SDEX FAQs

FAQs

Why exchange sustainability data?

Customers – There is an increasing demand from customers to understand more about the products they purchase. This includes information about material composition, preferred materials, country of origin, working conditions under which a product was made, and the impact a product has on various environmental aspects, measured via a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

Legislator – Multiple European laws will oblige companies to report product sustainability data. This could include aspects like preferred materials, repairability, and durability. These disclosures will become legal requirements and must be supported by accurate, verifiable, and auditable data.

When to exchange sustainability data?

Via the SDEX Tool, Brands can share brand-related sustainability data (General, Brand, Climate) and product sustainability data (Textile, Footwear, Hard Goods). Usually, product data is shared twice a year, while company data is shared only once a year.

There are two possible moments throughout the year to exchange sustainability data, depending on whether it is viewed as part of the ordering data or product content data. Please speak to your retail partner about their preferred timeline.

Ordering Data (Sell-In) – If the data is part of the ordering data, the sustainability data should be exchanged 8-10 months before the season.

Content Data (Sell-Out) – If the data is part of the product content data, the sustainability data should be exchanged 2-4 months before the season.

How to exchange sustainability data using SDEX?

If you are using SDEX 3.0, the current Excel spreadsheet, then the SDEX questionnaire is to be transferred directly between brands and retailers. If the file is too large to add as an attachment via email, we recommend using an online file transfer platform, for example, WeTransfer.

Why is there so much information required in SDEX?

The SDEX tool was developed in response to current retailer questionnaires and the direction of European policy (both existing and forthcoming). The data fields reflect the information increasingly requested by retail partners for responsible sourcing, product transparency, and sustainability reporting. Many of these data points are also required, directly or indirectly, to support compliance with European legislation. SDEX consolidates these requests into a harmonized framework, reducing duplication while improving data consistency and readiness.

How to fill in the SDEX Tool?

The SDEX Tool is an Excel spreadsheet, available here.

For Best Practices on filling out the SDEX Tool, click here

Brands: Once completed, the SDEX spreadsheet should be shared directly with your retail partners in line with your existing data exchange processes.

Retailers: Individual retailers should request the completed SDEX spreadsheet directly from their brand partners as part of their standard sustainability data collection processes.