Textile Exchange has published the final criteria for its Materials Matter Standard, marking a decisive shift in how sustainability certification is meant to work in the textile industry. After two decades of managing material-specific standards, the organisation is moving toward a unified, impact-driven framework that explicitly connects certification to outcomes for climate, nature, people and animals.
The new standard, developed since 2021, is designed to harmonise ambition and rigour across Textile Exchange’s existing schemes, which collectively certify more than 90,000 sites worldwide. Instead of relying primarily on prescribed practices, Materials Matter combines practice-based and outcome-based requirements, covering land management, animal welfare, human rights and livelihoods, alongside primary processing impacts such as water, chemicals, energy, waste and emissions.
The framework has been shaped over five years through an international working group of brands, suppliers, producers, NGOs and technical experts. Two public consultations and pilot testing across regions from Peru to Italy helped refine the criteria, while alignment with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice aims to bolster credibility.
The first version brings together materials already covered under Textile Exchange programmes, including responsible animal fibres and recycled materials under GRS and RCS. Organic cotton will transition gradually into the new system, retaining traceability while strengthening farmer-centred outcomes. Over time, the organisation plans to expand through partnerships, including pathways for preferred cotton systems and man-made cellulosic fibres—explicitly to reduce duplication and ease supplier burden.
The standard becomes effective on December 31, 2026, and mandatory from December 31, 2027. By anchoring claims to measurable impact rather than intent, Textile Exchange is signalling a broader industry shift: certification must now prove not just compliance, but consequence.
