How has the Materials Matter Standard developed?

Textile Exchange began developing the new framework in 2021 with a clear goal: to align the ambition, rigor, and expected results across its material-specific standards and transition the industry into a more coherent, science-aligned way to measure and verify impact. 

Since then, the organization has worked closely with stakeholders from across the supply system to design and test a framework that is both robust and workable in real-world production systems. Built on a combination of practice-based and outcome-based expectations, the standard includes comprehensive criteria for land management, animal welfare, human rights and livelihoods, and primary processing, which covers water, chemical, and energy use, as well as waste and emissions management.  

The criteria were developed over five years in close collaboration with a designated International Working Group made up of brands, retailers, suppliers, producers, NGOs, and technical specialists. Two publicly consulted drafts and a pilot version, tested in key material production regions from Peru to Italy, have helped refine the framework, alongside extensive work to ensure alignment with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems. These practices ensure that all of our standards, including the Materials Matter Standard, provide value, rigor, accessibility, inclusiveness, and transparency 

Stakeholder input included public consultation, pilots, and workshops, and feedback from subject matter experts in environmental science, chemical management, animal welfare, and human rights and livelihoods. Rather than relying on a one-time consultation, the process emphasized ongoing feedback loops, ground-level testing, and a cross-sectional view of industry realities to inform refinement. This interactive approach has enabled the standard to evolve based on stakeholder expertise, emerging practices, and pilot feedback—ensuring it remains relevant and practical for today’s supply chain context. Learnings from these activities informed refinements to the criteria and related policies, with the Materials Matter Standard published on December 12, 2025.