Fashion For Good Pushes Mass Balance Model To Cut Fashion Emissions

Sustainability & Recycling

Fashion For Good Pushes Mass Balance Model To Cut Fashion Emissions

Fashion For Good has launched the Mass Balance Demonstrator project with the aim to speed up decarbonisation in the apparel industry. The project focuses on scaling the mass balance attribution (MBA) model for biomass-based polyester (PET).

The initiative brings together leading brands, manufacturers and standard-setting bodies. It targets one key gap. Biosynthetic materials are still limited in scale. Infrastructure is not ready. Costs remain high. As a result, adoption is slow despite proven performance.

MBA offers a practical solution. It allows renewable and fossil feedstocks to be mixed in the same system. The total renewable input is tracked and verified. That share is then allocated to final products.

In simple terms, if 30% of the input is renewable, 30% of the output can carry that claim. The material itself may not be physically different. But the accounting is strict. Inputs are measured. Outputs are certified. Double counting is not allowed.

The model is already used in sectors like energy and paper. Fashion For Good now wants to adapt it for textiles at scale.

Katrin Ley, Managing Director, said, “The industry is ready to adopt biosynthetics, but infrastructure has not kept pace. This project aims to close that gap and build a clear path for scale.”

The consortium includes BESTSELLER, Levi Strauss & Co. (Beyond Yoga), On, Indorama Ventures, UPM Biochemicals, Textile Exchange and others. The goal is not just testing. It is building a system the industry can adopt.

Anders Schorling Overgård of BESTSELLER said, “We are building experience in mass balance and bio-attributed polyester. This can help scale renewable inputs over time.”

The project has four clear goals. First, produce biomass-attributed PET and yarns at commercial scale. Second, measure full lifecycle emissions using a cradle-to-grave model. Third, create a roadmap for industry adoption. Fourth, inform standards and climate frameworks.

A key advantage is speed. MBA works within existing infrastructure. It avoids the need for entirely new supply chains. This makes it easier for brands to act now.

The project will also test performance. Materials must match current quality standards. Cost and feasibility will be closely evaluated.

If successful, the model could unlock faster adoption of low-carbon materials. It offers a bridge between innovation and scale. For an industry under pressure to cut emissions, that bridge is critical.

Katrin Ley, Managing Director, said, “The industry is ready to adopt biosynthetics, but infrastructure has not kept pace. This project aims to close that gap and build a clear path for scale.” The consortium includes BESTSELLER, Levi Strauss & Co. (Beyond Yoga), On, Indorama Ventures, UPM Biochemicals, Textile Exchange and others. The goal is not just testing. It is building a system the industry can adopt.

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