Latest news with #FashionAct
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Sustainability Leaders Confront Fashion Industry On Carbon And Waste
As we leave Earth Month 2025, and with prospects for any positive legislation or government environmental action at the national level in the U.S. stymied in the short-term, sustainability leaders are turning their attention to state legislatures, foundations, and the nonprofit sector to help achieve their goals. One of the largest polluting industries, which remains largely unregulated, is the apparel and footwear – or fashion -- industry. But that lack of regulation may change if environmental leaders in California, New York and other states are able to get a version of the Fashion Act passed in state legislatures. As introduced in New York, the Fashion Act would mandate that any apparel or footwear company doing business in New York that has global revenue of $100 million or more be required to map their supply chains down to their raw material providers. Once these supply chains are mapped, companies would be required to reduce the negative environmental impact of these providers by setting and achieving climate reductions in line with the Paris Agreement, work with suppliers to effectively manage their chemical use, and take steps to improve the lives of garment workers in the industry. The environmental impact statistics are staggering. While environmental leaders remain cautiously optimistic of some legislative help at the state level in the United States, and many countries in Europe have initiated efforts to rein in the industry, there are no real global standards or regulations, and little attention to this crisis has historically been shown by many companies or foundations. One notable exception is the H&M Foundation, which is committed to supporting the textile industry's journey to halve greenhouse gas emissions every decade by 2050, while promoting a just transition both people and the planet. Funded by the Persson family, the H&M Foundation recognizes change makers, leaders, and innovators who are working to transform the industry. Since 2015, its Global Change Award has backed 56 trailblazing teams, helping to move innovative ideas toward real world solutions. Another is the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (UK and US), which is committed to furthering a circular economy designed to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature. Through evidence-based research, the Foundation seeks to contribute to solving global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss, and through its support of organizations and individuals, it creates learning opportunities through circular economy courses and resources for teachers and academics. The nonprofit Apparel Impact Institute leverages data to identify solutions that stand to make a meaningful carbon reduction in textile production, and it uses this portfolio of solutions to help suppliers create customized decarbonization plans, implement programs, and secure financing for improvements. Its Fashion Climate Fund is aimed at empowering suppliers with subsidies to jumpstart carbon technology assessments and efficiency programs, and to assist in the development of industry leaders engaged in cutting-edge research, comprehensive reports and the convening of key stakeholders. While tackling a huge global industry that employs over 430 million people and is valued at over $1.84 trillion is a monumental challenge, sustainability leaders are hoping to slow down the 'fast fashion' trend by both requiring companies to reduce their carbon emissions and use of water and encouraging consumers to purchase less and recycle their clothes rather than discarding them. The future of the planet may require no less.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fashion Industry Regulations Don't Do Enough to Protect Workers or the Planet — Here's Why
Jens Kalaene/picture alliance via Getty Images 'We're producing 100 billion pieces of clothing a year,' explains Katrina Caspelich, executive director and chief marketing officer of Remake, an organization that advocates for garment worker protections and against overconsumption. 'We don't need to be doing that. Everything…that you could need has probably already been made.' And yet, we keep buying more. Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take. Though COVID curtailed our buying, after the height of the pandemic Americans are actually increasing their spending on clothing. According to a report compiled by the Business of Fashion's data and advisory team and McKinsey & Company, in 2025 'industry growth is expected to remain low, but increase slightly from 2024.' The global fashion industry is projected to reach an astonishing $1.8 trillion by 2025 according to one analysis. Aided by the low price point and availability of fast fashion, we're continuing to stock our closets with flared leggings and cow-print totes. But rampant overconsumption isn't just rough on our wallets. It's bad for the planet, for workers, and for consumers too. The fashion industry has normalized supply chains that are as opaque as they are complex, stretching across the planet and making regulation difficult. Now, a new generation of fashion industry workers and organizers aims to address the lack of regulation in the industry and propose legislation that can actually change the harmful status quo. 'I think what we're ultimately trying to do is reduce the impact,' states Maxine Bédat, a lawyer turned founder and director of the New Standard Institute, a think tank that advocates for the passing of a landmark Fashion Act, 'and the most direct way to do that is to put into law requirements that those companies reduce the impact.' In her book, Worn: A People's History of Clothing, artist and writer Sofi Thanhauser explains that while the textile industry has been hazardous since the Industrial Revolution, 'three of the four deadliest garment factory disasters in history occurred during the 2010s.' It seems as though the disposability of people has closely paralleled the disposability of fashion. The global fashion industry employs 94 million people, according to a 2023 report published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on gender equality in garment supply chains. Most of these workers are women, most are criminally underpaid, and all are susceptible to the whims of an industry that can always drop them when they demand more. Take Bangladesh, for instance. In 2023, the country's garment workers brought production to a screeching halt. A decade after the Rana Plaza collapse that killed over a thousand workers, the Wall Street Journal reported that 'tens of thousands have refused to work, calling for the minimum wage to be raised to nearly three times that amount.' Protestors burned buildings and ruined machines, calling for Western companies to pay up. Yet, at the time, these brands were ambivalent at best. In the 2023 Journal report, H&M, among others, admitted to some degree that the workers' requests for higher wages were valid, but could not commit to steps to meet their demands. As protests intensified, Bangladesh's government raised the country's minimum wage from $75 a month in US currency to $113 a month. Even with the pay increase, and with some companies like H&M providing additional increases, these wages still fell far short of what the workers wanted. Bangladesh is still paying the price for these protests. In the aftermath, along with a constitutional crisis earlier in 2024, the country is struggling to convince Western customers that its supply chain is as stable as those of competing nations. Reuters recently reported that the country's garment 'exports to the US fell by 0.46% to $6.7 billion between January and November last year, while India's exports rose 4.25% to $4.4 billion.' The industry is also impacted by child labor and forced labor, the latter defined by the ILO as 'all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.' The stats included in the United States Department of Labor's annual report were grim: While labor exploitation happens in virtually every region of the world no matter the country's income, the report added 37 new goods to the list that were previously in the clear, as well as four new countries. Of the 82 countries, a large swath (including Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, the list goes on alphabetically) engaged in labor exploitation within the garment industry or associated industries, like gold or cotton. While the United States isn't exactly included on the Department of Labor's list of offenders, the report does admit to a whopping '88% increase in the number of children employed in violation of federal child labor laws' in the country since 2019. Anecdotally, the report mentions busting American poultry factories and sawmills for using child labor. What it doesn't mention is the exploitation of models, including children, in American fashion. Thanks to prodding from organizers, government officials have finally started to address the harms experienced by fashion industry workers. In 2021, for example, California passed the Garment Worker Protection Act, protecting these workers from wage theft and ensuring that they get paid an hourly wage versus payment for each item they produce. The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which takes effect in 2027, is aimed, among other goals, at protecting labor exploited in global supply chains. Other promising legislation is underway to protect models. Led by Sara Ziff, who modeled for Gap and Chanel before becoming an organizer, Model Alliance helped push a landmark pro-labor bill that New York governor Kathy Hochul signed into law late last year. The bill protects models from the misuse of AI, allows models to directly access their contracts with clients, and guards against harassment and abuse, among other protections. According to December 2020 research from Science Feedback, a science education nonprofit, the fashion industry emits 3 to 10% of the world's greenhouse gases. Climate change affects everyone on the planet, subjecting us to more extreme weather events, from heat waves and droughts to flooding. (It's worth noting that the countries likely to feel the first and worst impacts of the crisis include those from which the world sources many of its garment workers. A 2022 article published by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Reuters highlighted that even with intermediate warming 'Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka's exposure to wildfires, floods, major storms, and also water shortages mean South Asia has 10 to 18% of GDP at risk, roughly treble that of North America and 10 times more than the least-affected region, Europe.') Yet, according to the 2025 State of Fashion report, as executives struggle to invigorate a sluggish fashion market, businesses will likely make sustainability less of a priority. Despite fast fashion's staggering environmental impact, the report points out that most US and UK customers state that when buying they are more concerned about price than sustainability. Underregulation also means that consumers are often paying for low-quality clothing that is sometimes made with unsafe materials. There's also the fact that most fast fashion is so poorly constructed that garments tend to fall apart after a handful of uses, according to UCLA's Sustainability Institute. Fast fashion also leans heavily on synthetic materials produced from petrochemical-based fabrics. Journalist Alden Wicker has also flagged how some chemicals used in fashion production have been linked to infertility. Whether personally or collectively, we hold the power to transform how fashion is consumed and governed. 'I [am], like, a reformed fashion girlie,' Caspelich confesses. 'I used to be a fashion editor. Oh, leopard's in? I'm buying leopard. Oh, you know, green's in? Buying green. And now just even waiting a week to purchase something to see if I still want it, it makes such a difference!' In the US, organizers like Bédat are optimistic about state-level policy changes that can protect consumers and won't be at risk each time a new president is sworn into office. 'We've seen in history, that when the federal government relinquishes its responsibilities, the states really have carried the load in terms of ensuring that we are still able to make progress,' she says. Bédat's work at the New Standard Institute aims to champion the passing of the Fashion Act, a bill that mandates 'environmental and social due diligence' for companies with global revenue of over $100 million selling merchandise in a particular state. It requires companies to set and achieve 'science-based targets for reducing carbon emissions,' as Atmos notes. So far, versions of the legislation have been introduced in New York, Massachusetts, and Washington. Bédat says that during one of the Fashion Act's advocacy days, high schoolers were the ones who spoke out and best commanded the attention of elected officials. 'They did a much better job than I did because they could really speak from the heart,' she said. 'There was a vibe shift when they spoke.' Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more Teen Vogue climate coverage? 17 Young People on the Moment the Climate Crisis Became Real to Them 7 Ways to Manage Climate Anxiety Why Activists Go on Hunger Strikes In California, Incarcerated Teens Help Fight Wildfires
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A California Fashion Act Seeks to Hold Brands ‘Environmentally Accountable'
On the heels of New York, Massachusetts and Washington, California is lobbying for a Fashion Act of its own. It'll be a way to hold brands and retailers that sell into the state liable for the 'emissions and toxic chemical footprint of the fashion industry,' said Assemblymember Dawn Addis, who introduced AB 405, formally known as the Fashion Environmental Accountability Act, on Tuesday. More from Sourcing Journal H&M Foundation Funds Disaster Management Project for India Communities Maryland Legislators Introduce Bill That Would Crack Down on Repeat Retail Crime Offenses A Renewed US Shipbuilding Push Has Potential Side Effect-Higher Shipping Costs The move comes amid the Trump 2.0 administration's aggressive dismantling of federal environmental protection policies, its swift withdrawal from the landmark Paris climate agreement and its repeated promises to ratchet up greenhouse gas-spewing domestic oil and gas production, including for export. President Donald Trump has also ordered various government departments—including the Environmental Protection Agency, which he views as an adversary and could push to downsize—to purge any mentions of the climate crisis from their public websites. 'Disposable clothing is designed to be worn a few times and then thrown away, creating toxic waste that pollutes our environment,' Addis said. 'Additionally, chemicals used to create this fashion can cause real health issues for the workers who make them.' Addis cited the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, whose intensity and unpredictability scientists say were supercharged by a warming planet. 2024 was the hottest year on record, with global temperatures hitting 1.28 degrees Celsius above the agency's 20th-century baseline, NASA confirmed last month. 'At a time when federal protections are being rolled back, we must continue to lead the way by holding the industry accountable,' she said. 'We have a responsibility to champion practices that protect both our planet and its people.' California has already passed and signed into law the Responsible Textile Recovery Act, also known as SB 707, the nation's first extended producer responsibility bill specific to textiles. By 2026, apparel producers in the state will need to establish a producer responsibility organization to create and fund a framework for the management of textile waste that encourages recovery through reuse, repair and recycling and discourages disposal. AB 405 will require companies making more than $100 million in international revenue to not only disclose their supply chain emissions but also slash them in line with Paris Agreement targets of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It will further require them to work with their suppliers to manage their chemical use and conduct wastewater testing according to internationally recognized methodologies, mitigating hazardous concentrations where necessary. Violations could result in penalties of up to 2 percent of their annual revenue that would go on to benefit environmental remediation projects for injured communities. The same brands that have long been in favor of the New York Fashion Act, which was first proposed in 2022 to break the fashion industry out of its 'black box' and take action on climate justice, also support a California version. They include Cotopaxi, Eileen Fisher, Everlane, Faherty, Ganni, Rothy's and Stella McCartney, as well as Los Angeles-based Reformation, which calls its endorsement of similar regulation in its home state a 'natural extension of our advocacy for a more sustainable industry.' 'Voluntary action simply will not be enough to push fashion forward, and we've seen consumer demand fluctuate,' said Kathleen Talbot, chief sustainability officer and VP of operations at Reformation. 'At Ref, we believe regulatory efforts like this are essential for generating timely and seismic change. From due diligence processes to traceability requirements, the Fashion Act puts the responsibility and accountability on brands, which we know will have positive cascading effects throughout the industry.' Patagonia, another California native, concurred, saying that California and New York share an influence on style, culture and commerce that can be 'seen and felt globally.' There's also a need to level a playing field that financially incentivizes social and environmental harm, said Corley Kenna, its chief impact and communications officer. 'We have spent decades examining our business practices and learning from our mistakes,' she said. 'But we know Patagonia alone won't solve the climate crisis—we need all companies in our industry to demonstrate progress on environmental issues, and to be held accountable for their claims. This legislation can help achieve that.' It was also on Tuesday that New York legislators reintroduced AB 4631, a.k.a. the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, to give the bill another lease on life after a previous version didn't reach the State Assembly floor in time for a vote. The passage of both states' bills, which are broadly aligned, would create a regulatory bulwark and further enforce what Maxine Bédat, executive director of the 'think and do tank' the New Standard Institute and one of the New York Fashion Act's architects, calls local legislation with planet-spanning implications: New York is one of the premier fashion capitals, while California is the fifth largest economy in the world. If the federal government cannot stay the course in an age when the hallmarks of climate breakdown are becoming increasingly apparent, then it's up to the states to 'carry the torch,' she said. 'The fossil fuel-enabled fires in California are not going away just because the president is in denial,' Bédat said. 'The Fashion Act is common sense; by raising the floor for the industry, we also help promote local industry and innovation. We look forward to working with our partners and elected officials to get this landmark bill passed.'
