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Our Sustainable Materials Journey
Our Sustainable Materials Journey
Our consumers’ safety and comfort drive our fiber and material selection. Cotton and polyester are the primary fabrics we use in our products – accounting for over 98% of our fiber usage in 2023 – and we have committed to obtaining 100% of these fibers from sustainable sources by 2030.
We consider a sustainable fiber or material as one that is understood to consume fewer resources over its life cycle when compared to its conventionally produced counterpart. We continue to evolve our fiber portfolio strategy for our directly sourced apparel and aim to increase our use of qualified sustainable fibers, such as:
- Certified Organic (e.g., Global Organic Textile Standard or “GOTS”)
- Verified Recycled (e.g., Global Recycled Standard or “GRS”)
- Substantiated Reduced Environmental Impacts (e.g., Better Cotton and Viscose (LENZING™ ECOVERO™)
Regarding recycled polyester, the apparel industry is facing limited availability of source material (e.g., plastic bottles) and increased costs for certified fibers. In 2023, <1% of our total polyester consumption was from recycled plastics. To better address limited material availability, we are exploring industry partnerships focused on advancing the sourcing of recycled polyester and potential investment in fiber research and development.
For more details on our raw materials usage, please see the Disclosure Index.
Our Fiber Usage in 2023
In 2023, 41% of our cotton and polyester came from either sustainable or recycled fibers
Better Cotton
Better Cotton
We intend to achieve our 100% sustainable cotton goal by 2030 primarily through our sourcing of Better Cotton. Through its implementing partners, Better Cotton trains farmers to use water efficiently, care for soil health and natural habitats, reduce use of the most harmful chemicals, and respect workers' rights and wellbeing.
With over 2.9 million participating farmers globally, BCI includes labor standards that respect and protect the rights of farm workers. Better Cotton has conducted initiatives to improve gender equality and women’s empowerment in cotton production and to address the specific needs and challenges of women participating in its programs. While we are focused on BCI, we continue to evaluate the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol for potential future sourcing.
Cotton Consumption
We achieved our goal to have Better Cotton account for at least 50% of our cotton by 2026 three years early, with 53% of our cotton coming from Better Cotton in 2023 – an almost 700% increase from 2022
Photo Credit Seun Adatsi
Before the Better Cotton Programme begun in this area, women used to be paid only a quarter of what men were paid for a day’s work during the harvest season. But now, because of the Better Cotton training sessions, men and women are paid equal for equal work.”
Djeneba Konea
Better Cotton Farmer
