TRACEABILITY
Visibility from grower to garment
Traditionally, farmers sold their wool at auction with no knowledge of where it went or what it was to be used for.
With ZQ, our growers are connected to the brands that buy their wool, and they’re proud to wear and use the products.
Being able to produce wool for a specific purpose adds a greater sense of achievement.
All ZQ bales are selected to meet brand specification, sent to our central wool store, where they are logged, tested and sampled, to ensure quality standards are met, before being sent on to the next stage of the supply chain.
From source to sale
ZQ Natural Fibre is fully traceable back to the individual farms the fibre is blended from, connecting ZQ products to the people behind it and giving you confidence in the integrity of the fibre.
It’s important to us to ensure the authenticity of our wool and to keep track of where it’s come from and where it goes.
Relationships are key
Traceability is made possible through the ZQ forward contract model.
We pride ourselves on our long-term partnerships throughout the supply chain and can trace back to back ZQ contracts all the way through, from farm to fashion. Our relationships we have with our partners span decades, and we only partner with those that align with our values and share a similar vision for authenticity and sustainability.
ZQ Natural Fibre is sourced from hand-selected, accredited properties in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. All ZQ farms are audited to the same ZQ standards, no matter where in the world.
THIRD PARTY AUDITS
Proud to be proving it
ZQ growers adhere to the standards set out in the ZQ Grower Standard, which provide security and certainty in animal health and welfare, environmental practices, social responsibility, fibre quality and consistency, and it’s all audited and traceable back to the source.
ZQ farms are audited on a regular basis by a third party Certified Accreditation Body (CAB).
We use two CABs: AsureQuality and Control Union.
AssureQuality specialise in a high level of integrity and consistency auditing approximately 15,000 sheep, beef and dairy farms each year in New Zealand and Australia. Control Union Certifications Australia is an independent, internationally operating Certification Body with over 4000 employees and boots on the ground in more than 70 countries.
Audits happen normally every three years. Our audits help identify improvements the farm may need to carry out, within certain timeframes, and if changes need to be made, audits will be stepped up to ensure these changes are put in place for good.
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ZQ is an on farm certification standard, owned and operated by The New Zealand Merino Company Ltd.
The ZQ programme does not extend to certification beyond the farm gate, though we work with many long-term partners within the supply chain, who align with ZQ values and adhere to our Rules of Engagement agreement.