DOWN CODEX®

Down refers to the soft under feathers of waterfowl, particularly geese and ducks that are raised for meat. After the birds are slaughtered, their down and flight feathers are removed, cleaned, and sorted by quality.

Down is an excellent insulation material due to its high warmth-to-weight ratio. It is also highly compressible and long-lasting, making it ideal for high-performance outdoor clothing and equipment.

We source virgin down and feathers from numerous different supply chains. Customers can verify the quality of the down in their products using the unique "Trace Your Down" code provided on each product.

The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certifies all our virgin down supply chains, and we also request additional information from suppliers to ensure that they meet our requirements.

The Responsible Down Standard (RDS) is a globally recognised third-party certification program that sets animal welfare standards and ensures a traceable chain of custody for materials across the supply chain.

In 2022, Mountain Equipment became audited and certified to RDS, and we integrated it into our supply chain. Independent certification bodies inspect the supply chain each year to ensure traceability and compliance. They monitor the farms, collectors, slaughterhouses, down processors, sewing factories, and distribution centres.

RDS sets out criteria to treat ducks and geese humanely. With a certified supply chain, this mitigates risks of down and feathers coming from animals that have been subjected to harm. RDS audits are conducted to evaluate and verify current conditions.

The farms we work with are inspected by independent third-party certification bodies, which are regulated by an accreditation body.

As a certified Responsible Down Standard (RDS) brand partner, we ensure our partners meet the RDS standards. We occasionally visit a small representation of the farms ourselves to gain a first-hand understanding of the conditions and processes that help inform our practices.

To put it briefly, no. The RDS employs a representative sampling technique to evaluate the farms. This method involves visiting random farms in the area to create an understanding of the whole supply chain.

The rationale is that there are too many individual farms (sometimes hundreds!) supplying down and feather materials to collectors and processors, and conducting annual inspections and audits on each of them would be impractical.

Recycled down is obtained from consumer products, such as used duvets and pillows, that have been discarded and would otherwise go to landfills or incinerated waste.

Our recycled down is certified to the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), which ensures that certified recycled down is used in our products. Our supply chain and ourselves are independently audited to GRS annually.