| ALLIED FEATHER & DOWN |
Since 2015, all of Montane’s garments are produced using Allied’s HyperDRY™ water-resistant down.
Each tag will not only explain the technology in the product but will also feature a unique SourceTRACK lot number.
| RESPONSIBLE DOWN STANDARD |
Underpinning the partnership between Allied Feather & Down and Montane is a shared commitment towards the responsible sourcing of down.
Montane is deeply committed to the preservation of the environment and the humane treatment of animals. We never use down from live-plucked or force-fed birds. We are proud to have become the first brand in the world to commit to Allied’s Responsible Down Standard (RDS) across our entire clothing range.
In parallel, Allied has always been at the forefront of promoting and implementing sustainable, ethical and environmentally friendly solutions. In 2008, Allied became the first down supplier to require signed certificates throughout its entire supply chain. To further increase the transparency and traceability Allied became a founding member of the RDS which launched in January 2014.
RDS is an all-encompassing third-party accredited industry source standard for down and is Montane’s mark to ensure that the down in our products does not come from animals that have been subjected to any unnecessary harm. With Allied RDS certified down in Montane down garments, you can be 100% sure that the fill has been sourced responsibly and ethically.
CERTIFICATION
The Responsible Down Standard is owned by The Textile Exchange and is available to anyone. It is certified independently by Control Union. The Responsible Down Standard requires:
– that down comes from birds that are not subjected to live-plucking and force-feeding
– that the animals are not subjected to any unnecessary harm, as set out in the Five Freedoms of animal welfare below:
1. Freedom from hunger or thirst
2. Freedom from discomfort
3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease
4. Freedom to express most normal behaviour
5. Freedom from fear and distress
– that a traceability system be instituted to validate the source of the material
– that all aspects of the supply chain, from ‘hatchling to jacket’ meet set standards and criteria
SOURCETRACK™ |
SOURCETRACK & TRACK MY DOWN
Since down is the most effective natural insulation material in terms of warmth to weight and is used widely in Montane’s range, Montane and Allied have joined forces to demonstrate that the down inside your garment is the most effective, resilient, long-lasting, recyclable, responsibly sourced and traceable insulation available.
Montane is deeply committed to the preservation of the environment and the humane treatment of animals. We never use down from live-plucked or force-fed birds. In parallel, Allied Feather & Down take great pride in their supply chain and want everyone to be able to take the same pride knowing that the fill inside their products comes from the best sources.
Using SourceTRACK™ and Track My Down will show Montane and Allied’s commitment to transparency within the down industry and for verification of the quality and source of the down that has been used. When combined with the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), SourceTRACK™ and Track My Down provide the industry’s most complete and transparent communications and educational tool.
SOURCETRACK
SourceTRACK™ is a robust traceability system that gathers data about the quality, source and technical details of the down used in Montane garments.
It was initially developed by Allied as a database to allow partner brands to verify internally where their down was sourced from. This led to the later development of an educational web tool for everyone which would provide in-depth information and knowledge about the down used in various products.
Allied demands complete transparency from suppliers and implements a strict, thorough certification process for all vendors. Each down supplier and farm is visited in person to assess whether their practices align with Allied’s standards. Allied further requires certifications all the way down the supply chain. These certificates verify the source and content of every lot of down received and ensure that the criteria established are being met.
Upon arrival at Allied, each lot of certified down is immediately logged and assigned a unique lot number in the fully automated SourceTRACK™ system. This process ensures that no lots are combined unknowingly and makes it possible to trace virtually every plume of down into blends and on to the truck for final delivery to Montane for use in down garments.
Each blend of down is created bespoke to Montane’s specification and needs and is assigned a master lot number. The information from each lot used to create a particular blend is listed and stored in the SourceTRACK™ database.
Samples from each and every lot used to create the blend are tested at Allied’s in-house lab and sent to independent testing facilities to verify fill power, cleanliness and contents. The results of these tests are openly accessible through the SourceTRACK™ database and stored with the data for that particular lot.
Allied’s automation of the SourceTRACK™ database is the first of its kind in the down and feather industry. As well as allowing access to every piece of information associated with each lot of down, it also enables effective and efficient proof that the down used in Montane garments is responsibly sourced.
TRACK MY DOWN |
Track My Down is the portal through which the information on the down gathered through the SourceTRACK™ system can be accessed.
By entering the SourceTRACK™ lot number printed on the hang tags on Montane down garments to www.trackmydown.com, you can learn in detail about the actual fill used in your individual jacket.
You will be able to see:
- The source region of the down
- Verified third-party tested final fill power
- Cleanliness
- Content analysis
- Links to any / all reports and certificates
HYPERDRY |
The HyperDRY™ natural wax-based compound works the same way traditional DWR chemicals do by building a carbon-hydrogen chain on the down cluster to decrease the surface tension which ultimately causes water to bead and roll off. The difference is that wax, as a material, is not fluorinated. The fluoridation of the carbon-hydrogen chains in previously used DWR treatments is what gives these chemicals an extremely long held-life making them almost impossible to break down wreaking havoc on the ecosystem in our waterways.
- Currently tests over 80% longer than other water resistant down on the market in industry standard DWR shake test
- Tested for PFOA and PFOS
These methods provide an invisible coating that does not compromise the texture or colour of the fill.
Montane uses Titanium and Silver HyperDRY™ across 650, 750 and 800+ fill powers.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
- Industry-leading water resistance
- Bluesign® approved treatments
- Washable