Understanding the Fibers in Your Clothes

Our Primark Cares label is changing

Have you noticed? We’ve had a collection of clothing labeled with the "Primark Cares" logo in our stores and online. The products in this range are made using recycled or more sustainably sourced fibers, included in the list below.

However, we’ve now progressed to a point where a significant majority of our clothes are now made using these fibers, and these numbers are continuing to increase. So we’ve decided we no longer need a separate Primark Cares collection.

What does that mean for me?

You’ll soon notice that the Primark Cares logo won’t be on our product labels or website product pages. Updates to our product labels take time, so it may be a while before the logo is fully phased out.

But don’t worry – removing the logo is all that's changing! We'll continue to increase the use of recycled or more sustainably sourced materials in our clothes. You'll still be able find out what our products are made of on our website and on product labels in stores.

You can read more about our Primark Cares commitments here.

Primark Preferred Fibers

When we talk about our preferred fibers, we mean fibers or raw materials sourced via methods that aim to reduce the impact on and/or increase the benefits for the environment when compared to their conventional equivalent.

Primark Preferred Cotton

Preferred cotton sources for Primark means methods that aim to reduce the negative impact on, and/or aim to increase the benefits to, the environment where the cotton is grown and/or the people who grow the cotton*, when compared to their conventional equivalent.

The preferred cotton sources currently used by Primark are the Primark Cotton Project, Recycled Cotton, Organic Cotton and the Cotton made in Africa® Standard. We may identify other preferred cotton sources in the future. Read more about these below.

*With the exclusion of Recycled Cotton as this sourcing method has no impact on the people who grow the cotton.

Cotton made in Africa© (CmiA)

The Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) standard is an independently verified standard for cotton produced by African smallholder farmers. The CmiA standard promotes methods of raw material production that aim to foster decent and improved working conditions for farmers and ginnery workers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, regenerate soil health, preserve water resources, and enhance biodiversity.

We use the HIP (Hard Identity Preserved) model to provide traceability of CmiA cotton in our products, from the farmer to the finished, CmiA-labeled product.

You can read more about the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) standard here.

Organic Cotton

Cotton is a fiber grown on cotton plants. Organic cotton is grown using methods which have a lower environmental impact than growing conventional cotton with a focus on maintaining the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It is verified by an independent Certification Body to a universally recognized standard, either Organic Content Standard (OCS) or Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).

For more information on the Organic Content Standard (OCS) please visit here.

For more information on the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) please visit here.

For more information on Certification Bodies please visit here.

Recycled Cotton

Recycled cotton is made using cotton waste which is spun into new fibers. It is verified by an independent Certification Body to an independent and universally recognized standard, either the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

For more information on the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) please visit here.

For more information on Certification Bodies please visit here.

Recover™ Recycled Cotton

Recover™ Recycled Cotton is made from reclaimed cotton fibers sourced from post-industrial waste. The process involves collecting garment manufacturing cotton waste and breaking it down into recycled cotton fiber.

The recycled cotton fibers are blended with cotton from the Primark Cotton Project and spun into new yarn. This method reduces the need for virgin cotton, and reduces environmental impact by diverting garment manufacturing waste from landfills.

Recover™ Recycled Cotton is verified by an independent Certification Body to an independent and universally recognized standard, either the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

For more information on the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) please visit here.

For more information on Certification Bodies please visit here.

Modal, lyocell and sustainable viscose (also known as Man-made Cellulostic Fibers (MMCF)

Sustainable Viscose is a type of regenerated man-made cellulose fiber ('MMCF') made from wood pulp sourced from responsibly managed forests [FSC or PEFC verified forests]. It is produced using processes that aim to reduce environmental impact by minimizing carbon emissions, reducing water usage, and avoiding deforestation. The raw materials for making Sustainable Viscose are sourced from forests that are managed to prevent deforestation and protect ancient and endangered forests.

Sustainable Viscose at Primark is verified by a recognized forest management certification scheme. Our Sustainable Viscose is only sourced from producers that are 'green shirt' rated by Canopy’s Hot Button ranking, which assesses MMCF producers' forest sourcing.

For more information on the Canopy Hot Button ranking visit here.

We are currently exploring a more specific way to describe the Sustainable Viscose fibers we use in our products and will update our glossary to reflect this in due course.

Modal is a type of regenerated MMCF made from wood pulp sourced from responsibly managed forests [FSC or PEFC verified forests]. It is produced using processes that aim to reduce environmental impact by minimizing carbon emissions, reducing water usage, and avoiding deforestation. Modal features traceability through unique molecular tracers.

Lyocell is a type of regenerated MMCF made from wood pulp sourced from responsibly managed forests [FSC or PEFC verified forests]. It is produced using a closed-loop process that recycles water and solvents, resulting in reduced environmental impact.

Modal, lyocell and sustainable viscose are fibers made using the cellulose found in wood. To protect ancient forests and their biodiversity, the wood used to make these fibers is sourced from responsibly managed forests. Our Wood and Wood-Derived Fiber Policy sets out our approach to responsibly sourcing the materials used to make these fibers.

Recycled Acrylic

Acrylic is a man-made fiber. Recycled acrylic is made using fabric waste which is spun into new fibers. Is it verified by an independent Certification Body to an independent and universally recognized standard, either the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

For more information on the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) please visit here.

For more information on Certification Bodies please visit here.

Recycled nylon

Recycled Nylon is a man-made fiber, made from plastic waste which is spun into new fibers. It is verified by an independent Certification Body to an independent and universally recognized standard, either the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

For more information on the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) please visit here.

For more information on Certification Bodies please visit here.

Recycled polyamide

Recycled Polyamide is a man-made fiber, made from plastic waste which is spun into new fibers. It is verified by an independent Certification Body to an independent and universally recognized standard, either the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS).

For more information on the Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) or the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) please visit here.

For more information on Certification Bodies please visit here.

More complex product categories like lingerie, swimwear, outerwear, homeware, shoes and toys may include trim, embellishments and/or non-fabric materials. In these cases, the fiber composition claim on the product label will only relate to the part of the product that contains the recycled or more sustainably sourced material. This is to allow the product to meet our durability requirements, or because there are currently no preferred fiber alternatives available for trims, embellishments and/or non-fabric materials.

This fiber glossary reflects the majority of the preferred fibers used in our products, and it is regularly updated. There may be instances where our product labels differ to this glossary as updates to our product labeling can take some time.