How are responsibly sourced natural materials and reclaimed/repurposed materials addressed within the Materials Matter Standard?

To shift the focus from recycling of pre- and post-consumer waste and to unlock untapped potential in circularity, a couple of new mandatory certification (conformance) criteria are introduced in the waste management sub-section that recognize: 1) reutilization of certified by-products from the process; and 2) unqualified pre- and post-consumer materials which are not allowed in GRS. Although the reutilization of by-products and unqualified pre- and post-consumer materials used in manufacturing will not be considered for recycled content claim, in order to reduce the burden on virgin inputs it is essential that reuse, resource efficiency and other practices by the industry are given recognition to maximize benefits and positive environmental impact.

To promote closed-loop recycling we have introduced a new leadership criterion that requires that feedstock for recycling come from reclaimed pre- and post-textile inputs; in other words, organizations are encouraged to promote textile-to-textile recycling.