Zque, the sustainable merino wool sourcer and animal welfare accreditation program, is expanding its supply chain beyond New Zealand and into South America. Principals from Ibex recently traveled with Zque representatives to Argentina and Uruguay where Ibex signed its first contract in Uruguay to expand its source of Zque-certified merino wool.
The Zque program has been developed by The New Zealand Merino Company to satisfy expectations of the integrity of Ibex's Merino fabrics. This includes assurance that Ibex’s production systems meet suitable standards for the stewardship of livestock, management of the environment and socially responsible practices, and that the resulting products are of the highest quality. Specifically, Zque encourages that Ibex’s fiber production is managed through systems that track enhanced animal welfare, environmental, social and economic values, and provides that extra bit of confidence and transparency of the quality and integrity of Ibex's fiber in New Zealand and now in Uruguay.
“The purpose for our trip to Uruguay was to find new sources for merino wool that are as good as the New Zealand Merino we have been sourcing, and to match the finest fiber to the finest fabric,” explained John Fernsell, CEO of Ibex.
Ibex will produce its first garments made from Uruguay Merino Wool in its Fall 2012 collection.
To see the farm in Uruguay and hear more from Ibex executives about their journey to find the world’s finest merino, check out Sourcing the Future, Ibex’s video from Uruguay, at ibex.com/sourcingthefuture.
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