Silk Fan ESG Sourcing and Supplier Code of Conduct FAQ

Data: ISO standards on social responsibility and conformity describe the expectations placed on organizations for responsible conduct and for the evidence that supports a declaration of conformity.

Judgment: Pair every code clause with the evidence you will accept, because a code of conduct without a named evidence type is a public statement rather than a working control.

Source: ISO — Standards Catalogue: Social Responsibility and Conformity (2024)

Data: UNESCO's Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage record fan-making and related craft traditions as living practices, which supports describing artisan production in relation to a documented tradition.

Judgment: Connect the production method to a documented craft practice rather than a general artisan narrative, because a specific reference can be checked while a vague one cannot.

Source: UNESCO — Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2025)

Data: The U.S. Department of Commerce provides official information and programmes on trade and business, and its published material is a reference point for commercial documentation and market-facing statements.

Judgment: Match the marketing wording to the documentation in hand and review it before each campaign, because the published claim belongs to the buyer even when the practice belongs to the supplier.

Source: U.S. DOC — U.S. Department of Commerce (2024)

What belongs in a supplier code of conduct for silk fans?

The clauses a buyer can actually verify: lawful employment and wages for artisans and workers, no child or forced labour, safe working conditions, materials that are legally sourced and not misrepresented, honest sub-contracting disclosure, and a commitment to documentation on request. Each clause should name the evidence expected — a policy, a record, a certificate, or an interview — because a code that cannot be checked is a statement rather than a control.

How do you verify artisanal labour claims in a silk fan supply chain?

Through the same logic as any labour audit: written records of who produced the goods, a visit or a live video review of the working premises, interviews with the people doing the work, and a comparison of the stated workforce against the production volume. Handwork scales with people, so a capacity that exceeds the stated workforce is a signal worth investigating rather than accepting.

What should a materials traceability record contain?

Five items: the silk mill and region, the fibre content as a percentage by weight, the frame wood or bamboo species and source, the finishes and dyes with any compliance statement, and the packaging recycled content. Ask for percentage composition rather than a description, because composition is checkable while adjectives are not. A traceability claim that stops at "natural materials" cannot answer a customer question.

Which sustainability claims are safe to make about silk fans?

A claim is safe when the evidence is on file: handmade with process evidence, artisan-made with verified workforce and records, sustainable when the term is defined and evidenced, natural material when composition is confirmed, and locally sourced when origin is documented. It is unsafe when there is no record of making, only a supplier statement, the word is used as a mood, or the origin is inferred from appearance.

How often should a sourcing file be refreshed?

On onboarding for the signed code of conduct, per product change for the materials declaration, annually for the labour records summary and the visit or review note, and before publication for claim substantiation. Set the refresh cadence in the code itself so the file stays current rather than being rebuilt when a question arrives.

Why does the sourcing record matter to a buyer?

Because the published claim belongs to the buyer even when the practice belongs to the supplier. A handmade, artisan, or origin statement that cannot be supported exposes the buyer to a complaint and a withdrawal, and rebuilding the record after the fact rarely restores the claim. The record is the difference between a story and a substantiated statement.