Sustainability is reshaping the US fashion industry, particularly by increasing the use of preferred fibres in “sustainable apparel” products that highlight their positive or low impact on the environment. While there is no universal definition of preferred fibres, US fashion apparel companies today typically focus on three major types:

• Recycled fibre: fibres developed from pre-consumption or post-consumption waste
• Organic fibre: fibres from plants or animals without using most synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or other chemical treatments
• Regenerative fibre: fibres produced using regenerative farming practices that restore soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem balance.

Since textile raw materials account for over 60% of a garment’s production cost and directly influence its aesthetic and functionality, the choice of fibres will directly impact retailers’ merchandising strategies, such as product assortment, pricing, and sourcing decisions. The selection of “preferred fibres” could also have significant business implications for the US sustainable apparel market, particularly affecting product availability, features, and promotion.  

US retailers’ selection of preferred fibres for “sustainable apparel” and its implications for merchandising strategies has been explored in this study, including product assortment and pricing.

The websites of over 50 leading US apparel brands and retailers were examined and the detailed product category, description, and pricing information of their “sustainable clothing” products launched to the market between January 2023 and March 2025 were captured.

Sustainable clothing refers to those mentioning one of the following keywords: “low impact,” “planet friendly,” “environmentally friendly,” “sustainable,” and “textile waste.”

The study’s findings offer valuable new insights regarding which “preferred fibres” leading US fashion companies typically select for sustainable apparel and how this choice influences product assortment, design patterns and pricing.

Use of preferred fibre in the US sustainable apparel retail market

The results showed that it has become increasingly popular for US retailers to use preferred fibres in “sustainable apparel” products. Specifically, by stock keeping unit (SKU) count, the number of “sustainable apparel” items that contained preferred fibre for sale in the US retail market increased by more than 20% between 2023 and 2024.

Among the major types of preferred fibres, recycled textile materials have been the most commonly used. In 2024, nearly 84% of “sustainable apparel” for sale in the US retail market contained various recycled textile fibres, a notable increase from only 64.6% in 2022. Other studies also show that recycled fibres, particularly recycled polyester, have become a popular choice for “sustainable apparel” targeting the mass market segment, largely due to their lower production costs than other sustainable fibre options.

Meanwhile, results indicate that while about 15.7% of “sustainable apparel” for sale in the US retail market in 2024 contained organic fibre, the percentage was much lower than 34.9% in 2022. By SKU count, the number of “sustainable apparel” items using organic textile fibres dropped by more than 20% between 2022 and 2024. The change could result from a mix of factors, such as the relatively higher production costs, reduced supply of organic fibre due to climate reasons, the increasing availability of alternative sustainable fibres, and US retailers and consumers’ shifting preferences.

Additionally, the results indicated the emergence of regenerative fibre. Even though only about 1% of “sustainable apparel” in the US retail market contained regenerative fibre in 2024, the percentage and the total number of items by SKU counts had more than doubled.

Key features of preferred fibre and their merchandising impacts

To gain insights into the merchandising impacts of “preferred fibre” selection, a total of 6,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) of clothing sold in the US retail market was randomly selected from January 2023 to March 2025 (the latest data available as of writing).

They were equally divided among the three major types of “preferred fibres” — recycled, organic, and regenerative (i.e., 2,000 SKUs for each type).

A content analysis was then conducted of each product label, focusing on its fibre content, product assortment, and other essential information.

Clothing made from recycled fibre

Sustainable apparel in the US retail market that contains recycled fibre has several distinct features. First, regarding fibre content, although various recycled fibres are commonly used, recycled polyester stands out as the most popular, representing over 30% of the sampled products. This pattern can be attributed to the relatively mature technology of producing recycled polyester today, particularly based on plastic bottles, making such fibre easily available and at an affordable price. In comparison, recycled cotton, recycled polyester, and wool are less visible due to various factors such as higher production costs and ongoing concerns about their fibre quality.

Additionally, recycled fibre is often blended with virgin fibres to enhance its functionality and quality, particularly with recycled natural fibres such as cotton. For example, a woman’s tank top reads: “85% recycled polyester, 15% elastane.” Likewise, the label of a woman’s short bottoms says: “expertly crafted from 97% recycled cotton and 3% spandex” and a woman’s jacket reads, “60% recycled cotton/40% recycled polyester.”

Second, the use of recycled fibre relates to product categories. Specifically, tops and blouses represent the largest category of sustainable apparel that uses recycled fibres. This result can be explained by the relatively abundant availability of recycled polyester, which is commonly used for tops and blouses, including activewear. Meanwhile, affected by the fibre property, recycled nylon is most often used in swimwear, and denim products most likely contain recycled cotton.

Third, the transparency of the fibre sources and the credibility of the recycled fibre content need further improvement. On the one hand, some clothing items that contain recycled fibre explicitly highlight that the fibre content is “certified” by a third party. For example, a hosiery product says: “main fabric: 54% of GRS-certified recycled polyamide.” GRS refers to Global Recycled Standard, a voluntary product standard for tracking and verifying the content of recycled materials in a final product.

The label of another jacket says, “made from warm, soft, long-lasting 100% recycled polyester knit fleece…Fabrics are certified as bluesign approved.” Bluesign is an independent certification system for the textile industry that focuses on environmental and social impacts.

Nevertheless, the detailed percentage of recycled fibre in the fibre content and the certification information are not always available. For example, it is not uncommon to see a clothing item’s label provide relatively vague information like: “made with recycled cotton and polyester for a lower impact” and “SUSTAINABLE: This product is made with recycled cotton.” Studies consistently show that the lack of such essential information could raise questions about the credibility of the sustainability benefits of the clothing item.

Clothing made from organic fibre

Sustainable apparel in the US retail market that contains organic fibre has three features.

First, cotton was the dominant organic fibre used in “sustainable apparel” in the US retail market. Specifically, among the sampled clothing items made from organic textile fibre, about 85% contained organic cotton. Often, the label stated: “100% organic cotton,” suggesting that this fibre alone, on many occasions, can meet consumers’ quality and functional needs for clothing. It is also common for organic cotton to be used alongside other natural-based or cotton-related fibres, with labels such as: “60% TENCEL lyocell, 40% organic cotton,” “58% viscose rayon, 42% organic cotton,” and “85% organic cotton, 15% wool.”

Besides cotton, about 20% of the products in the samples featured organic linen, and a few others contained organic flax.

Second, clothing that contains organic fibre primarily consists of tops and bottoms. Unsurprisingly, clothing categories mostly made with organic fibre in the US retail market include tshirts, shirts, jeans, and trousers, which often contain organic cotton. In comparison, organic fibre is much less visible in specific categories such as outerwear and swimwear, which are more likely to use synthetic fibre due to functional needs. However, it should be noted that, thanks to innovation and technological advancements, organic fibres such as organic cotton have been commonly used in activewear, allowing sustainability and functionality to be achieved together. For example, the label of a cropped sportswear tank top reads: “93% organic cotton, 7% elastane…supports more sustainable cotton farming.” Another yoga cycling legging says: “super-soft ribbed cotton jersey stretches to adapt to every movement for a comfortable body-hugging fit. Made from sustainable organic cotton.”

Third, compared to other preferred fibres such as recycled, clothing made with organic fibre often features its superior quality, trendy style, and comfort when worn. For example, the label of a pull-on pants says: “elevate your comfort and sustainability with our 100% organic cotton pull-on pants…Whether you’re lounging at home or running errands, these pants provide both style and comfort.” Similarly, a men’s shirt reads: “this long sleeve shirt is crafted from 100% organic cotton, offering a luxuriously soft medium weight feel…Perfectly tailored for comfort and style, it’s an eco-friendly wardrobe staple.“

In addition, product labels indicate that US fashion companies source organic fibre clothing from diverse regions — not only from traditional large-scale apparel producers in Asia like China and India, but also from EU-based countries such as Portugal, Bulgaria, and Italy; African nations including Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt; and even domestic producers in the United States. In other words, clothing made from organic fibre offers US fashion brands and retailers a unique opportunity to diversify their sourcing base and consider factors beyond cost.

Clothing made from regenerative fibre

Sustainable apparel in the US retail market that contains regenerative fibre also has several features.

First, regenerative fibre is even more dominated by cotton. In the collected samples, almost all sustainable clothing made with regenerative fibre used “regenerative cotton” or a blend of “regenerative cotton” with other cotton-related fibres like recycled cotton, organic cotton, and rayon. For example, the label of a V-waist denim shorts reads: “material: 67% regenerative cotton, 22% lyocell, 11% post consumer recycled cotton denim.”

In comparison, the use of regenerative wool, hemp, and flax/linen remained a niche due in part to the early stage of producing such fibres and the complexity of certifying their content and quality. 

Second, because of the dominance of cotton, clothing made from regenerative fibre is particularly focused on denim products and jeans, which accounted for over 70% of the total offerings of such products in the US retail market. In comparison, regenerative fibre appeared to be less utilized in tshirts, which, however, is one of the key clothing categories that are made with regular cotton. Besides the more limited supply of regenerative cotton versus regular cotton, price could be another critical factor. For example, data shows that a tshirt containing regenerative cotton typically costs over $50 in the US retail market, much higher than the $15-20 average price of a tshirt made with regular cotton. Likewise, a pair of jeans claiming to be made with regenerative cotton is commonly priced over $200, significantly more than the $65-80 average price of those made with regular cotton. 

Third, compared with other preferred fibres, clothing made with regenerative fibre tends to provide more detailed information about its positive environmental impacts. For example, the label of a women’s jean product reads: “50% regenerative cotton, 25% cotton, 20% reprocessed cotton, 4% polyester and 1% spandex.” And its product description further specifies that: “EIM score: 21 (low impact); The EIM score measures the environmental impact of its treatment and denim wash processes. A score between 0 and 33 is considered to be low impact.” Likewise, another men’s jean product made with 100% regenerative cotton reads: “cut from non-stretch premium Italian regenerative cotton denim that only loves you more over time…This version comes in a dark indigo wash with a clean hem…Regenerative agriculture embraces holistic techniques that require less water and fewer chemical fertilisers, herbicides, and pesticides. Plus, it makes efficient use of the land and complements local ecosystems.” Nevertheless, it remains rare for a product using regenerative fibre to disclose detailed “quantitative” sustainability data, such as carbon emissions and water usage.

In conclusion, this study’s findings indicate a promising future for the use of preferred fibres in sustainable clothing sold in the US retail market. With ongoing innovation and technological advancements, fashion companies are likely to benefit from a broader array of preferred fibre choices at more affordable prices. These developments also create greater opportunities for fashion companies to achieve sustainability without compromising product function, quality, and aesthetics.

At the same time, the study’s findings highlight the need for fashion companies to continue to improve transparency and data sharing regarding the environmental impact of preferred fibre use in clothing products. For example, when it comes to clothing using recycled textile fibre, the sources of such material and the extent to which they contribute to textile waste reduction remain largely unclear. Similarly, some studies show that helping consumers better understand the benefits of using regenerative and organic fibre in non-technical language, along with providing convincing evidence, could drive more purchases of such products despite their price premium. To address the issue, besides the industry’s voluntary efforts, policymakers could introduce more comprehensive and practical guidelines on data disclosure and sustainability impact assessments, while also providing more capacity-building assistance to small and medium-sized businesses to ensure they are not left behind.

By Just Style