Aid by Trade Foundation Appoints Artwell CEO Brian Yu to Board of Trustees

Former Good Cashmere Standard advisory board member joins AbTF to support sustainable cotton and cashmere initiatives

The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) has appointed Brian Yu, Chief Executive Officer of the Artwell Group, to its Board of Trustees. The appointment brings to the board a textile industry executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience and a background in sustainability, innovation and traceability within the cashmere sector.

Brian Yu previously served as a member of the advisory board of AbTF’s The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS) and has been involved in initiatives related to responsible cashmere production and animal welfare.

Brian Yu joins AbTF Board of Trustees

The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) announced that Brian Yu, CEO of the Artwell Group, has joined its Board of Trustees.

As CEO, Brian Yu has led the development of Artwell into the world's largest supplier of responsibly produced cashmere knitwear. He is also recognised for his work in promoting sustainability, innovation and transparency across the textile industry.

Focus on animal welfare and traceability

Brian Yu co-authored the Farm Animal Welfare Requirements Cashmere Goat standard of the International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW) in China and has supported the testing of several traceability tools used in cashmere production.

For The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS), complete traceability of responsibly produced cashmere fibres remains a core requirement. According to AbTF, this traceability is ensured through TextileGenesis's technology platform.

Statements from the Foundation and Brian Yu

Tina Stridde, the managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation, said:

“In Brian Yu, we welcome a distinguished advocate of sustainability and innovation in the textile industry to the ranks of the AbTF Board of Trustees. We look forward to working together to further expand the role of AbTF and its standards in sustainable cotton and cashmere production.”

Brian Yu said:

“My motivation in joining the Board of Trustees is rooted in a strong commitment to advancing sustainability and responsibility within the textile industry,” says Brian Yu, adding, “I believe that, through collective effort, we can enhance transparency, empower communities, and promote ethically produced textiles worldwide.”

Industry experience

Brian Yu has more than 20 years of experience in leadership roles within the textile industry. Since 2018, he has led a globally active team of more than 2,500 employees across Inner Mongolia, Eastern China, Hong Kong, Cambodia and Vietnam as CEO of Artwell.

Before joining the Board of Trustees, he served as a member of the advisory board of AbTF's The Good Cashmere Standard.