ETHICAL SOURCING

Canadian Down & Feather Company is committed to ethical, responsible sourcing, and is working with the IDFL Laboratory and Institute to ensure the same commitment to social responsibility throughout its supply chain. IDFL is an independent, global organization and the world’s largest down and feather laboratory, providing quality assurance services for down- and feather-filled products. In addition to testing down, feather and finished products to ensure they meet Canadian and US standards, they issue certifications for traceability of materials, animal welfare, and compliance with industry best-practices.

 

IDFL Down Standard

IDFL’s Traceability Audit System involves rigorous audits and inspections of the entire supply chain, from parent farm to the end retailer, conducted to assess adherence to the requirements of the IDFL Down Standard. Obtainment of the IDS Certification verifies that down and feather products are ethically sourced and traceable through the supply chain to the parent farm.

For a product to be considered ethically sourced, animals must be treated humanely. Live-harvesting, live-plucking, molt-harvesting, force-feeding, over-crowding, neglect and abuse are strictly prohibited. People must be given a safe, clean place to work with well-maintained facilities, and must be paid fairly, given adequate time off and breaks, and must meet the minimum legal age of employment. Suppliers must be aware of their environmental impact and demonstrate a commitment to reducing their climatic footprint.

Canadian Down & Feather Company has passed IDFL’s Traceability Audit (Most recent IDFL Audit Number: 22-402391 & Project Number: 005914) and is the first company in Canada to be IDS Certified.

CDFC’s suppliers have also recently been audited and certified, and products will soon bear the IDS Certification Logo.

Responsible Down Standard

IDFL is also approved to audit for and issue the Responsible Down Standard Certification, which verifies the humane rearing and handling of animals in the down and feather supply chain. Animals must be treated with respect and must not be subject to unnecessary harm, including live- plucking, molt-harvesting and force-feeding. Products may only be RDS Certified if they contain 100% RDS Certified material, traceable through the chain of custody.

Canadian Down & Feather Company is RDS Certified (Most recent IDFL Audit Number: 22-402392 & Licence Number: 005891).

 ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

Canadian Down & Feather Company cares about sustainability & protecting the planet for future generations and is committed to environmentally-conscious production.

 

Carbonzero

Canadian Down & Feather Company is taking responsibility for its greenhouse gas emissions with the help of Carbonzero. Carbonzero offers high quality, impactful, Canadian-based carbon offsets that adhere to strict and comprehensive standards. These offset projects are audited and verified by accredited 3rd parties and all carbon reduction outcomes are measurable.

Carbonzero has certified that Canadian Down & Feather Company’s corporate operations are carbon neutral. The use of natural gas and electricity at CDFC’s corporate facility generates greenhouse gas emissions, which have been calculated and offset by investing in the following carbon reduction projects:

The Southern Quebec Afforestation Project has re-established forest on 75.9 hectares of land in South-Eastern Quebec. Over 146, 000 trees have been planted across 15 lands. The project will incorporate a large-scale art installation that explores environmental stewardship and action against climate change, adapted from the incredible work of First Nations artist Eruoma Awashish.   

The Ontario Biodiversity Afforestation Project has restored 150 hectares of fallow land in Northern Ontario to forest conditions by planting over 402, 000 trees. In addition to sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this afforestation provides a habitat that allows forest species to thrive and helps sustain ecotourism in the area.

PRODUCT SAFETY

Canadian Down & Feather Company is committed to product quality and safety and the health of its consumers. 

 

OEKO-TEX

Canadian Down & Feather Company is working with OEKO-TEX to ensure all CDFC products are free of harmful substances. OEKO-TEX is an association of textile testing and research institutes around the world. The OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certification verifies that all components of textile products, from fabric to thread to labels, are free of harmful chemicals. The certification process involves site audits for quality control and rigorous scientific testing of products and product components to detect the presence of legally banned harmful substances as well as substances known to be unsafe, even if they are not yet legally regulated. Products may only be Standard 100 Certified if all components of the article meet OEKO-TEX’s stringent requirements, which often exceed national and international standards.

The following products are fully OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certified:

Microfiber Down Alternative Duvet, Pillow & Poly Bed

Gel Microfiber Down Alternative Duvet, Pillow & Poly Bed

White Goose Feather Duvet

White Feather & Down Duvet 

Down Perfect Feather Bed

All 100% Cotton Shells used in the production of CDFC products are also certified, and CDFC is in the process of having all other product components across all collections certified.