MATERIALS
At SELECTED, we are committed to sourcing materials with a lower footprint whenever possible. These include organic, recycled and other certified or branded materials that are proven to have less environmental impact compared to conventional material of the same category. Examples of this could be the preservation of water resources, using renewable energy and safer chemicals during production. All certified and branded materials are validated through a chain of custody to confirm authenticity of the fibres.
By 2025, 70% of the fibres we use will be certified or branded materials.
THE FIBRES WE USED IN 2023
47%* OF ALL THE FIBERS USED WERE ORGANIC, RECYCLED OR OTHER CERTIFIED OR BRANDED MATERIALS.
50%* of the cotton used was organic cotton
55%* of the wool used was certified wool
62%* of the polyester used was recycled polyester
100%* of the down used were certified down
*Data is based on the year of 2023 and the % are based on the weight of the products incl. trim.
CERTIFIED AND BRANDED MATERIALS
We believe that choosing our fibres with consideration can make a difference. These are our preferred fibres.
CERTIFIED AND BRANDED MATERIALS
We believe that choosing our fibres with consideration can make a difference. These are our preferred fibres.
Organic fibres
Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that reduce negative impact on the environment without toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, improving soil health and protecting biodiversity. But aside from the obvious environmental benefits of organically grown cotton, the absence of hazardous chemicals also helps to improve the work environment of the local farmer.
Organic Wool
Organic wool is spun from the fleece of sheep raised per organic farming standards at certified farms where the animal welfare of sheep is respected. Prohibiting any treatments with hazardous chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers, making it better for both the local farmer’s health and the environment at large.
Organic Linen
Like organic cotton, organic linen is grown using methods and materials that reduce negative impact on the environment without toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, improving soil health and protecting biodiversity. Growing linen without using hazardous chemicals is also making the fields and its surrounding wildlife a healthier work environment for the farmer and the local community.
Organic Silk
Organic silk is grown using methods and materials approved by organic farm certification. The production reduces negative impact on the environment and the silk is grown without the use of any synthetic chemicals or growth hormones.
Organic True Hemp
Like organic cotton, organic hemp is grown using methods and materials that reduce negative impact on the environment without toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, improving soil health and protecting biodiversity. Growing hemp without using hazardous chemicals is also making the fields and its surrounding wildlife a healthier work environment for the farmer and the local community.
CmiA Organic Cotton
Cotton made in Africa, an initiative of the Aid by Trade Foundation, is one of the world’s leading standards for sustainably produced cotton. Their goal is to help people help themselves, via trade rather than donations, in order to improve the living and working conditions of smallholder farmers in Africa and to protect our environment. CmiA Organic cotton provides an online Tracking System to ensure complete transparency throughout the entire value chain, allowing the cotton to be traced back the entire way from the field to the finished product.
In-Conversion Cotton
The transition period for a farmer to get the organic certification takes an average of three years as the soil needs to recover from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers used commonly in conventional cotton farming. In this period, the farmers are not paid extra – known as the ‘organic premium’ – for their hard work and effort. Farmers growing their cotton according to the organic farming standards will save money on input cost but they also experience drop in their yield when converting their farm while working under strict regulations (to ensure the land eventually qualifies to be certified organic under international standards).
Organic Direct to Farm - Cotton
With direct to farm we ensure transparency in the supply chain. From farmer to spinner, to fabric mill, to manufacturer. Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that reduce negative impact on the environment without toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, improving soil health and protecting biodiversity. But aside from the obvious environmental benefits of organically grown cotton, the absence of hazardous chemicals also helps to improve the work environment of the local farmer.
In-Conversion Direct to Farm - Cotton
The transition period for a farmer to get the organic certification takes an average of three years as the soil needs to recover from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers used commonly in conventional cotton farming. In this period, when being supported under the Direct To Farm program, the farmers will be paid a premium when converting their farm while working under strict regulations (to ensure the land eventually qualifies to be certified organic under international standards)
CmiA Organic Direct to Farm - Cotton
With direct to farm we ensure transparency in the supply chain. From farmer to spinner, to fabric mill, to manufacturer. Cotton made in Africa, an initiative of the Aid by Trade Foundation, is one of the world’s leading standards for sustainably produced cotton.Their goal is to help people help themselves, via trade rather than donations, in order to improve the living and working conditions of smallholder farmers in Africa and to protect our environment. CmiA Organic cotton provides an online Tracking System to ensure complete transparency throughout the entire value chain, allowing the cotton to be traced back the entire way from the field to the finished product.
Recycled fibres
Recycled Cotton
Recycled cotton is made from manufacturing waste like leftover fabric scraps or from used cotton garments and textiles. Recycling cotton reduces the waste of a natural resource like water. The amount of cotton waste that could have ended up in landfills is also significantly reduced.
Recycled Wool
Recycling wool saves natural resources like water and energy. Instead of shipping wool to disposal at landfills, recycling wool helps reduce the amount of textile waste. The recycled wool is reborn and later refashioned into new clothes.
Recycled Nylon
Recycled nylon – also known as polyamide - is a synthetic material commonly sourced from post-industrial waste fibres like leftover fabric scraps collected from the spinning factory and waste from weaving mills. Recycling nylon fibres saves natural resources and reduces the amount of textile waste.
Recycled Polyamide
Recycled polyamide - is a synthetic material commonly sourced from post-industrial waste fibres like leftover fabric scraps collected from the spinning factory and waste from weaving mills. Recycling polyamide fibres saves natural resources and reduces the amount of textile waste
Recycled Polyester
Recycled polyester is a synthetic material made from waste items like plastic bottles or leftover textiles waste from manufacturing. Recycling polyester saves natural resources and reduces the amount of waste.
RECYCLED DOWN
Recycled down and feathers are collected, cleaned and processed from the filling materials of discarded products like garments and bedding. Recycling down and feather reduces dependencies on natural resources and reduces waste.
REPREVE®
REPREVE® uses 100% recycled materials to produce the only performance wear fibre with FiberPrint® and U TRUST® verification technologies. REPREVE is manufactured by Unifi® – a global textile solutions provider that produces the highest quality recycled fibre and resin. Recycling polyester saves natural resources and reduces the amount of waste. REPREVE® Unifi, Inc.
PREFERRED MAN-MADE CELLULOSIC FIBRES
TENCEL™ lyocell
TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibres are high-quality, cellulose fibres made from wood pulp. The wood pulp is derived from sustainably managed forestry and processed in a 99% closed-loop system where water and solvents are recycled, limiting the waste of natural resources and the use of solvents in production. TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG.
TENCEL™ modal
TENCEL™ branded modal fibres are soft, high-quality fibres made from responsibly sourced wood pulp. The production of TENCEL™ Modal fibres is environmentally sound due to the special Eco Soft technology – a production process where wood pulp (the raw material) is produced at the same site as the fibre itself. Accordingly, the production can be done while utilizing less energy and other resources. TENCEL™ is a trademark of Lenzing AG.
TENCEL™ REFIBRA™
TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ branded Lyocell fibres are high-quality, cellulose fibres made from wood pulp mixed with 30% cotton waste from textile manufacturing. The wood pulp is derived from sustainably managed forestry and is produced in a closed loop system. TENCEL™ and REFIBRA™ are trademarks of Lenzing AG.
LENZING™ ECOVERO™
LENZING™ ECOVERO™ branded viscose fibres are viscose fibres made from wood pulp. The raw botanic materials are derived from semi-natural forests or from sustainably managed forests – controlled and regulated in accordance with a stringent wood sourcing policy. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibres are EU Ecolabel certified, meaning that the manufacturing of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibres has a significantly lower environmental impact to comparable fibres in the market. LENZING™ and ECOVERO™ are trademarks of Lenzing AG.
CUPRO
Cupro is a high-quality, cellulose fibre made from an often-overlooked part of the cotton plant called cotton linter. Cotton linter is processed in a fully sustainable conscious system and turned into cupro - a silk-like quality with a soft and smooth touch.
LIVAECO BY BIRLA CELLULOSE™
Livaeco™ by Birla Cellulose. It is a man-made cellulosic fibre from wood pulp sourced from certified forests and is traceable across the value chain. Livaeco™ saves water and reduces environmental impact.
LIVA REVIVA BY BIRLA CELLULOSE™
Liva Reviva by Birla Cellulose is made with 80% wood pulp fibres sourced from sustainably managed forests combined with 20% pre-consumer fabric waste laying emphasis on responsible manufacturing following the principles of circular economy. Liva Reviva recycled viscose holds the distinction of RCS (Recycled Claim Standard) Certification and is traceable across the value chain.
LIVAECO™ MODAL
Livaeco™ Modal by Birla Cellulose is a man-made cellulosic fibre made from wood pulp sourced from certified forests and is traceable across the value chain. Livaeco™ Modal saves water and reduces environmental impact.
BIRLA EXCEL™
Birla Excel™ by Birla Cellulose is a man-made cellulosic fibre from wood pulp sourced from sustainably managed forests and manufactured in a unique closed-loop process thereby minimizing discharge and reducing environmental impact.
VISCOSE CIRCULOSE® by Renewcell
Renewcell is pioneering a sustainable and circular recycling method that creates a new, high-quality material by recovering cellulose from old cotton clothes. Called CIRCULOSE®, this game-changing, scaled technology aims to reduce the industry’s reliance on virgin cotton and wood. CIRCULOSE® can be recycled again and again without losing any of its quality or performance value.
ONCEMORE® by Södra
OnceMore – a fibre made with what was once textile waste. OnceMore’s formula is simple – return, revive, reduce. After collecting used textiles from their network of suppliers, OnceMore revives a minimum of 20% recycled textile, combining it with renewable wood cellulose from responsibly run forests to create a material that closes the loop.
Certified animal fibres
The Good Cashmere Standard®
The Good Cashmere Standard® was developed in response to the growing need and demand for more transparent and traceable cashmere production. As an independent and voluntary standard for cashmere, it can help ensure that animal welfare, human rights and the environment are safeguarded during cashmere production. The Good Cashmere Standard® is a trademark of the Aid by Trade Foundation.
Certified Mohair
As per BESTSELLER's animal welfare policy all mohair used in our products are sourced from sources certified to the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS). The RMS verifies mohair animal welfare and land management requirements and tracks it from the source to the final product. The RMS is a Textile Exchange standard.
Certified Wool
The Responsible Wool Standard verifies wool animal welfare and land management requirements and tracks it from the source to the final product. The RWS is a Textile Exchange standard.
Certified Alpaca Fibers
The Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS) verifies alpaca animal welfare and land management requirements and tracks it from the source to the final product. The RAS is a Textile Exchange standard.
MADE WITH CERTIFIED MERINO WOOL
The Responsible Wool Standard verifies wool animal welfare and land management requirements and tracks it from the source to the final product. Thermoregulating and naturally odour-resistant, merino wool is considered the finest and softest sheep's wool in the world.
The RWS is a Textile Exchange standard.
MADE WITH ORGANIC MERINO WOOL
Organic wool is spun from the fleece of the merino sheep raised per organic farming standards at certified farms where the animal welfare of sheep is respected. Prohibiting any treatments with hazardous chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers, making it better for both the local farmer’s health and the environment at large.
BANNED MATERIALS
BESTSELLER has banned the use of following materials. Under no conditions will these materials be used in the production of any SELECTED product.
– Real fur of any type
– Exotic skins or skins from wild animals
– Angora wool
– Horn
– Teeth
– Bone
– Coral
– All shell (unless recycled with a full chain of custody)
– Mother of pearl
TRACEABILITY
Having the chain of custody certification on fibres also means that the fibre is traceable through the supply chain. Some suppliers of branded fibres, like LENZING™ TENCEL™ or Re:Down®, have developed their own verification systems and/or tracers to confirm authenticity of their fibres in fabrics. These are also accepted as proof of material authenticity as per our internal guidelines.
CERTIFICATIONS
We strive to be as transparent as possible about where our products and materials come from. In order to do so, we require our suppliers to send us relevant certificates, transaction documents and other documentation to demonstrate the chain of custody for the materials behind the claims. This is a mandatory procedure for all styles containing certified or branded materials, such as recycled polyester or organic cotton.
PRODUCT CLAIMS
When a garment is made with certified or branded materials, we indicate this on a product hangtag to give end-consumers a clear and transparent understanding of the benefits of a specific material choice. Garments with such hangtags will typically always contain a minimum of 50% of that fibre. Some exceptions apply in cases where the fibre does not support a high content without impacting product quality. For instance, BESTSELLER’s internal guidelines for recycled cotton is 20% and recycled wool 30%. The complete fibre composition will always be listed on the garment care label.
For more information regarding sustainability, human rights, supply chain management, materials, investments and more, or to see our public factory lists and Fashion FWD progress reports, please visit BESTSELLER’s sustainability site.
ANIMAL WELFARE
As a part of BESTSELLER, we share their unwavering stance on animal welfare: Animals should never be harmed for the manufacturing of our products. Therefore, we are aligned with BESTSELLER’s corporate policies for animal safeguarding animal welfare as outlined below. To safeguard animal welfare, we require that any materials derived from animals used in our products come from animals that are treated humanely and according to animal welfare laws and recommendations. We are committed to support any developments of standards that work towards the Five Domains Model and thereby encourage higher levels of welfare. Our ambition is to source all our animal fibres and materials from certified sources, and we are committed to driving transparency and traceability in the supply chains of animal-derived fibres and materials. We are supportive of the EU ban on animal testing, and for more than a decade, BESTSELLER has been a fur free company.
WOOL
BESTSELLER supports the RWS (Responsible Wool Standard). BESTSELLER does not accept wool from animals that have been exposed to mulesing. National Wool Declaration of ‘non-mulesed’ or ‘ceased-mulesed’ is required for all wool originating from Australia.
ALPACA
BESTSELLER supports the Responsible Sourced Alpaca standard initiated by the Textile Exchange, which we believe addresses relevant topics related to alpaca husbandry practices and land management. With this, we are working to ensure access and transition to certified alpaca wool and support positive industry developments.
MOHAIR
We will only accept mohair from farms certified to the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS). Any mohair should be sourced in line with the official chain of custody requirements set by the RMS.
MOHAIR
We will only accept mohair from farms certified to the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS). Any mohair should be sourced in line with the official chain of custody requirements set by the RMS.
CASHMERE
BESTSELLER has partnered with The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS) by the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) and have been sourcing cashmere fibres for products through this source since 2020. GCS certified cashmere is sourced in line with the official chain of custody requirements set by the AbTF.
DOWN AND FEATHERS
BESTSELLER only allows virgin down and feathers from sources certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) or recycled down (GRS). At SELECTED, we source recycled down from Re:Down™.
LEATHER
BESTSELLER only allows sourcing of leather as by-product from animals that have been bred for the food industry, specifically from cows, sheep, goats, pigs and buffalos. BESTSELLER does not accept leather obtained from live-skinning or live-boiling.
SELECTED is a member of Leather Working Group through BESTSELLER. We source 100% of our leather from LWG rated tanneries. Leather Working Group is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for the world’s leading environmental certification for the leather manufacturing industry. LWG aims to improve the environmental impact of the leather industry by assessing and certifying leather manufacturers.
Download our animal welfare policy and materials ethics policy.
DOWN AND FEATHERS
BESTSELLER only allows virgin down and feathers from sources certified to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) or recycled down (GRS). At SELECTED, we source recycled down from Re:Down™.
LEATHER
BESTSELLER only allows sourcing of leather as by-product from animals that have been bred for the food industry, specifically from cows, sheep, goats, pigs and buffalos. BESTSELLER does not accept leather obtained from live-skinning or live-boiling.
SELECTED is a member of Leather Working Group through BESTSELLER. We source 100% of our leather from LWG rated tanneries. Leather Working Group is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for the world’s leading environmental certification for the leather manufacturing industry. LWG aims to improve the environmental impact of the leather industry by assessing and certifying leather manufacturers.
Download our animal welfare policy and materials ethics policy.
INNOVATION
Innovative solutions and partnerships are at the heart of our business. We work closely with BESTSELLER Innovation LAB, who focuses on new low-impact materials, regenerative production, new circular business models and smarter ways of manufacturing. Together, we have spearheaded several groundbreaking innovations. Here are a few examples.
CYCORA®
As one of the first fashion brands, we created a limited-edition dress in 2023 from cycora® - a regenerative alternative to conventional polyester. The material was developed by the LA-based material science company Ambercycle, who are specialised in recycling polyester. Cycora® solves a worldwide waste issue by preventing used clothes from ending up in landfills and bringing them into a circular system.
CYCLO®
Underlining our focus on circularity, we introduced a leisurewear capsule in 2022 made with CYCLO® recycled cotton from our own supply chain waste. The capsule was a result of an innovative collaboration between BESTSELLER and CYCLO Recycled Fibers – a Bangladesh-based cotton recycler, and the fibre itself is made from pre-consumer textile waste from BESTSELLER products.
CIRCULOSE®
A limited-edition capsule introduced in 2021 featured the ground-breaking natural material of Circulose®. Thanks to an innovative recycling process, Circulose® is a pulp produced by gently recovering the cotton in garment and textile waste.
EXPLORE MORE
SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERS
Dive into our supply chain and meet some of our incredible partners that bring our products to life.
PRODUCT CARE
Caring for your clothes benefits us all. It not only lets your wardrobe last longer, it can also reduce the environmental impact of clothes by limiting consumption and textile waste.
QUALITY
Great garments deserve to be worn for years – or even decades. That is why we are committed to sourcing top-tier materials and creating collections that can withstand the test of time.
CIRCULARITY
We are preparing for a circular future. A future where clothes are designed to last and be used for longer.
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