Textile Exchange: ‘Significant leaps in preferred fibres’
18/10/2017
It also found lyocell usage grew by 128% and preferred down usage (the majority of which is certified to Textile Exchange’s Responsible Down Standard) grew by 54%.
The results make up the TE’s 2017 Preferred Fibre and Materials Market Report, a report that measures and ranks the usage of fibre and materials with improved social or environmental impacts.
“It’s good to report that things are moving in a positive direction, with uptake of preferred fibres rising in all categories, and some showing very significant leaps in usage,” said Liesl Truscott, materials strategy director for TE.
“While value needs to be shared more equitably, it’s clear that our economic system is changing, with a greater focus on circularity and non-financial capital. The language of the Sustainable Development Goals is influencing our industry and it’s good to see the industry get behind the Science Based Targets.”
The report features leader boards that rank company usage across a spectrum of “preferred fibre and materials” including organic cotton, recycled polyester and lyocell. C&A topped the leader boards for organic cotton and "preferred" man-made cellulosics.
Columbia Sportswear tops the list of companies closing the gap between the usage of certified responsible down and conventional down, and placed third in total usage of responsible down among reporting companies.
Matthew Hoeferlin, director of materials research for Columbia, said: “By joining the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), we are committed to sourcing 100% responsible down for our entire global product line. In just three short seasons, we have sourced over 3.3 million units filled with responsible down."
Textile Exchange’s managing director, La Rhea Pepper, said: “It is a combination of interventions that is transforming the industry: company strategies are going beyond concept into full implementation, business models are evolving to support, and technologies are coming online to disrupt current modes of production. Some would say the industry is not moving fast enough, while others are optimistic about the progress being made. We need both the cynics to nudge us further and the optimists to believe it will happen!”
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