Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report 2019 2018 photo to be replaced (Infinited Fiber Pic?) Foreword from La Rhea Pepper At Textile Exchange, our Mission is to I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if the Recycled Polyester Commitment inspire and equip people to accelerate we are serious about shifting from a fossil that encouraged brands and retailers to sustainable practices in the textile value carbon-based sector to a circular one, we publicly commit to accelerating their use chain. We focus on minimizing the harmful need to embrace innovations that reduce of recycled polyester by 25 percent by impacts of the global textile industry and and reuse waste, and regenerate farmland. 2020 – a goal that was achieved in 2018, maximizing its positive effects. two years earlier than expected Textile Exchange is taking this need for a Textile Exchange is proud to bring you the transformational shift seriously. Under a Textile Exchange not only encourages Preferred Fiber and Materials Market Report new strategic direction that we’re calling companies to accelerate their use of 2019. This report, along with our annual “Climate+,” Textile Exchange will be the preferred fibers, but as you’ll see in our Organic Cotton Market Report, measures driving force for urgent climate action with soon-to-be-released Material Change the production of fiber and materials with a goal of 35-45% reduced CO2 emissions Index (MCI), the largest peer-to-peer improved social and environmental impacts from textile fiber and material production by comparison initiative in the fashion – what we call Preferred. 2030. industry, we acknowledge and honor companies that recognize the importance Together, these in-depth reports focus Just as this report is a culmination of more of integrating a preferred fiber and on the industry’s supply side, analyzing than thousands of farmers and companies materials strategy into their business production volumes, availability and taking action to create positive change, practices. The MCI tracks the apparel and emerging fiber trends. the “+” in Climate+ is a symbol indicating textiles sector’s progress toward more that Textile Exchange cannot do this alone; Within these pages, you’ll read that fiber sustainable materials sourcing, aligns it will take you - each and every person in with global efforts like the Sustainable production has more than doubled in the their respective companies - to commit last 20 years and is expected to increase Development Goals and the transition to to transitioning fiber usage to a preferred a circular economy, and will be a key tool to 145 million metric tons by 2030 if option to help us achieve this goal. business as usual continues. As you’ll see, for measuring the success of our 2030 included in this production increase are For years, Textile Exchange has promoted Strategy: Climate+. more responsible – or preferred – options practices, standards, and resources that Will you join us in Creating Material for almost all fiber categories, but the benefit the climate. Adopting the Climate+ Change through the acceleration and volumes are still quite low in comparison to Strategy is a way to bring the urgent priority growth of Preferred Fiber and Materials? the conventional counterparts. of climate, biodiversity, and carbon to the heart of our work with preferred fibers and We have the solutions. Now is the time to materials. As a convener for significant accelerate the growth of preferred fiber change, we have seen first-hand what La Rhea Pepper and materials – this is a critical step to an industry of change-makers can do Managing Director, reducing the footprint on the planet that is when they pull together. An example of Textile Exchange being left by fiber and material production. this work can be seen in the success of Back to Contents Cover Page Photo: Infinited Fiber • 2 What’s inside Contents Leather 42 Sustainability Standards & Traceability 75 Key findings 5 Virgin Leather 43 Sustainability Standards 76 2018 Global fiber market 6 Recycled Leather and Leather Alternatives 44 Traceability Systems 77 Commitments to Preferred Leather & Alternatives 45 Impact Credits 78 Plant-based Natural Fibers 7 Cotton 8 Manmade Cellulosic Fibers 46 Mega Trends 79 Sustainable Development Goals 80 Virgin Cotton 9 Manmade Cellulosic Fibers 47 Circular Economy 81 Recycled Cotton 15 Virgin Manmade Cellulosic Fibers 48 Bio Economy 83 Commitments to Preferred Cotton 17 “Recycled” Manmade Cellulosic Fibers & Alternatives 55 Microfibers 84 Commitments to Preferred Manmade Cellulosic Fibers 56 Other Plant-Based Fibers 18 Methodology & Disclaimer 85 Synthetic Fibers 57 Animal-based Fibers & Materials 23 Polyester 58 Down & Feathers 24 Recycled Polyester 59 This report is interactive. Click a heading Virgin Down 25 Biobased Polyester 63 on this page to jump to that section, and Recycled Down 28 return here by clicking the contents icon Commitments to Preferred Polyester 65 Commitments to Preferred Down 29 located on the bottom left of each page. Polyamide 66 Wool 30 Recycled Polyamide 67 Virgin Wool - Sheep Wool 31 Biobased Polyamide 69 Virgin Wool - Mohair 35 Commitments to Preferred Polyamide 70 Virgin Wool - Cashmere 36 Virgin Wool - Other Wool 37 Other Manmade Fibers 71 Recycled Wool 38 Recycled Fiber from Blended Textiles 72 Commitments to Preferred Wool 39 Recycled CO2 based fibers 73 Other Recycled or Biobased Fibers 74 Silk 40 • 3 Welcome to the 2019 Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report At Textile Exchange we inspire and equip people to We are grateful to all contributors this year – not only accelerate sustainable practices in the textile value chain. for your valuable insights to our report but also for your With a goal of increasing the adoption of preferred fiber bold and brilliant contributions to the sustainability of our and materials we believe a transition to feedstocks that industry. We invite our readers to explore them all and minimize harm and maximize the positive impacts on decide how you can best contribute to the feedstock people and planet will provide a meaningful contribution challenge! to the Sustainable Development Goals and delivering on “the world we want”. A final point I’d like to make is the importance of building common ground. We are a diverse and global Improving the sustainability credentials of textile community, yet despite our differences there are some feedstocks requires both innovation and systemic things we all value, such as safe water, clean air, health thinking when it comes to business models and and community. The Paris Agreement gave us science- technologies that result in a fairer and more sustainable based targets for decarbonization, and the Sustainable world. There will be multiple pathways to reaching our Development Goals give us a global agenda to unite vision and there will not be “one fiber fits all”. A diverse behind. Recognizing our inter-dependencies and the portfolio approach will enable us to collectively leverage finite resources we must share will no doubt dominate the positive attributes of different fiber programs and the next decade of our industry – it’s our number one job. enable us to create a regenerative and circular textile industry. We have ten years to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2030, how will we be celebrating our Embracing diversity and recognizing the contribution contribution to a better world? of many fiber and materials programs and initiatives is the approach we have taken with our Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report. Our ambition is to showcase Liesl Truscott leadership and innovation in a way that inspires everyone and catalyzes change. There are exciting opportunities Director of European & Materials Strategy, within both virgin and recycled fibers and materials. Textile Exchange Back to Contents • 4 Key findings OTHER PLANT GLOBAL FIBER MARKET OVERVIEW COTTON DOWN WOOL BASED FIBERS Global fiber production Global preferred cotton With the United States Responsible Down Responsible Wool doubled over the last 20 production increased Farm Bill, the year 2018 Standard (RDS) certified Standard (RWS) certified years to 107 million mt in from 10 percent in was an important year farms increased to 6,011 sites increased from 7 in 2018 and is expected to 2013/14 to 22 percent in for hemp. in 2018. its launching year 2016 reach 145 million mt in 2017/18. to 322 in 2018. 2030. Read more about other plant- For the first time, global Read more about the different based fibers such as flax, hemp production volumes for A Draft Responsible Mohair Read more about the global virgin cotton initiatives and the and innovations with regard to Downpass and Traceable Down Standard has been launched in fiber market in this report here recycled cotton market in this the use of agricultural residues Standard (TDS) certified down April 2019 and Textile Exchange and about the increasing uptake report here. in this report here. are available. Read more about launched the Responsible of sustainability standards, preferred down, the different Cashmere Round Table (RCRT) traceability innovations and preferred down standards and in March 2019. Read more impact credits here. their number of certified sites in about preferred wool initiatives this report here. in this report here. MANMADE GLOBAL GOALS LEATHER SYNTHETICS OTHER MANMADE FIBERS CELLULOSICS The fashion industry can Global leather production Global manmade Market share of recycled Breakthroughs in play a key role in meeting sits around 7 million mt. cellulosic fiber (MMCF) polyester increased from development of fibers the UN Sustainable Interest in Responsible production increased 8% in 2008 to around based on CO2 and in Development Goals Leather and leather from 5.9 million mt in 13% in 2018. recycling fiber blends (SDGs) - important UN alternatives is growing. 2014 to 6.7 million mt in announced. initiatives for fashion 2018. Compared to 16% in 2017, this launched in 2018/19. In 2018, the Responsible is a short-term decline mainly Read more about 4 innovators caused by the China Waste Leather Round Table (RLRT) With an annual growth rate of working on using CO2 to Read more about the SDGs, the was launched.