Recycled fibre, and what the claim rests on

A recycled-fibre claim rests on a named fibre, a clear recycled percentage and documents connecting that material to the clothes being sold. The fabric description, the order and the words on the website should describe the same material.

The word “recycled” cannot carry the whole explanation. It leaves open how much recycled material is present and which part of the clothes contains it. A useful claim closes those gaps, with evidence that can be followed back to the goods supplied.

01The percentage must say what it describes

A recycled percentage can describe the recycled share of a particular fibre, the whole fabric or the finished clothes. These are different statements. Before writing one, establish which material the figure refers to and how it was calculated.

Take a fabric containing polyester and cotton. The maker may describe the recycled share of the polyester, while the website describes the recycled share of the fabric. If only some of the polyester is recycled, using its recycled percentage for the whole fabric would give the wrong impression. Ask for the proportion of every fibre and the recycled share within it. Keep that explanation with the agreed fabric description.

The same care applies when moving from a fabric claim to a claim about the clothes. A statement about the selected fabric does not, by itself, establish the recycled share of the finished item. The calculation needs to follow the materials used. Make the subject of the claim explicit, so a statement about a fabric stays attached to that fabric.

“Contains recycled fibres” leaves the fibre and amount unstated. Naming both makes the claim more useful. Recycled content describes material content; it does not describe the environmental performance of the whole garment. Broad wording such as “sustainable fabric” adds a meaning that the recycled percentage alone cannot support.

02Put the intended claim in the first request to the maker

Write the proposed claim before asking for samples. Include the fibre mixture and intended recycled percentage in the document that tells the maker what to make. Carry those details into the sample request and the order.

The request also needs to describe the fabric itself. Explain how it should feel and look, including its weight and colour. State how the clothes will be used and what they need to withstand in wear and washing. If the source of the recycled material matters to the proposed claim, include that requirement too.

“Recycled fabric” leaves choices open about how the fibre is made into yarn and fabric. Those choices can affect the result. Give the maker a labelled fabric cutting or sample as a reference, and record comments against it. When a revised fabric arrives, compare it with the same reference.

Settle the evidence at this stage as well. Ask which certificates and order records will support the proposed wording, and who will collect them. The documents should be part of the agreement before fabric is ordered for production.

03A certificate must connect to the material in the order

Textile Exchange describes its Global Recycled Standard and Recycled Claim Standard as systems that verify recycled material through the organisations handling it. The useful connection runs from the certified organisations to the material supplied for the clothes. A logo on a presentation does not establish that connection. The schemes also have rules governing claims and labels, so choosing certified material and approving public wording are separate checks. See Textile Exchange’s description of the recycled standards.

Ask for the certificate showing which organisation and activities are certified. Compare its legal name and address with the organisation involved in the order, and check the named standard and validity. A valid certificate for a different organisation or product does not support the goods being bought.

Then ask for the certificate or equivalent scheme record covering the particular sale or delivery. Compare the product description and quantity with the order. Check the dates and the names of the businesses supplying and receiving the goods. This is the record that connects a certified transaction to the material supplied.

Certificate status matters as well as the details printed on the page. Textile Exchange’s policy for transaction certificates prevents a certificate for a transaction being issued where the relevant organisation’s certificate has been suspended or withdrawn for the serious failures specified in that policy. Ask for confirmation of the relevant status when checking the evidence. Keep the records with the clothing order so the claim and its support can be reviewed together.

04Recycled content and fabric performance need separate checks

A recycled-content record supports a statement about the material. The selected fabric still needs to meet the requirements of the clothes. Fibre choice alone cannot establish how the finished fabric will feel, recover after stretching or behave with wear.

Recycled polyester can be used in fabrics for clothing intended for physical activity, but the actual fabric needs checking against its intended use. Recycled cotton is often mixed with another fibre to support strength or durability. That mixture belongs in the fabric description and in the calculation behind the claim.

Mechanical recycling can shorten fibres. This can matter in fine yarns or fabrics with a smooth surface, where unevenness and small balls of fibre forming during wear can be conspicuous. The way a fabric is knitted or woven also affects the surface. Dyeing and finishing can change the result again.

Use the sample to check these points alongside fit and appearance. Agree any testing needed before development moves forward, then assess the selected fabric against those requirements. Record the result against the labelled reference. If a different mixture is needed to achieve the required performance, update the recycled percentage and proposed wording together. A mixture of fibres can be a sound material choice, with a claim that states its content clearly.

05Fabric availability affects the claim and the order

The intended recycled percentage is part of choosing a fabric that can be made in the required quantity and colour. Changing that percentage may change availability or performance. A custom colour may bring another approval round or a minimum quantity for dyeing. Confirm these details with the maker while the fabric is being chosen.

The minimum a maker will run can reflect the yarn that has to be bought and the preparation needed for the machines. Where that minimum does not fit the order, discuss whether an existing fabric is suitable. Using the same fabric across different designs or reducing the number of colours may also change what is practical.

Cost comparisons need matching assumptions. Check whether each quote describes the same fibre mixture and recycled percentage, then compare the fabric weight and finish. Testing and certification paperwork can also affect the quote. A lower quote may describe a different fabric, so compare the material descriptions before making a decision.

Any change agreed here needs to travel back to the claim. Keep the order and intended website wording aligned with the fabric the maker has confirmed.

06Approve the label against the final fabric and evidence

Use the first fabric sample to settle the material’s feel and appearance. Use the clothing sample to check fit and how the item is made. Before ordering fabric for production, confirm that its description and recycled percentage still match what was approved, and that the agreed documents will cover the material supplied.

A fabric substitution can pass a visual check while changing the basis of the claim. Similar appearance is not enough. Compare the final material description with the approved reference and the order. If the percentage changes, pause approval of the wording until the records agree on what is being made.

Review the composition label alongside any recycled-content statement on an attached tag or the website. The composition label describes the fibres physically present. The recycled-content wording must stay within what that description and the supporting documents show. Approve the wording before the labels or product copy are released.

Keep a version number on the approved wording and fabric description. Store them with the sample that production is checked against, then match the final certificates and delivery records to the goods being released. That file should make it possible to follow a sentence on the website back to the clothes it describes.

07Certification changes need a review date in the clothing file

Textile Exchange’s Materials Matter Standard includes recycled materials currently covered by its Global Recycled Standard and Recycled Claim Standard. The organisation states that the new standard becomes effective on 31 December 2026 and mandatory from 31 December 2027. Claims and labels must transition by 30 June 2029, according to its Materials Matter Standard page.

For clothes using these certifications, record which certificates support each claim and where the wording appears. Include the website and any printed labels. Assign responsibility for checking the transition with the certified organisations supplying the material, and put a review date in the file.

Review that record whenever the maker, material percentage or certification status changes. Before approving another label print run or repeating an order, check whether the existing wording still applies. The claim needs to stay connected to the material and the certification rules under which it is being used.