We believe that exceptional clothing begins long before a garment is made. Wherever possible, we choose certified materials from supply chains that meet internationally recognised environmental, social and animal welfare standards.
These independent certifications help verify how fibres are grown, produced and processed, providing greater transparency throughout the supply chain. Rather than relying on our own claims, these standards are independently assessed against strict criteria covering areas such as responsible farming, animal welfare, environmental management, chemical use, traceability and worker wellbeing.
Where a MANAAKI garment is labelled with a certification, we have obtained and reviewed the relevant documentation from our suppliers to verify the claim.
Products with certifications are labelled in the product description. While not every material we use currently carries an independent certification, we actively seek certified and responsibly sourced alternatives wherever possible.
Below is an overview of the certifications and responsible materials MANAAKI currently uses, along with what each standard represents and why it matters.
Organic Fibre Standards
We use the following certifications to verify the organic content and traceability of our organic cotton and organic hemp.
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is recognised as one of the world's leading certifications for organic textiles. It verifies both the organic status of natural fibres and the environmental and social practices used throughout processing, manufacturing and finishing.
GOTS certification includes:
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"Organic" label for products containing at least 95% certified organic natural fibres
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Strict controls on chemicals and dyes
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Responsible water and energy management
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Wastewater treatment requirements
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Fair and safe working conditions
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Full supply chain traceability
Organic Content Standard (OCS)
The Organic Content Standard (OCS) verifies the amount of organically grown material contained within a product while maintaining full chain of custody through the supply chain.
Unlike GOTS, OCS focuses specifically on verifying organic fibre content rather than environmental processing or labour standards.
OCS includes two certification levels:
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OCS 100 – Products containing 95–100% certified organic material.
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OCS Blended – Products containing 5–94% certified organic material.
Responsible Animal Fibre Standards
We use the following standards to verify the responsible sourcing of our animal fibres, including wool from sheep (including merino sheep), alpaca wool from alpacas, mohair fibres from angora goats and cashmere wool from cashmere goats.
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS), Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS)
These standards include:
- Animal welfare – Ensuring animals are treated humanely and cared for throughout their lives.
- Responsible grazing and land stewardship – Promoting farming practices that protect soil health, biodiversity and the long-term sustainability of grazing land.
- Protection of natural ecosystems – Helping conserve native habitats and minimise the environmental impact of farming.
- Full chain of custody – Providing traceability throughout the supply chain, from farm to finished product.
- Independent third-party auditing – Regular assessments by accredited independent organisations to verify compliance with each standard.
ZQ Merino
ZQ Merino is Aotearoa New Zealand's leading ethical wool certification for New Zealand Merino wool.
ZQ farms are independently audited against standards covering:
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The Five Freedoms of animal welfare
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Environmental stewardship
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Responsible farming practices
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Fair working conditions
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Fibre traceability
The Good Cashmere Standard®
The Good Cashmere Standard® promotes higher standards of animal welfare, environmental stewardship and responsible farming throughout cashmere production.
The standard includes:
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Animal welfare
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Sustainable grazing practices
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Biodiversity protection
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Responsible farm management
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Independent auditing and traceability
Recycled Materials
We use the following standards to verify the recycled content and traceability of recycled materials used throughout our collections.
Global Recycled Standard (GRS) & Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) are internationally recognised standards that verify the recycled content and traceability of recycled materials.
GRS also includes requirements for responsible chemical management, environmental practices and social responsibility, while RCS focuses specifically on verifying recycled material content and maintaining chain of custody throughout the supply chain.
These standards include:
- Verification of recycled material content
- Full chain of custody and traceability
- Independent third-party auditing
- Responsible chemical management (GRS)
- Environmental and social requirements (GRS)
InresST® Recycled Nylon
Where possible, we use InresST® recycled nylon in our knitwear which is GRS & RCS certified. InresST® is a premium fibre manufactured using discarded fishing nets and other recovered nylon waste from the ocean.
By transforming waste into high-performance textile fibres, recycled nylon helps reduce landfill and marine pollution while decreasing reliance on virgin petroleum-based materials. The result is a durable, technical fibre that supports a more circular approach to textile production.
Cellulose Fibres
TENCEL™ Lyocell
TENCEL™ Lyocell fibres are derived from sustainably sourced wood harvested from responsibly managed forests.
They are produced using an environmentally responsible closed-loop manufacturing process that recovers and reuses more than 99% of the processing solvent, helping minimise waste and reduce environmental impact.
TENCEL™ fibres are naturally biodegradable under suitable conditions while offering exceptional softness, breathability and durability.
Responsible Leather
Leather Working Group (LWG)
The Leather Working Group is the world's leading environmental certification programme for leather manufacturing.
Rather than certifying the leather itself, LWG independently audits tanneries against rigorous environmental performance standards.
These assessments include:
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Water management
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Energy efficiency
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Chemical management
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Waste reduction
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Air emissions
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Traceability
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Environmental management systems
Using leather sourced from LWG-certified tanneries helps support more responsible leather production throughout the industry.
Why Certifications Matter
No certification is perfect, but independent standards provide an important level of accountability. They establish measurable benchmarks that suppliers must meet and maintain through ongoing auditing and verification.
As a small independent brand, working with certified materials allows us to make more informed sourcing decisions while providing greater transparency for our customers.
We recognise that responsible design is an ongoing journey rather than a finished destination. As MANAAKI continues to grow, we remain committed to increasing the use of certified fibres, improving traceability and continually strengthening the transparency of our supply chain.
Disclaimer – MANAAKI reserves the right to update or modify the information on its website at any time. Content is regularly reviewed to reflect the brand’s current position and practices.