#Raw Materials

2026-04-30

Fiber traceability - A vehicle to ensure sustainability or injustice?

(Images generated with DALL·E (OpenAI) © 2026 Bremen Cotton Exchange

The Bremen Cotton Exchange is making a new paper available for download. In this paper, analyst Veronica Bates Kassatly and statistician Terry Townsend examine the justifications behind this approach and assess the consequences for textile and apparel sustainability claims and global legislation.

Polyester accounts for almost 60% of all fibre production, while cotton accounts for a little over 20% and wool 1%. Only 12% of polyester is of recycled origin, and 98% of that comes from bottles diverted from the beverage industry. In other words, recycled polyester is just virgin polyester one step removed. Yet, nobody traces virgin polyester, and there are no virgin polyester certification schemes.

The report titled “Fiber Traceability – a Vehicle to Ensure Sustainability or Injustice?” highlights key problem areas. A sample of findings of concern examined in the paper includes the following: More than 2500 chemicals, 800 of which are known to be highly hazardous, are used, present, or released by the most common form of polyester fibre, PET. In comparison, only 135 highly hazardous chemicals are used worldwide in pesticides applied to cotton. Equally concerning, a further 1,609 chemicals associated with PET have not been tested and so are evaluated as harmless but might be hazardous

Further findings show that the water footprint of one kilogram of polyester fibre is between 5 and 7 times greater than that of one kilogram of cotton.

In addition, one-fifth of all the polyester produced in the world is made from oil or natural gas feedstock that originated in sanctioned countries. By importing polyester in the form of textiles and apparel, countries are facilitating the circumvention of sanctions.

The report, “Fiber traceability - a Vehicle to Ensure Sustainability or Injustice?” is a must-read for anyone and everyone in sustainable fashion, particularly those with an interest in legislation and impact claims.

Both authors are available for questions and interviews. The Bremen Cotton Exchange can facilitate contact.

Link to the paper: Fiber Traceability

https://baumwollboerse.de/en/competencies/publications/report-on-tracebility/

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