Materials Impact Explorer
Understand the on-the-ground risks and opportunities of the materials you use
How
Reduce environmental risk with tailored recommendations
Brands can use the Materials Impact Explorer to identify the potential risks and opportunities associated with the fibers and raw materials in their portfolios. The tool provides tailored recommendations on mitigating risk, reducing environmental impact, and supporting local and global sustainability initiatives. It can also be utilized to support risk assessments for several reporting and disclosure frameworks.
WHY
Environmental risks and opportunities change based on where materials are grown or extracted
The fashion, textile, and apparel industry is one of the largest contributors to the global climate and ecological crisis. When brands source their materials, they often have little to no visibility of the environmental risks and opportunities associated with them.
Around 24%
Of the greenhouse gas impact occurs at the raw materials stage of the supply chain.
This is World Resources Institute (2021). Page 11
Who
Powered by Textile Exchange, Google, WWF, and NGIS
The Materials Impact Explorer was initially developed via a partnership between Google, WWF, and Stella McCartney. The tool was gifted to Textile Exchange in late 2021 to leverage its industry expertise toward further development. Core tool partners today are Google, WWF and NGIS, the lead technical development partner.
For information on the key differences between the Materials Impact Explorer and WWF's Risk Filter here.
Forests and air pollution risk categories are now live.
The Materials Impact Explorer is available publicly.
Risk ratings and recommendations for these risk categories are now live in the tool, along with an additional material category - manmade cellulosic fibers (MMCF).
We acknowledge that forests forms part of a broader land use change risk area, and we plan to explore opportunities for development of a broader land use change risk in the future.
