Simply Merino is a small family run business and we believe clothing should feel good in every sense of the word: soft on your skin, aligned with your values, and made with care from start to finish. This is why we choose to source all our wool with trusted third-party certifications such as OEKO-TEX®, RWS and Woolmark that help ensure our fibre is responsibly sourced, carefully processed, and held to high quality standards.
But what do those certifications mean?
🐑 Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) — Ethical Beginnings
The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) is one of the most important global standards for ethical wool.
At its heart, RWS is about respect; for animals, for land, and for transparency.
Wool certified to this standard comes from farms that:
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Prioritize animal welfare
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Do not practice mulesing
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Manage grazing responsibly to protect soil health
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Maintain traceability from farm through processing
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, mulesing is a practice used in some regions where skin is removed from around a sheep’s tail to help prevent flystrike (a serious parasitic infection). It’s a controversial procedure due to animal welfare concerns. RWS certification prohibits this practice and instead requires farmers to use alternative flock management methods.
For us, RWS aligns with how we believe clothing should begin with care at the source.
🧶 Woolmark — A Global Mark of Wool Quality
You may recognize the iconic swirl of the The Woolmark Company logo.
Woolmark isn’t about marketing — it’s about performance and authenticity. Products carrying the Woolmark certification are independently tested to ensure:
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Verified wool fibre content
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Strength and durability
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Colourfastness
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Resistance to shrinkage and shape loss
It’s one of the most recognized wool quality marks in the world, and it gives reassurance that the fibre itself meets rigorous international standards.
In simple terms: it confirms that what you’re wearing is truly high-quality wool — and that it’s built to last.
🧪 OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 — Free from Harmful Chemicals
Many of our pieces are worn close to the skin and are worn by children—just one of the many reasons we don't want harmful chemicals in our clothing.
All of the Merino wool we source meets the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 for harmful substance testing. This globally recognized standard verifies that the wool fibre itself has been tested and confirmed to be free from harmful levels of chemicals.
Transparency Around Our Certifications
Because we manufacture locally in multiple small, independent facilities here in Vancouver, our final sewn garments are not certified as finished products under OEKO-TEX®, RWS or Woolmark. For a finished garment to carry that certification, each manufacturing facility must hold its own active certification.
For small-scale local manufacturers, obtaining and maintaining OEKO-TEX® certification can be a significant financial investment. Certification involves ongoing audits, testing, administrative requirements, and annual renewal fees—costs that are often more manageable for large overseas factories producing at very high volumes.
As a small brand committed to local production, we’ve chosen to prioritize:
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✔ Sourcing only RWS, Woolmark, & OEKO-TEX® certified wool fibre
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✔ Maintaining close, direct relationships with our local sewing partners
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✔ Producing thoughtfully in small batches
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✔ Investing in quality materials over large-scale production
What this means for you:
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The wool fibre itself meets RWS, Woolmark, OEKO-TEX® standards
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The fabric is produced under strict requirements
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Your garments are sewn locally by small independent makers
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The finished garment does not currently carry RWS, Woolmark, or OEKO-TEX® labels due to facility certification costs and requirements
Supporting small local manufacturing sometimes means navigating systems built for large-scale production, but it also allows us to stay rooted in community, quality, and care.
Why Third-Party Certifications Matter to Us
In an industry where sustainability language can sometimes feel vague, third-party certifications create clarity.
They:
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Hold our suppliers accountable through independent audits
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Verify claims with documented standards
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Support better outcomes for animals, land, and people
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Help you shop with confidence
For us, certifications aren’t about adding logos, they’re about aligning with partners and farms who share our values.
Rooted in Fibre. Grounded in Care.
Simply Merino was built around the idea that fewer, better pieces can make a real difference in how we dress, how we consume, and how we care for the planet.
Our certifications, from RWS to Woolmark to OEKO-TEX® fibre standards, reflect that commitment at every step.
Thank you for choosing thoughtfully made, responsibly sourced Merino wool. It means more than you know.
