 2012. The raw material for its mountain wear now comes from over 95,000 sheep on selected farms. The ORTOVOX Wool Promise (OWP) creates the necessary transparency for the company, retailers, and customers: The ORTOVOX Wool Standard gives the assurance that the production systems on the farms fully meet ORTOVOX’s high quality standards. From farm and land management to animal welfare and transport to slaughter, the OWP covers a wide range of sustainability aspects of wool production.
ORTOVOX GOAL: FULL TRACEABILITY OF THE WOOL USED
ORTOVOX knows the farms where the merino wool comes from and visits them regularly. Multi-year contracts are signed with the wool farmers. The relationship with the farmers is direct and personal. the brand brings together the various stakeholders in the wool supply chain at an annual roundtable, providing a platform for critical discussion, transparency and new solutions. The aim is also to achieve full traceability of the wool used in the supply chain based on the OWP audits, making all processes in the supply chain transparent. The OWP audits are therefore just the beginning of the ORTOVOX Wool Promise.
THE 4 PROMISES OF THE ORTOVOX WOOL PROMISE
Four promises are at the heart of the ORTOVOX Wool Promise and place the protection of animals, nature, and people at the heart of corporate activity. The four promises in brief:
Ban on mulesing
For ORTOVOX, protection is the top priority. Paying attention to animal welfare and complying with high animal welfare standards is just as important as protecting people. It is essential for the brand that the sheep are not subjected to any mulesing procedure. The brand also excludes live transport abroad.
Mulesing is the removal of skin from the genitals and anal areas of sheep to prevent maggot implantation. This is usually done without anesthesia and later miracle treatment, and is therefore a practice that ORTOVOX excludes for animal welfare reasons.
Preserve nature
The farms that ORTOVOX works with practice sustainable agriculture in harmony with nature. Only a healthy soil provides nutritious grass for the sheep. This is the basis for a world worth living in – today and in the future.
Personal relationships with the farms, support & roundtables
ORTOVOX works with a small team of committed sheep breeders who want to go the OWP way together with the brand. The mountain sports brand also supports the farmers financially and seeks active exchange at round tables.
Transparency: from origin to product
Creating transparency along the entire supply chain is a major challenge. ORTOVOX can trace its products back to the Tasmanian sheep farms.
OWP+: The next step
OWP PLUS is Ortovox’s next step towards even more sustainability. In addition to the promise of fair wool, the brand now also integrates climate protection: the brand has developed best practices for regenerative agriculture with seven partner farms. The focus is on binding carbon emissions in agricultural soils. With the help of humus, an enormous amount of CO2 can be stored. This is achieved by promoting biodiversity, water retention and resilience.
Lindsay and Rae Young of Lewisham Farm give an example of how this can be done:
“On our farm we have not only merino sheep, but also ancient eucalyptus trees, echidna, kangaroos, eagles, owls and, above all, lots of insects. Only by promoting this biodiversity and diversifying our agriculture can we counteract the dramatic climate changes we are facing.
We protect and fence off as much bushland as possible, creating and maintaining a natural habitat for these animals. We plant trees, shrubs and grasses every year. Furthermore, we also monitor our farmland by measuring soil quality, such as organic carbon levels. This allows us to adjust grazing and promote healthy soil life. We do all this not only for the benefit of animals and the climate, but also for our own well-being.”
The right wool care
Wool is an extremely valuable raw material, and the right care can save resources and money. To make it easier for you to care for your high-quality wool products, ORTOVOX has put together everything you need to know about washing and caring for wool.
You can find a selection of Ortovox men and women products we carry here: