The Good Cashmere Standard® was developed with the participation of animal welfare specialists and industry experts. The standard is regularly checked and revised, taking into account the results of the audit process and new, relevant scientific findings. Individual criteria of this standard can be changed or specified more precisely outside of the formal review and revision process if difficulties arise in implementation, new technologies are available or new scientific knowledge is gained.

Animal welfare is at the heart of the Good Cashmere Standard®; therefore the five freedoms as defined by the Farm Animal Welfare Council are included. They demand that animals be free from hunger, thirst, suffering, pain, injury or disease. The animals should also be free from fear and stress and should be able to perform normal behaviours. The Good Cashmere Standard® can make a major contribution to improving the animal welfare of cashmere goats.

Protecting the environment in which cashmere goats, farmers and farming communities live is one of the central goals of the Good Cashmere Standard®. One of its most important principles is that goat farming must not have any negative effects on the environment – especially on the land and biodiversity. The standard also contains criteria for the responsible use of fertilizers and pesticides, which clearly define when and how they should be used.