Content Claim Standard 2012, Version 1.0
Foreward
Textile Exchange is an international, member-supported non-profit organization that was established in
2003 under the original name of Organic Exchange. Textile Exchange operates internationally and is committed
to the responsible expansion of both the organic cotton and sustainable textile value chains.
In 2004 Organic Exchange developed the OE 100 and OE Blended standards to verify the organic cotton
content claims on products. The standards set up a system for tracking and documenting the purchase,
handling and use of certified organic cotton fiber. Since then we have seen the need for a more widely
applicable standard that would support all content claims, giving companies a tool to use in confirming
that the products they are buying or selling contain the percentage of a given material that they have
requested from their suppliers.
While we recognized the desire for a standard to directly back up sustainability claims, we did not feel
that we were in the position to determine what materials and processes could be deemed ‘sustainable’.
Instead, we decided to create a standard that would give a full chain of custody for all materials, providing
a valuable tool for companies making claims about their products. It is essentially a business-to-business
tool to allow for an effective verification process, as well as a foundation for content claim standards
built around specific input materials.
The standard has been written by Textile Exchange, and the first draft was put out for review and comment
by professionals from the certification community. Textile Exchange has partnered with Outdoor
Industry Association (OIA) to give the second draft of the standard a thorough review from a variety of
stakeholders via the Materials Traceability Working Group (MTWG), consisting of over 140 members
from all sectors of indsutry. The Content Claim Standard logo was designed by Troy Tucker.