Biosynthetic Feedstock Evaluation
The Biosynthetic Feedstock Evaluation is an initiative in collaboration with BESTSELLER, aimed at accelerating the industry’s shift towards alternatives to fossil-fuel polymers. The assessment will be conducted in partnership with industry experts, nova-Institute.
Problem Statement
The fashion industry relies heavily on virgin fossil-fuel-based polymers, particularly synthetic polymers like PET (polyethene terephthalate), PA (polyamide), EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate), and elastane. As of 2023, polyester alone accounted for 57% of total fibre production (Textile Exchange, Materials Market Report 2023), highlighting the industry’s reliance on virgin fossil-fuel-based materials despite the environmental concerns associated with their production.
Fossil-fuel-based polymers come at a significant environmental cost and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss, fueling the global climate crisis. The pressing need to reduce this dependence on non-renewable resources has spurred a search for more sustainable alternatives.
One promising alternative solution is the adoption of biosynthetic materials. Biosynthetics offer a powerful alternative to traditional synthetic fibres, bringing both performance and technical properties that have the potential to be drop-in replacements. At the same time, these alternatives could significantly contribute to reducing the industry’s environmental impact, but they still require extensive environmental and technical validation.
Furthermore, many solutions are currently produced using 1st-generation feedstocks. These are raw materials that are directly derived from food crops or other biomass sources, potentially competing with food production, thus presenting additional challenges related to land use, scalability and ethical sourcing. The accurate assessment of these feedstocks’ impacts and the identification of alternatives remain major roadblocks in the path to scaling biosynthetic materials.
Executive Summary
Fashion for Good, in collaboration with BESTSELLER and nova-Institute, is driving the shift from fossil-fuel-based polymers to sustainable alternatives with the Biosynthetic Feedstock Evaluation. The project evaluates common biomass feedstocks for their environmental impact, scalability, and compliance with ethical standards. It delivers a detailed assessment and strategic recommendations to support the adoption of sustainable polymers in the apparel and footwear industries.
Goals of the Project
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Map and analyse the technological pathways for producing key biosynthetic polymers.
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Evaluate the sustainability, risks, and certification requirements of bio-based feedstocks.
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Establish robust, science-based criteria to guide responsible feedstock selection and industry decision-making.
Key Findings
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Biosynthetic materials are essential to reducing fashion’s reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating progress toward climate goals and a circular economy. While first-generation feedstocks pose some environmental and social risks, these can be managed through responsible sourcing, strong certifications, and impact assessments rather than blanket geographic exclusions.
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Sustainability in biosynthetics goes beyond raw material sourcing: it requires full lifecycle assessments (LCAs) that account for processing technologies and supply chain impacts. Expanding LCA frameworks can provide a more accurate picture of their environmental footprint.
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Mass balance attribution (MBA) is critical for scaling biosynthetics in existing supply chains. A unified industry approach to MBA would improve credibility, simplify certifications, and enable a smoother transition to renewable carbon sources without massive infrastructure overhauls.
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Fashion brands are critical to scaling sustainable biosynthetics, through responsible sourcing, robust LCA-backed decisions, and alignment with industry standards. Real progress will require coordinated action: investing in innovation, partnering with policymakers, and ensuring full transparency in sustainability claims.
Call to Action: Next Steps
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Build a Shared Feedstock Intelligence Base: Collaborate across the industry to map feedstock availability by category and region, creating the transparency needed to make informed sourcing decisions and guide the strategic scaling of biosynthetic materials.
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Adopt Rigorous, Responsible Sourcing Practices: Prioritise certified renewable feedstocks, apply robust LCA and social risk assessments, and work closely with suppliers on traceable bio-based inputs to ensure credible, data-driven material choices.
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Accelerate Innovation and Strengthen Regulatory Readiness: Invest in the development and adoption of renewable materials while preparing for incoming EU regulations on sustainability claims, traceability, and deforestation-free sourcing to stay ahead of industry expectations.
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Champion the Mass Balance Approach: Engage stakeholders across the value chain to align on mass balance frameworks—streamlining certification, improving traceability, and enabling scalable, near-term integration of renewable carbon into biosynthetic production.
Innovation Partners
Implementation Partners
FAQs
Why are biosynthetics important for the fashion industry?
Biosynthetics can reduce dependence on fossil resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and support circular material strategies. As recycled synthetics alone cannot meet global demand, responsibly sourced bio-based and CO₂-based alternatives offer a crucial complementary pathway for decarbonising the industry.
Which feedstocks did the study assess and why?
The assessment focuses on widely used, commercially relevant feedstocks (sugarcane, corn, beech wood, and castor oil) evaluated across specific major producing countries. These reflect current industry practices and allow for meaningful environmental and social comparisons, while emerging feedstocks like algae and CO₂ are excluded due to early-stage readiness.
Are bio-based materials always more sustainable than fossil-based ones?
Not necessarily. Sustainability depends on how and where feedstocks are grown, processed, and certified. Some first-generation crops may carry land-use, fertiliser, or social risks, while responsibly managed systems and second-generation feedstocks can offer significantly lower impacts. High-quality data, robust LCAs, certifications, and region-specific assessments are essential to determine what is truly sustainable.
How does the report evaluate sustainability risks?
The study uses a combined environmental and social risk methodology. Environmental risks are assessed using life cycle data across categories like climate impact, land use, water use, eutrophication, and acidification. Social risks consider human rights, labour conditions, governance, and food security using internationally recognised indicators.
What are the key challenges in scaling bio-based feedstocks?
Scaling bio-based feedstocks is currently facing several hurdles:
Limited commercial readiness: many bio-based pathways are still pilot-scale, and existing infrastructure is built for fossil inputs, making transitions slow and costly.
Environmental constraints: first-generation crops can create pressure on land, water, and fertiliser use, with risks varying by region and farming practice.
Social and governance risks: key sourcing regions may face challenges related to labour rights, land rights, or food security, requiring strong due diligence.
Competition with food production: some crops, like corn and sugarcane, overlap with food systems unless responsibly sourced.
Higher costs: bio-based monomers often remain more expensive than fossil alternatives due to limited scale and supply chain maturity.
Relevant Resources
Fashion for Good launches the Feedstock Assessment for Biosynthetic Innovation
Fashion for Good Launches The Renewable Carbon Textiles Project
BioMaterials: resource of sustainable fashion
With an average growth between 15% and 20%, the circular fashion industry could reach 75 billion dollars in 2025. As a result, the EU funded the AllThing.BioPRO project to help consumers make more informed choices in bioeconomy.[ITALIAN ARTICLE]
What are biomaterials in fashion?
In Conversation with NFW: Creating biomaterials that support plastic-free design
Understanding 'Bio' Material Innovations: A Primer for the Fashion Industry Report
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