Which fibers and materials are within scope of the Materials Matter Standard?

During the development process, we will be moving from six standards (i.e., GRS, RCS, RDS, RWS, RMS, and RAS) to one harmonized standard system, which will have criteria applicable to different materials/feedstocks as well as supply chain tiers. The main impact areas of the Materials Matter Standard system focus on Tier 4 (raw material management and first processing). The materials in scope for the Materials Matter Standard include:

· Animal-derived: sheep wool, mohair, alpaca, down, and skins

· Recycled: synthetic, natural materials, and recycled MMCF

For our other strategic raw materials, we have an objective to work through partnerships with organizations managing raw material sustainability systems in an effort to reduce duplication in certification processes and merge efforts on shared climate and nature goals. Consequently, some of the materials proposed for inclusion within the scope of the Materials Matter Standard will be added through the recognition of external standards rather than through direct Textile Exchange raw material certification. These materials are:

· Animal Derived: Cashmere

· Forest and plant-derived: Man-made Cellulosic Fibers (MMCF) and biosynthetics

· Fiber Crops: Cotton

We are developing a framework for recognition partnerships with peer organizations designed to capture new raw materials as well as overlapping impact criteria areas such as human rights & livelihoods or chemical management. The framework is built to collaborate with organizations that own and manage sustainability systems and standards (or other means of verification), as a collective partnership toward the Climate+ goal and in an effort to reduce duplication of audit processes for similar scopes. Development of the recognition concept is a significant body of work that will continue into 2024, particularly around building partnerships with peer organizations and pilot testing the options.