Sector Standard Project for Textiles and Apparel
Advancing transparency in the textiles and apparel supply chains
Public comment period underway
The Textiles and Apparel Sector Standard exposure draft is now available for public comment. Please submit your feedback by 28th September 2025.
You are welcome to provide feedback on the exposure draft by completing the online survey. You can access the draft here:
A summary of the project's objectives and the significant proposals can be found in the Explanatory Memorandum. The public exposure process follows the GSSB Due Process Protocol. In case of further questions, please consult the FAQ on the GRI Sector Standard Project for Textiles and Apparel.
Any interested party can submit comments on the exposure draft using the online questionnaire. An overview of the questionnaire in PDF is available here.
Learn more about the exposure draft in the upcoming webinars:
Registration is now open for a series of global and regional webinars where the Textiles and Apparel Sector Standard exposure draft will be presented, with insights from GRI and guest speakers, and opportunities to ask questions:
- 1st Global Webinar: 21 July at 17:00 CET (09:00 CST; 11:00 EDT; 15:00 GTM; 16:00 WET). Please register here;
- South Asia Webinar: 24th July at 15:00 New Delhi (IST); 15:30 Dhaka (BST). Please register here;
- 2nd Global Webinar: 15 September at 10:00 CET (11:00 EAT; 13:30 IST; 15:00 ICT; 16:00 CST; 18:00 AEST): Please register here.
If you are interested in holding a regional or thematic session please reach out to [email protected] to discuss opportunities.
Project Information
Background
The textiles and apparel sector provides essential products and is a key contributor to the global economy. The sector’s complex and fragmented supply chain, however, is characterized by a range of negative impacts. Most widely documented are those related to labor and human rights in producing countries. The sector is also a key contributor to the increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions and waste.
The purpose of the Textiles and Apparel Sector Standard is to enhance the quality and comparability of sustainability information, by setting the global best practice for organizations operating in textile production, apparel and footwear manufacturing as well as retail. Read the Project Proposal for more information.
Working Group
The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) appointed a multi-stakeholder Working Group to develop the Standard for the Textile and Apparel sector. The 21-member Working Group covers business enterprises, civil society, investment institutions, labor organizations, and mediating institutions – representing Asia, Africa, North and South America, Europe, and Oceania.
The Working Group provides technical advisory for the development of the content of the Standard, which is taking place between 2024 and 2026.
For more information about the responsibilities of the Working Group, see the Terms of Reference.
About Sector Standards
The Sector Standards are designed to help identify a sector's most significant impacts and reflect stakeholder expectations for sustainability reporting. The GSSB has previously approved the textiles and apparel sector as one of the next sectors for which a standard will be developed.
Sectors are prioritized based on the seriousness and the likelihood of their impacts – considering the overall size of the sector, distribution around the world, and the number of organizations that are in a position to use the GRI Standards.
If you have questions or would like more information about this project, please contact [email protected].
Project Overview
Q1 2023
Project commencement
Q1-2024
Appointment of the Textiles and Apparel Working Group
Q1 2024 - Q2 2025
Development of exposure draft
Q3 2025
Public comment period
Q3 2025 - Q1 2026
Consideration of public comment and revision of the standard
Q2 2026
Expected release of Textiles and Apparel Sector Standard
Related Documents
| GRI Sector Standards Project for Textiles and Apparel - Project Proposal | file | 11 Jan 2023 | English | 205 KB | |
| Textiles and Apparel Sector Standard exposure draft | file | 15 Jul 2025 | English | 2 MB | |
| Textiles and Apparel explanatory memorandum | file | 15 Jul 2025 | English | 178 KB | |
| Textiles and Apparel Sector Standard - Public Comment Questionnaire | file | 15 Jul 2025 | English | 256 KB | |
| Textiles and Apparel Sector Standard Project FAQ | file | 15 Jul 2025 | English | 176 KB | |
| GRI Sector Standards Project for Textiles and Apparel_ WG Member Bios 2024 | file | 12 Dec 2024 | English | 932 KB | |
| Textiles and Apparel Working Group Terms of Reference | file | 09 Mar 2023 | English | 255 KB | |
| GRI Sector Program Description | file | 07 Feb 2019 | English | 449 KB |
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