Animal Welfare
If the House chooses an animal-derived material, welfare and origin become part of the material specification — not a paragraph added after the object is finished.
Conditional application
This standard becomes operational where L’INCONNU uses animal-derived materials. Publishing it now does not claim that the House currently sources leather, wool, cashmere, feathers, down, exotic skins or other animal-derived material.
Traceability
Before approving an animal-derived strategic material, the House should document species, material type, supplier, processing chain and origin to the level proportionate to welfare, legality and sourcing risk.
Legal and conservation status
The House should not purchase material whose species, trade route or documentation does not comply with applicable wildlife, conservation and trade requirements. Higher-risk materials require stronger origin evidence before design approval.
Welfare expectations
Supplier standards should address humane treatment, transport and slaughter or harvesting practices where relevant to the material. The exact assurance system should be selected by material and geography rather than assuming one label covers every welfare issue.
Claims
Terms such as “responsible leather”, “ethical wool” or “traceable down” must not appear publicly without a defined standard and evidence supporting the actual batch, supplier or sourcing programme.
Alternatives and design
Alternative or synthetic material is not automatically lower-impact or higher-welfare in every dimension. Material choice should consider durability, repair, chemistry, end-of-life and evidence alongside animal-welfare considerations.