Responsible Down Standard

May 4, 2024 mountaingroup

Responsible Down Standard

It has been over 30 years since the first Rab sleeping bag was cut, stitched and hand-filled. It is, therefore, no surprise that down is an integral part of our heritage and we pride ourselves on ensuring all virgin down we use is ethically sourced from Europe. From farm to factory, every stage of the process is certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). We believe that RDS is the strongest and most transparent scheme available.

The RDS is a voluntary, global, independent standard, which means companies can choose to certify their products to the RDS. The standard recognises and rewards the best practice in animal welfare. Key points of the RDS are:

Removal of down or feathers from live birds (live-plucking or moulting collection) is prohibited.
Force-feeding is prohibited.
Holistic respect for the animal welfare of the birds from hatching to the end of life.
RDS down and feathers are properly identified.
Each stage of the supply chain is audited by a professional third party certification body.
Only products with 100% certified down and feathers carry the RDS logo.

As one of the first certified members of the Responsible Down Standard, we are committed to continually improving animal welfare and ensuring all our down is traceable throughout our supply chain. Find out more about RDS here: http://responsibledown.org/.

Several Rab products contain down processed with a hydrophobic treatment. This is a fluorocarbon-free solution jointly developed with Nikwax®, which is added to the down at the cleaning stage. Hydrophobic down absorbs less water and helps protect the down from saturation, preserving its loft and insulation properties for longer. It also speeds up drying times and broadens the range of conditions in which you can use your product.

Recycled Down

Recycled down is goose or duck down that has been recycled from post-consumer sources; duvets and feather pillows. The recycled down is washed, steam-dried, sterilised and sorted and provides a high-quality alternative to sourcing virgin materials and avoids a waste product going to landfill. We have plans to use recycled down in future products. Due to the sourcing mechanism, recycled down cannot be recognised as holding the RDS, but can be certified to the Global Recycled Standard (GRS); an international, voluntary, full product standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of recycled content, chain of custody, social and environmental practices and chemical restrictions.

No ducks or geese are reared or bred for the sole purpose of harvesting down or feathers. Waterfowl are farmed primarily for human consumption. Approx. 98% of down and feathers produced worldwide is a natural by-product of poultry farming or meat production (source: European Down and Feather Association).