Brands unite to support fibre shedding research
Adidas and Patagonia are among partners embarking on the second stage of a research initiative focused on addressing fibre fragmentation in textiles.
Coordinated by Fashion for Good, Behind the Break 2.0 will build on the work started in Phase 1.0 (2024–2025), which tested methods used to measure fibre loss, identifying how much results vary between labs, and exploring what drives fibre shedding across cotton knit, cotton woven and polyester knit.
Phase 2.0 seeks to increase confidence in data quality, consolidate and refine existing testing approaches and deepen supplier engagement to support wider data collection.
Gravimetric methods used to measure fibre loss enable consistent comparisons between fabrics. However, Phase 1.0 revealed that data variability between labs can occur from variations in laboratory practices, rather than flaws in the methods themselves.
While Phase 1.0 provided valuable insights into the drivers of fibre shedding, the sample size was limited and the variables too interconnected to draw definitive conclusions.
The second phase aims to reduce data variance across laboratories, identify a reference fabric for calibration, explore sample preparation methods ie (lock-stitch versus PU bonding) and map technically challenging fabric types.
The other partners are Adidas, Bestseller, C&A, On, Kering, Patagonia, Tesco, Gap. The other implementation partner are The Microfibre Consortium, Northumbria University, Paradise Textiles and Positive Materials.
