The Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare
At Kvadrat, we are committed to creating high-quality textiles that not only look and feel great but also uphold our values of ethical and responsible production. That is why we are proud to use wool from sheep that are raised and kept in conditions that align with the Five Freedoms of animal welfare.
The Five Freedoms were first proposed by the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council in 1965 and have since become widely adopted as a framework for promoting animal welfare. The Five Freedoms are:
- Freedom from hunger or thirst by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
- Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
- Freedom from pain, injury or disease by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
- Freedom to express (most) normal behaviour by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind
- Freedom from fear and distress by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering
The wool we use must meet these standards. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure that the wool they use follows the Five Freedoms. Our business partners must follow our Code of Conduct, which includes the management of all significant potential and actual adverse impacts on animal welfare and compliance with all applicable animal welfare legislation.