Why is yak no longer included in the scope of materials?

Some materials originally proposed for the scope of the standard have been removed from the first version; this includes the removal of yak criteria that had been included in Draft 1. This decision is based on where we have decided we need to focus our resources to drive towards the release of the Materials Matter Standard.

Yak is not included in the rollout of the Materials Matter Standard for 2025, but we are discussing internally if and how we will expand the scope of our standards systems in the long term. The Materials Matter Standard currently includes the animal fibers that are already covered under the Responsible Animal Fibers as well as other strategic materials. As we learn from the initial piloting and rollout of the Materials Matter Standard in 2024/25, we will revisit and align the Materials Matter Standard scope with our overarching strategic decisions. Textile Exchange is currently developing a strategic approach to establish a more comprehensive material scope by material category across our portfolio of tools and resources.