Textile Exchange

At New York Climate Week, we welcomed some of our community for an afternoon of direct and honest conversations on the need for system-level transformation to enhance climate resilience within the textile industry. A pair of panel discussions, hosted with Tapestry, addressed two critical and often-overlooked areas in need of restructuring: the role of growth in environmental impact, and the imperative for women in leadership. Together, the dynamic conversations emphasized the need to reimagine industry practices and leadership dynamics from the inside – driving substantial, long-lasting change. Our first panel, “Fashion’s Climate Response and the Power of Women in Leadership” featured Textile Exchange’s CEO, Claire Bergkamp, alongside Brittany Sierra, Founder of Sustainable Fashion Forum, Helen Crowley, Global Business and Biodiversity Expert, and Taryn Bird, Director at the kate spade new york Foundation. The panel was moderated by the award-winning climate journalist Sophia Li. The second talk, “Reimagining Growth in the Fashion Industry, saw Beth Jensen, Senior Director of Climate and Nature Impact at Textile Exchange come together with Rachel Arthur, Consultant, Speaker, Writer, and UN Environment Programme Advocacy Lead for Sustainable Fashion, Joe Murphy, Executive Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of The Club of Rome. The panel was moderated by Sarah Kent, from The Business of Fashion. By creating space to talk about these systemic shifts, we aimed to spotlight the urgent need for a comprehensive approach that moves the industry forward.

Today is World Cotton Day, and with 24.7 million tonnes produced in 2023, we can’t underestimate this fiber’s potential to drive change. Accounting for 20% of the global fiber market, transforming the way the fashion, textile, and apparel industry sources its cotton can help to bring beneficial outcomes for climate and nature at scale. Discover more key stats about global cotton production in our latest Materials Market Report https://lnkd.in/gqF52H5Z

The production of certified animal fibers continued to increase in 2023, according to our latest Materials Market Report.? ? Wool produced under the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) reached 4% of all wool produced globally, while Responsible Mohair Standard certified mohair covered almost half of the market share. Alpaca fiber produced under the Responsible Alpaca Standard saw an?increase to 7% in 2023 from only 3% in 2022. ? These farm-level certifications incentivize farmers to realize and achieve high standards, with criteria covering animal care, land management and biodiversity, and social welfare. ? Discover more insights from the Materials Market Report https://bit.ly/3zTJsoh

What recycled materials are on the market today? According to the data in our latest Materials Market Report, recycled fibers made up 7.7% of the global market in 2023. The most commonly found recycled fiber by far is polyester made from plastic bottles, followed by wool, elastane, nylon, and cotton. However, the global recycled fiber market remains small, with less that 1% coming from textile-to-textile recycled fibers. Read the full report https://bit.ly/3BoOzgV → #textileexchange #climate #fashion

Our annual Materials Market Report is here??? Global fiber production is showing no signs of slowing down – up 7% from 2022 and projected to reach 160 million tonnes by 2030 if current trends continue. For the past decade, the Materials Market Report has been a reference point for global fiber and materials production volumes, guiding the industry in its mission to cut emissions associated with raw material production and align with the 1.5°C climate target. This report is a wake-up call to move away from virgin fossil-based synthetics, embrace textile-to-textile recycling, and rethink how it defines growth and value creation. Want more insights? Dive into the latest fiber and material trends from our Materials Market Report https://lnkd.in/gqF52H5Z → #textileexchange?#climate?#textiles

Meet some of our speakers ?? We’re pleased to unveil a first round of speakers for the 2024 Textile Exchange Conference. Bringing together leaders from diverse sectors across the fashion, textile, and apparel industry, this year’s line-up includes a range of experts – from fiber farmers to geospatial specialists to circular economy innovators – ready to offer their insights on what a resilient collective future really looks like. Under the theme “The Case for Change,” the three-day agenda will focus on the actionable steps needed to embed holistic raw materials targets across company operations and drive system-level transformation. Stay tuned for more speaker announcements in the coming weeks. Find out more about our conference https://bit.ly/4abJBiY #textileexchangeconference2024

At our upcoming conference, attendees can choose from a range of field trips designed to provide first-hand insights into what more sustainable materials production and processing might look like. From regenerative farming to closed-loop recycling, these experiences are a chance to connect with the people and places making a difference. Field trips are an integral part of our conference agenda because we believe that learning can’t happen solely within the walls of our plenary rooms – there’s no substitute for getting out on the ground and seeing innovation and challenges in action. Registration for field trips opens next week, and conference attendees will be notified via email.

Meet our 2024 Textile Exchange Conference host, Whitney Bauck. An award-winning climate and environment journalist, Whitney reports on food systems and agriculture for The Guardian and edits the print magazine at climate and culture publication Atmos. She’ll be hosting our conference for the second year running. This year, the three-day agenda will explore why integrating best practices for climate and nature at the raw materials level is an investment in business resilience for the fashion, textile, and apparel industry. Plenaries, workshops, and discussions will address the broader legislative, cultural, and climate contexts in which our industry currently sits, illustrating how proactive solution-building can transform risks into opportunities.

What does Textile Exchange do? Here, our CEO Claire Bergkamp explains our three core activities: ?? Climate and nature impact: We’re making sure the fashion industry has access to tools, data, and information to understand how raw materials impact climate and nature, and where they can make better decisions. ?? Engagement and partnership: We’re focusing on building relationships throughout the supply system that can facilitate real impact on the ground, connecting those who source raw materials with those who produce them and creating a dynamic community for collective learning. ?? The standards system: Our sustainability standards for raw materials help to send a demand signal back to farmers and facilities, incentivizing them to use more responsible practices on the ground.

A revision on the Content Claim Standard has begun, starting with a request for public feedback on the current version (V3.1). This revision is part of the development of the Materials Matter Standard to maintain alignment with our most current suite of standards, and is one of multiple opportunities for the public to provide feedback. Key topics include harmonizing criteria with the policy for transaction certificates and reviewing brand certification requirements. The revision process will take place in 2024-2025, with the new version expected to be published in 2026. The feedback period closes on September 30, 2024 How to Participate → Share your feedback on the existing CCS 3.1 via this form https://bit.ly/3yYGdLR → If you would like to participate in the revision process as a member of the IWG, please email your resume indicating your interest as well as a brief statement of interest that includes a summary of your expertise that will support this CCS revision to [email protected]