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Materials Impact Dashboard
Revamped for 2019, our Materials Impact Dashboard visualizes the global impact of the actions taken by participating companies.
The big picture
Industry footprints are based on company-reported uptake volumes of key materials, including 54% cotton, 33% polyester, 7% manmade cellulosics, 5% nylon, 1% wool, <1% down.
- Volume of materials reported: 4.4 million tons
- Share conventional: 2.6 million tons
- Share preferred, recycled: 0.3 million tons
- Share preferred, renewable: 1.4 million tons
Visualizing uptake share
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
- 0%
Conventional (61%)
Preferred, recycled (6%)
Preferred, renewable (33%)
Reported in 2019 (2018 data)
Overall impacts
How brand adoption of preferred materials affected the planet in 2019.
Impact area
Water scarcity
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
11%
374 billion liters of water
Saving is equivalent to
The water needs of 342 million people for one year
Impact area
Fossil fuel energy
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
10%
22 billion megajoules of fossil fuel energy
Saving is equivalent to
504,964 US homes powered for one year
Impact area
Global warming
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
7%
1 million tons CO2e of greenhouse gas emissions
Saving is equivalent to
Driving 4.2 billion kms in an average sized car
Contributing to the SDGs
Which SDGs do these improvements work towards?
Inputs
Outcomes
Impacts
Company and industry-wide progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is tracked through the CFMB. For the textile industry, SDG 12: Responsible Production & Consumption is the gateway to positive outcomes for many of the other SDGs, such as no poverty, sustainable agriculture, industry innovation, and improved life on land and under water. Through improved practices on the land and in the fiber mills, there is considerable potential to have a positive impact on water and energy use and to reduce carbon emissions. To achieve the 2030 Goals, many stakeholders must work together, and SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals will be key to success. Model and assumptions are Textile Exchange's own. See Impacts Dashboard Guide to find out more.
Material-specific outcomes and impacts
A breakdown of each material’s impacts and progress.
Cotton
- Volume of cotton reported: 2.4 million tons
- Share conventional: 1 million tons
- Share preferred, recycled: 25,487 tons
- Share preferred, renewable: 1.4 million tons
Visualizing uptake share
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
- 0%
Conventional (43%)
Preferred, recycled (1%)
Preferred, renewable (56%)
Reported in 2019 (2018 data)
Outcomes of increased preferred uptake
- Improved land management: 647,026 hectares
- Participating farmers: 279,430 farmers
- Cotton waste diverted from wastestream: 25,487 tons
Programs in use
- BASF e3
- Better Cotton Initiative
- bioRe
- Cotton made in Africa
- Fair Trade
- Organic
- Organic Fair Trade
- Recycled
Understanding the impacts
Impact area
Water scarcity
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
11%
368 billion liters of water
Impact area
Fossil fuel energy
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
8%
4.2 billion megajoules of fossil fuel energy
Impact area
Global warming
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
6%
292,825 tons CO2e of greenhouse gas emissions
Contributing to the SDGs
Inputs
Outcomes
Impacts
Polyester
- Volume of polyester reported: 1.4 million tons
- Share conventional: 1.2 million tons
- Share preferred, recycled: 249,483 tons
- Share preferred, renewable: 9.4 tons
Visualizing uptake share
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
- 0%
Conventional (82%)
Preferred, recycled (18%)
Preferred, renewable (<1%)
Reported in 2019 (2018 data)
Outcomes of increased preferred uptake
- PET bottles diverted from wastestream: 18 billion
- Fossil PET replaced by bio-based: 9.4 tons
Programs in use
- Bio-based
- Recycled
Understanding the impacts
Impact area
Water scarcity
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
0%
0 liters of water
Impact area
Fossil fuel energy
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
14%
15 billion megajoules of fossil fuel energy
Impact area
Global warming
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
10%
472,047 tons CO2e of greenhouse gas emissions
Contributing to the SDGs
Inputs
Outcomes
Impacts
Nylon
- Volume of nylon reported: 208,284 tons
- Share conventional: 205,324 tons
- Share preferred, recycled: 2,959 tons
- Share preferred, renewable: 0 tons
Visualizing uptake share
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
- 0%
Conventional (99%)
Preferred, recycled (1%)
Preferred, renewable (0%)
Reported in 2019 (2018 data)
Outcomes of increased preferred uptake
- Nylon waste diverted from wastestream: 2,959 tons
- Fossil nylon replaced by bio-based: 0 tons
Programs in use
- Bio-based
- Recycled
Understanding the impacts
Impact area
Water scarcity
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
0.4%
33 million liters of water
Impact area
Fossil fuel energy
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
0.8%
191 million megajoules of fossil fuel energy
Impact area
Global warming
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
0.3%
5,600 tons CO2e of greenhouse gas emissions
Contributing to the SDGs
Inputs
Outcomes
Impacts
Manmade Cellulosics
- Volume of manmade cellulosics reported: 286,253 tons
- Share conventional: 194,722 tons
- Share preferred, recycled: 213 tons
- Share preferred, renewable: 91,319 tons
Visualizing uptake share
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
- 0%
Conventional (68%)
Preferred, recycled (<1%)
Preferred, renewable (32%)
Reported in 2019 (2018 data)
Outcomes of increased preferred uptake
- Land under certified forestry: 26,531 hectares
- Cellulose waste diverted from wastestream: 213 tons
Programs in use
- Forest certified*
- Acetate
- Lyocell
- Modal
- Viscose
- Cupro
- Recycled
* Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
Understanding the impacts
Impact area
Water scarcity
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
16%
5.6 billion liters of water
Impact area
Fossil fuel energy
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
12%
3 billion megajoules of fossil fuel energy
Impact area
Global warming
Footprint
Participants' actual use
Conventional equivalent
Saving
13%
272,774 MT CO2e of greenhouse gas emissions
Contributing to the SDGs
Inputs
Outcomes
Impacts
Wool
- Volume of wool reported: 62,525 tons
- Share conventional: 57,988 tons
- Share preferred, recycled: 2,449 tons
- Share preferred, renewable: 2,088 tons
Visualizing uptake share
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
- 0%
Conventional (93%)
Preferred, recycled (4%)
Preferred, renewable (3%)
Reported in 2019 (2018 data)
Outcomes of increased preferred uptake
- Sheep covered by programs: 639,024
- Wool waste diverted from wastestream: 2,449 tons
Programs in use
- Organic
- Responsible Wool Standard
- ZQ Certified
- Recycled
Understanding the impacts
No impact modelling.
Contributing to the SDGs
Inputs
Outcomes
Impacts
Impact contribution has not been calculated.
Down
- Volume of down reported: 22,419 tons
- Share conventional: 1,780 tons
- Share preferred, recycled: 2.7 tons
- Share preferred, renewable: 20,636 tons
Visualizing uptake share
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
- 0%
Conventional (8%)
Preferred, recycled (<1%)
Preferred, renewable (92%)
Reported in 2019 (2018 data)
Outcomes of increased preferred uptake
- Birds covered by programs: 819 million
- Feathers diverted from wastestream: 2.7 tons
Programs in use
- Downpass
- Organic
- Responsible Down Standard
- Traceable Down Standard
- Traumpass
- Recycled
Understanding the impacts
No impact modelling.
Contributing to the SDGs
Inputs
Outcomes
Impacts
Impact contribution has not been calculated.
Uptake volumes are aggregated from company data reported through the CFMB survey, and have been rounded to whole numbers. Modeled improvements (outcomes) are based on commonly accepted methodologies. Potential environmental savings (impacts) associated with the use of preferred renewable or recycled materials are in accordance with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) using midpoint data from robust Life Cycle Assessment results. In 2019, participating company portfolios are compared to 100% conventional of the same materials. Dashboard data is limited by the availability and accuracy of company data, outcome modeling assumptions and the limitations associated with globalized averages used in the Higg MSI to model impacts. The Impacts Dashboard will be annually adjusted to reflect any improvements made. See Impacts Dashboard Guide to find out more.
