The update adds more than 20 material options, broadening data coverage and supporting more informed sustainability decisions across the consumer goods industry.
AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, AND OAKLAND, CA / ACCESS Newswire / November 12, 2026 / Cascale today announced the v3.13 update to the Higg Material Sustainability Index (Higg MSI). Stewarded by Cascale and exclusively available on Worldly, the biannual update expands its dataset with more than 20 new material options from 10 data contributors, alongside more than 20 updates to existing datasets. These include deepened coverage of recycled and bio-based synthetics, as well as new additions for:
- Recycled, virgin, and carbon capture-based polyester
- Bio-based and bio-circular inputs (PU foam, EVA, rubber, and LYCRA fiber)
- Viscose
- Cashmere from nomadic and farmed grazing systems
- Finished leather
The expanded selection provides brands, retailers, and manufacturers with more material options to assess, strengthening the breadth of environmental impact data available to support product development and sourcing decisions. By incorporating a wider range of materials and refining existing datasets, the update also supports more accurate product impact assessments across the consumer goods industry.
Expanding Material Data Across the Consumer Goods Industry
The addition of more than 20 material options reflects continued efforts to broaden the materials represented in the Higg MSI. Contributions from 10 data providers bring new perspectives and information into the dataset, helping expand the range of materials users can evaluate.
For an industry spanning diverse materials, products, and supply chains, broader data coverage is an important step toward more comprehensive environmental impact assessments. The updates also reinforce the importance of continually improving the quality and relevance of the data that informs material-related decisions.
"Expanding the range of materials represented in the Higg MSI is an important step toward providing the industry with more comprehensive and relevant environmental impact data," said Joël Mertens, director, Environmental Impact Methodologies, Cascale. "With more than 20 new material options and updates to existing datasets, v3.13 gives users a broader foundation for assessing materials. This breadth is particularly important as the consumer goods industry works toward more informed decisions across increasingly diverse products and supply chains."
Preparing for the Next Phase of the Higg MSI
The v3.13 update also comes ahead of a significant transition planned for 2027, when the Higg MSI will move to a new background database. This transition will create an opportunity to re-examine and update historical data mappings, with the goal of increasing transparency and improving data accuracy. It will also bring the Higg MSI into closer alignment with developing industry and policy standards and establish a path toward reporting a broader range of environmental impacts.
Cascale corporate members and tool users can review the latest changes in the Higg MSI change log. For additional information about the upcoming database transition, Cascale corporate and affiliate members are invited to join the virtual "Higg MSI Database Transition Cascale Member Meeting" on December 2. The session will cover the transition timeline, anticipated changes to material impacts and scores, and opportunities to access support, with time for questions. Register today.
Key Takeaways:
- Broader material coverage: Higg MSI v3.13 adds more than 20 material options from 10 data contributors.
- Improved data: More than 20 existing datasets receive updates to reflect methodological improvements.
- Industry implications: Expanded material choices support more comprehensive environmental impact assessments and more informed product and sourcing decisions.
- Looking ahead: A planned 2027 background database transition will create opportunities for greater transparency, improved data accuracy, closer alignment with developing standards, and broader environmental impact reporting.
- What's next: The latest update is live on the platform beginning November 11 and a Cascale member-exclusive transition briefing is scheduled for December 2.
ABOUT CASCALE
Cascale is the global nonprofit industry alliance where consumer goods organizations turn shared sustainability ambitions into measurable progress at scale to combat climate change and support decent work for all. We unite 300 Corporate and Affiliate members in pre-competitive collaboration, turning shared measurement and collective action into reduced risk, stronger credibility, and long-term resilience. Our work is anchored by Cascale's stewardship of the Higg Index frameworks (accessed through the Worldly compliance and sustainability platform), along with the Better Buying and Sustainable Furnishings Council tools.
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SOURCE: Cascale
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/cascale-announces-expanded-higg-msi-1250512