Textile Exchange Sets Three-Step Action Pathway for Members to Accelerate Responsible Raw Material Production Globally

A three-step pathway will now define how brands, retailers and raw material producers progress within Textile Exchange’s Action Cohort. The structure introduces sequential reporting requirements, expansion of sourcing within recognised verified systems, and participation in coordinated collective initiatives. Reporting remains voluntary in 2026 before becoming mandatory for brands and retailers from 2027, with organisations in Tiers 1–3 and Tier 4 transitioning on a longer timeline.

• Action Cohort members will begin by tracking material volumes and actions within preferred production systems through structured annual reporting requirements.
• Verified best practice will cover areas including pesticide and fertiliser use, deforestation and conversion, animal welfare, textile-to-textile recycling, overall certified or verified sourcing, and human rights.
• Brands and retailers will set phased fibre-specific targets from 2027 to 2030 and 2035, including 100% wool, cotton and polyester and 35% nylon by 2035.
• The final step involves co-creating the “Lead” phase with brands, retailers, suppliers and producers through designated working groups to support coordinated industry action.

MEMBERSHIP RESET: Textile Exchange has formalised this restructured membership model built around two cohorts, Community and Action, redefining expectations for organisations seeking to accelerate responsible raw material production across supply chains. While the Community Cohort provides a peer-learning pathway, the Action Cohort is positioned for brands, retailers and raw material producers with the capacity to implement measurable change under a clearly sequenced framework.

• The revised structure was first announced in November 2025 as part of a broader evolution of Textile Exchange membership.
• The Community Cohort targets organisations that do not directly produce or source raw materials but seek to strengthen sustainability knowledge.
• The Action Cohort introduces defined compliance steps covering reporting, verification and leadership responsibilities.

THE TARGET FRAMEWORK: Fibre-specific targets and phased compliance timelines underpin the Action Cohort framework, setting measurable benchmarks to 2030 and 2035 across priority materials. Reporting on material volumes and preferred production systems continues on a voluntary basis in 2026, before mandatory reporting for brands and retailers begins in 2027. Organisations in Tiers 1–3 and Tier 4 will transition under a longer, supported schedule.

• By 2035, wool, cotton and polyester are targeted at 100% sourcing, with interim 2030 benchmarks of 70%, 85% and 75% respectively for those materials.
• Nylon is set at 35% by 2035, with a 25% interim target for 2030.
• For bovine leather and manmade cellulosic fibres, members are expected to increase sourcing from certified or verified systems and from suppliers identified as having good sourcing practices.

THE ACCOUNTABILITY MODEL: The three-step pathway establishes a standardised structure for measuring and verifying progress across raw material sourcing and production. Reporting is designed to create comparable datasets that identify gaps and support benchmarking, while verification through recognised standards and certification schemes is intended to strengthen credibility. Aggregate targets provide a shared direction of travel for the industry, linking disclosure, verification and target-setting into a standardised system for measuring and tracking progress.

• Reporting enables members to track material volumes and actions within preferred production systems and benchmark performance against peers.
• Verification covers practices, data and claims assessed through Textile Exchange standards and other certification schemes with third-party assurance to ensure accuracy and independent assessment.
• Target-setting is positioned as a mechanism to align individual organisational action with industry-wide aggregate goals.

THE TRANSITION PLAN: Existing members will transition into the new cohort structure during their renewal cycle between April 2026 and March 2027. Textile Exchange will provide personalised transition plans to ensure organisations are placed in the cohort aligned with their sourcing profile and organisational status within the revised membership model. Further details on aggregate targets and implementation guidance are to be published shortly.

• Reporting requirements remain voluntary in 2026 before reporting and target-setting become mandatory for brands and retailers from 2027.
• Organisations in Tiers 1–3 and Tier 4 will follow a longer, supported implementation timeline.
• Textile Exchange stated that its team will support members through each stage of the transition process.