The US-based leading retailer Walmart and American clothing label Patagonia’s joint venture, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) recently announced that it has upgraded its Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI), a tool which provides the apparel, footwear, and textile industry to calculate the environmental impact of materials used in global manufacturing.
Notably, SAC is the leading global association that provides a reality check about the harm manufacturing units cause to the environment and how they can work effectively to produce sustainable products in the future. The latest update of Higg MSI gives detailed insights about the environmental assessment, resulting in a more sustainable production.
The latest update to Higg MSI enables it to accurately measure and score a material’s environmental impact, and features 80 base materials, including cotton, polyester, and silk. When mixed, these account for the majority of all materials the industry currently uses.
It is pertinent to mention here that Higg MSI users are willing to contribute material data to the tool’s expanding library of materials. Once the data is submitted, third-party experts review and verify it and score it accordingly.
Additionally, the latest update includes a new feature which allows suppliers to share sustainability performance information regarding their materials with companies and retailers. Such upstream communication boosts the betterment of transparency and sustainability performances inside the industry.
Jason Kibbey, CEO, SAC said that in present times, it is thrilling to be a designer, as it brings the opportunity to play a key role in determining a product’s sustainability performance. “With the Higg MSI, product designers can avail a significant amount of information, and then use it to crucially reduce environmental impact of materials production,” Jason added.
Reportedly, customers nowadays demand knowledge about their apparel and footwear manufacturing. Using the Higg MSI results and performance metrics, brands can create products that will help them to attract new customers and retain their loyal ones.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
