Build Traceable and Transparent Hemp Apparel Supply Chains from Farm to Finished Garment

Black and white circular certification badge with the text 'Responsible Hemp Standard Certified' and large letters 'RHS' in the center, featuring a small plant icon beneath.
Person holding a brown tag with a QR code and recycling symbol, and a smartphone displaying an overhead V-neck blouse on an online shopping app.

Apparel is changing. Traceability and responsible sourcing are no longer optional, especially in the era of EU due diligence, digital product passports, and greenwashing scrutiny.

The Responsible Hemp Standard (RHS) empowers brands, mills, and processors to meet these new expectations with confidence through verified, transparent hemp fiber supply chains that span from farm to final product.”

Green John Deere combine harvester cutting tall crops in a field under a partly cloudy sky.

What is RHS?

RHS is the first global chain-of-custody certification for industrial hemp. It was designed to ensure:

  • Full traceability from farm to finished product

  • Third-party verification of social, environmental, and chemical compliance

  • Clear documentation via Transaction Certificates (TCs)

  • Recognition of responsible agricultural and processing practices

“If it’s not certified, it’s not traceable.”

How it Works

  1. Farm audit

  2. Processing facility audit (decortication, degumming, etc.)

  3. Textile mill audit (spinning, dyeing, etc.)

  4. A transaction certificate (TC) is issued for every shipment

  5. Brand receives finished product + TC

  • Cultivation Excellence: RHS ensures the use of sustainable, low-carbon, and minimal pesticide cultivation methods to produce high-quality hemp fiber and fabric.

  • Processing Integrity: RHS ensures that processing and manufacturing meet strict quality control measures, maintaining consistency and safety throughout production.

  • Distribution and Supply Chain Validation: RHS ensures that all certified materials can be validated through origin and mass balance- meaning on label claims are 100% accurate and verified.

  • Ethical Labor Practices: RHS upholds fair labor practices, promoting worker welfare and social responsibility across the hemp fabric supply chain.

  • Environmental Stewardship: RHS encourages sustainable practices across the hemp fabric supply chain, reducing the industry's carbon footprint and environmental impact.

  • Product Safety and Quality Assurance: RHS implements strict testing and quality assurance measures to ensure that hemp textile products meet the highest quality and safety standards.

  • Legal Compliance: RHS ensures compliance with local and international laws and regulations, maintaining ethical boundaries in the industry.

  • Consumer Education: RHS educates consumers about hemp textile products, including their benefits, risks, and proper usage, promoting responsible consumption.

  • Continuous Improvement: RHS encourages participants to continually improve their practices, fostering ongoing advancements in quality, sustainability, and ethical labor standards within the hemp fabric supply chain

Pillars of RHS

A hemp farm icon, a denim jacket, and a logo for Responsible Hemp Standard (RHS) certification.

Traceability From Farm to Finished Garment

Why Hemp?

Here are a few reasons to consider choosing hemp as a natural fiber alternative for apparel manufacturing:

  • Protects skin by naturally filtering UV light

  • Natural moisture-wicking properties

  • Does not retain body odor

  • Four times the strength of cotton

  • Superior dye retention

  • Will not stretch out of shape

  • Soft on the skin

  • Wears in, not out

  • Will not shrink if washed with cold water

  • Natural antibacterial characteristics

  • Resistant to mildew and mold

  • Requires less water and fewer pesticides to grow than cotton

  • Sequesters CO2 in the soil and its biomass as it grows

  • The RHS program allows brands to demonstrate their commitment to responsible fiber sourcing by having a clear supply chain and sourcing policy. Develop internal policies that prioritize and support organic, preferred, or regenerative farming practices that avoid the use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides and synthetic fertilizers for hemp production.

  • The RHS program allows brands to foster long-term relationships with farmers, investing in organic and regenerative agriculture projects developed in partnership with them to support responsible farming practices and fair prices.

  • The RHS program ensures a reliable system and identification process to verify sustainability claims and ensure traceability in sourcing RHS certified hemp and other raw materials through to finished garments.

  • The RHS program allows for the continued development of environmental and social due diligence systems. Monitoring potential and actual impacts within fiber and material supply chains and supporting remediation where brands have caused or contributed to negative impacts.

What RHS Ensures for Apparel Brands

Take The First Step Toward RHS Certification

From field to finished garment, RHS -Textiles certification ensures complete traceability and the use of sustainable and ethical practices across the global hemp fabric supply chain. This allows brands to demonstrate their commitment to responsible sourcing of hemp fiber, the same as all other natural and synthetic fibers used in apparel manufacturing.