An Active member of the Down Association of Canada either manufactures finished down products in Canada or is a Canadian processor of down and feather materials. Applications are voluntary and to qualify for membership, a company must have a demonstrable history of manufacturing correctly and legally labelled products in Canada.

Applicants must also demonstrate an interest in supporting an ongoing truthful, authentic and transparent industry. Once the application process has been completed and reviewed by the board of directors, they will be either accepted or rejected depending on the results of the process and all pertinent information. 

Upon acceptance as a Down Association of Canada Active category member, they then begin the process to qualify and be eligible to attach the DOWNMARK® tag to their products that are finished in Canada. Finished imported products do not qualify. 

Other marketing materials such as hang tags and brochures are also available to Active members of the Down Association of Canada to inform the public how the DOWNMARK® certifies authenticity.

Active members are aware that after their certification is completed, they are subject to anonymous random testing of their products off retail shelves to ensure that their products are accurately and legally labelled on an ongoing basis. This ensures that all active association members are abiding by the DOWNMARK® guidelines.

Active members are regularly updated of any changes in labelling requirements, issues with importing, and the general state of the industry worldwide. The Down Association of Canada has worked with different levels of government over the years to improve the clarity of labelling for consumers, to minimize fraudulent products being sold in Canada.