H Dawson - Worldwide Wool Experts Since 1888

NA TURA L FIBRE TE CHNO LO GIES

WORLDWIDE WOOL EXPERTS SINCE 1888

Jo Dawson, Chairman of H Dawson and Co-founder of Woolkeepers®

NOTES FROM THE CHAIRMAN

“H. Dawson has been at the forefront of innovation for over a century. One defining innovation in recent years has been the creation of The Woolkeepers®, a community of farmers and like-minded companies committed to sustainability and fairness throughout the wool supply chain.

Woolkeepers® wool is not just traceable wool. Our farmers go way beyond minimum standards as do all of the Woolkeepers® in the supply chain. We are building a community that is passionate about nurturing its animals and the environment so we are supporting our farmers on their journey towards regenerative agriculture.

Woolkeepers® wool is unique because it comes from the best farmers who receive a fair price which supports the rebuilding of rural communities. Ultimately customers of the final product know that by buying a product containing this better-grown wool, they too become Woolkeepers®, a select community who are custodians of this precious resource and of our environment.”.

WORLDWIDE WOOL EXPERTS SINCE 1888

For over 130 years, H. Dawson has been a leader in the international wool trade. Founded by Harry Dawson in 1888, the company quickly grew to become one of the largest and most respected wool brokers in the world. With offices in major markets and a strong network of partnerships in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, H. Dawson was well-positioned to serve customers around the globe.

While H. Dawson’s rich ancestry of natural fibres, technologies and global trade has defined the company, it is committed to adapting to the needs of today and tomorrow. Led by Jo Dawson, the 4th generation of the Dawson family, the company’s new approach centres around innovative and sustainable fully traceable solutions that meet the demands of conscious consumers, while staying true to its legacy of excellence and innovation.

As part of its drive to embed verified traceability into its products, in 2019, H. Dawson drove the creation of The Woolkeepers®, a community of farmers and like-minded companies committed to sustainability and fairness throughout the wool supply chain. Using wool from this unique supply chain, H. Dawson prioritised the assurance of animal welfare practices and fair price payment to the farmer. Through the Woolkeepers® community, H. Dawson is paving the way towards a more equitable and sustainable future for the wool growers, users and ultimate custodians.

INTRODUCTION

H. Dawson, is a company that places transparency and sustainability at the forefront of its operations. At the heart of H. Dawson’s business model is a transparent and sustainable farm-to-customer value chain -

The Woolkeepers®, which ensures unique wool fibres can be traced back to their origins, guaranteeing authenticity and quality.

Ethical sourcing is a fundamental aspect of H. Dawson’s commitment to working with raw materials. By remaining true to the sourcing route, the company maintains a stable pricing structure, for both customers and wool growers, while promoting natural fibre wool solutions which meet the demands of the market.

In addition to their dedication to ethical practices, H. Dawson takes pride in delivering exceptional service that surpasses expectations. Striving to provide customers with a seamless experience.

As a company catering to conscious consumers, H. Dawson offers a diverse range of fully traceable and assured eco-positive products.The product line-up includes apparel insulation, bedding, mattress layers and geo textiles. By choosing H. Dawson, customers can have confidence in making environmentally conscious choices without compromising on quality or style.

GLOBAL MANUFACTURING PARTNER

H Dawson has established a global manufacturing partnership with Shinih Enterprise Co. Ltd, a prominent player in synthetic non-woven products and based in USA. This strategic alliance addresses the increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly textile solutions, while upholding ethical practices worldwide.

Together, H Dawson and Shinih Enterprise are pushing boundaries and creating innovative products that prioritise environmental consciousness. By leveraging their combined strengths, they aim to lead the industry in offering sustainable solutions that align with the values of modern consumers.

This partnership between H Dawson and Shinih Enterprise is a testament to the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products in the textile industry. Together, they are setting a new standard by providing forward-thinking solutions that cater to the needs of conscious consumers.

OUR WORLD

The Woolkeepers® has been founded on the belief that sheep farmers should be rewarded for their progressive farming practices that yield high-quality wool.The company delivers an assurance programme which leverages existing accreditation bodies, whilst recognising and paying farmers a fair price for their work on animal welfare, safety, land use, environmental protection and biodiversity.

Today, The Woolkeepers® represents over 600 selected farmers and provides them with routes to market, by promoting a range of benefits previously unrepresented in wool production and in coarser wool types. These benefits include improved livestock performance, health, biodiversity and root structure all the while aiming to deliver profitability from growing and harvesting the fleece. All of this helps to highlight to consumers the positive impact of wool growing and production.

The holistic approach adopted by The Woolkeepers® offers unique advantages over traditional practices. By considering soil health, animal welfare, water and air quality in addition to sustainability, The Woolkeepers® supports a complete ecosystem that works with nature rather than against it. This approach allows brands and manufacturers to demonstrate a deeper level of commitment to their customers, which goes beyond sustainability. The Woolkeepers® is dedicated to promoting a better way of farming that safeguards the livelihoods of farmers, protects the environment and offers a source of high-quality wool.

OUR COMMUNITY

The Woolkeepers® programme fosters a community of practice, providing direct insight and learning opportunities for farmers and other stakeholders who share a passion for wool. By being part of the community, farmers and members of the wool industry gain access to a network of like-minded individuals who are committed to creating an ethical wool industry.

Through knowledge-sharing, the community shares valuable resources and expertise to implement responsible wool growing and regenerative practices on their own farms. It also offers a sense of fellowship and support, allowing farmers to connect and share their successes and challenges. By working together and learning from one another, The Woolkeepers® community is elevating the industry and demonstrating on an international level the importance of animal welfare, land management, and social outcomes.

WE ARE GROWERS FROM THE WOOLKEEPERS®

FAIR PRICE TRACEABLE, CERTIFIED WOOL

FOUNDING PRINCIPLES

The Woolkeepers® community was founded on three core principles: fair price, traceability and assurance.

By offering a fair and market-leading price, the programme ensures that wool production remains profitable for farmers.

Aligned with farming legislation and animal welfare science, The Woolkeepers® rewards progressive farming practices that yield high-quality wool. By leveraging existing farm assurance schemes, farmers are recognised for their work on safety, animal welfare, land use, environmental protection and biodiversity.

The programme also ensures that the wool passing through its supply chain is traceable and audited annually from farm gate to factory door. This creates a transparent model, benefiting not just the farmers, but also the broader interconnected ecosystem. that depends on them.

FAIR PRICE

Farmers are rewarded with a fair price for their wool which helps them to drive positive environmental and social change

The Woolkeepers® programme aims to alleviate the financial strain on wool production by covering the cost of shearing, a significant expense for most farmers. This helps to encourage farmers to prioritise animal welfare and ethical farming practices, which is a key goal of the programme. Payment is made directly to the farmer, and a fixed price per kilogram is set at the start of the shearing season. The programme strives to offer a fair and market-leading price, which makes wool production a profitable exercise.

ASSURANCE

We work in harmony with agriculture & leverage existing mechanisms to certify the assurance of fibre through our Woolkeeping community

ASSURANCE SCHEMES

FARM ASSURANCE

Standard created by Red Tractor Standards for Beef and Lamb V5 QMS (Scotland) and QWFC (Wales)

Farm certification managed by 3 control bodies

The Woolkeepers® license number: 128774

ORGANIC

Compliance implemented by EU-ECO REGULATIONS

Farm certification managed by 8 Organic control bodies, i.e Soil Association

Supply chain certification managed GOTS

The Woolkeepers® licence number: DK31094

RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD

Standard created by Textile Exchange, RAF

Farm Certification managed by multiple gloabl certification bodies

Supply chain certificaton managed Content Claim Standard (CCS)

The Woolkeepers® license number: 189520

REGENERATIVE

Methodology created by The Savory Institute’s, Ecological Outcome Verification

Farm verification managed by Savory Hubs

Supply chain verification managed by Land To Market

The Woolkeepers® are members of Land to Market

ASSURANCE FEATURES

RTA

The Red Tractor Standard for Beef and Lamb V5

FARM ASSURANCE STANDARD

GOTS

Global Organic Textile Standard

FARM & SUPPLY CHAIN STANDARD

RWS

Responsible Wool Standard

FARM & SUPPLY CHAIN STANDARD

Land To Market

SUPPLY CHAIN VERIFICATION

• UK farm assurance standard.

• Benchmarks UK farm management and quality produce.

• Farm to finished food or fibre product.

• Global textile standard.

• Ensuring the organic status of a product from farm to finished product.

Product is traceable, safe and farmed with care.

• Global voluntary fibre standard.

• Benchmarks and defines responsible wool production from farm to finished product.

Product is organically grown and harvested.

Manufacturing is environmentally and socially responsible.

• Global scheme verifying produce through regenerative farming

Product is responsibly grown.

Sheep farmers meet global animal welfare, land management and biodiversity requirements.

Part 1: Ecological Outcome Verification

- Monitors improvements in ecosystems, biodiversity and soil.

Part 2: Land to Market verification seal for consumers

TRACEABILITY

Sheep are sheared annually to harvest their wool, which is packed and transported to a grading depot for segregation by certification scheme and baling. The wool is then washed with surfactants to remove grease and combed to eliminate any vegetable matter, before being treated and transformed into finished products. The Woolkeepers® ensure traceability by auditing all wool passing through its supply chain annually. This includes sourcing wool responsibly and processing it to the highest quality standards.

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

Our mission is to promote responsible storytelling by providing precise information on the origin of the wool. With The Woolkeepers®’s sourcing model, we aim to foster consumer awareness, supplier loyalty, and fibre authenticity. To maintain the credibility of our platform, we recommend the following stages to secure the supply chain.

Stage one – join The Woolkeepers® community

If you are interested in becoming a part of The Woolkeepers® community, we provide several levels of involvement to suit your needs and goals. Each level has unique benefits and opportunities for you to showcase your commitment to ethical wool sourcing and support the growth of the wool industry.

See levels on p.26.

Stage two – recognising if you wish to become certified yourself

To sell certified wool and endorse use an accredited standard logo, such as the Responsible Wool Standard, it is essential to meet all the licensing requirements and successfully undergo a third-party audit.

As an alternate, The Woolkeepers® serves as a benchmark for assuring traceability, fair pricing and supporting a community.

Stage three – verification of farm origin

If you want to trace your products back to the farm origin using The Woolkeepers® QR codes, we’ll handle the QR code artwork and webpage hosting. You are responsibile for managing QR code labelling and stock to ensure traceability claims are accurate.

For any information about joining the community please contact your H Dawson representative or Alison

Atkins | Woolkeepers® Community Manager

info@woolkeepers.co.uk

HOW CAN I PROMOTE THE WOOLKEEPERS?

By joining The Woolkeepers® community you can demonstrate your ethical sourcing commitment with traceable wool at fair market prices. Use our name, logo, and brand exclusively in your communication materials with added high-quality stock images to boost your message.

Photo credit: finisterre

VERIFICATION

The Woolkeepers® was founded in the UK where the wool production landscape is characterised by mountains, moors and paddocks, resulting in smaller flock sizes compared to merino farming. As a result, we group farmers based on certification scheme, fibre quality and breed to ensure that we can process commercial quantities and pay a higher premium to the farmers.

With each wool processing, we create a unique blend that is identifiable by the above traits and the farm location. We exclusively source wool from our group of Woolkeepers®, and to simplify the identification process, we assign a QR code and group number to each blend. This number helps us provide you with information on the exact farmers who helped grow your wool.

We would like to thank you for your interest in H Dawson and our unwavering dedication to sustainability, regenerative agriculture and ethical practices. Together, we have the power to shape a brighter and more sustainable future for the wool industry.

Our mission goes beyond mere commercial value. We strive to drive social and environmental change by spreading awareness about the numerous benefits of wool growing and production. When you choose H Dawson wool, you join a community that shares a deep appreciation for the environment, animal welfare and the individuals who contribute to creating these exceptional products.