Levi Strauss & Co., Gap and Artistic Milliners are among companies partnering with Fashion for Good to establish more credible data on fiber shedding.

The companies are part of Fashion for Good’s “Behind the Break 2.0,” the second phase of a targeted research initiative designed to strengthen confidence in fiber loss data, consolidate existing knowledge, and expand supplier engagement across the textile and fashion value chain.

It builds on the work started in Phase 1.0 which began in 2024 and tested the strengths and limitations of different methods used to measure fiber loss. The research identifed how much results vary between labs and explored what drives fiber shedding across cotton knit, cotton woven and polyester knit.

It also revealed “significant lab-to-lab variability” with the gravimetric methods used to measure fiber loss.

With Phase 2.0, the partners seek to increase confidence in data quality, consolidate and refine existing testing approaches and knowledge across selected fabric archetypes, and improve supplier engagement to support wider data collection within the space.

Fashion for Good explains how the project is structured around four core workstreams: a multi-lab Round Robin to pinpoint variations in testing practices; the identification of a suitable reference fabric that labs can introduce for calibration; a comparative assessment of two sample preparation techniques (PU bonding and lock-stitch); and focused knowledge-building activities on select fabric archetypes.

Together, the Netherlands-based sustainable innovation platform said these workstreams will provide fiber fragmentation a more consistent and credible foundation to support the development of actionable findings. The findings will inform the development of a Protocol Guidance Document to support rigorous and consistent testing across laboratories. Additionally, “high-risk” or technically challenging fabric types will be identified and be researched further.  

Other partners in the project include Adidas, Bestseller, C&A, On, Kering, Patagonia, Tesco, Positive Materials. The Microfibre Consortium, Northumbria University and Paradise Textiles.