The fashion world is working harder than ever to achieve a sustainable future. With 85% of apparel ending up in landfill in the US alone, and the textile industry responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, this is an ecosystem with a long rap sheet in desperate need of rehabilitation.
And the transformation is well underway, as brands realise they can profit from moving to circular business models and investors see the massive investment opportunity.
Organisations like the Cotton Council International (CCI) are also playing their part by signing up to initiatives like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), which counts hundreds of major brands among its members.
“We are pleased to be joining the SAC, confident that together we can scale positive impact on product sustainability over time,” said Steph Thiers-Ratcliffe, CCI Director of European Brands and Retailers. “With shared ambition in providing robust environmental data to the sector, we will collaborate to enable greater supply chain transparency and informed decision making.”
Data from the CCI will feed into the Higgs Index: SAC tools that ‘measure sustainability performance’ and support supply chain decision-making.
“We welcome the addition of CCI to the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and look forward to its participation in this industry-wide effort in sustainability,” added Amina Razvi, SAC Executive Director. “Having CCI as part of the Coalition widens the scope of our impact within the industry and accelerates the change we’re making towards responsible industry actions.”
Changing our own habits is key to accelerating the journey. By upcycling our clothes, for example, and sharing what we are doing using hashtags like ActNow – the UN initiative – we can raise awareness and inspire others to act.
Recommended reading on this topic
Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and The Future of Clothes.
_________________________
We are tracking information on online challenges, funding calls, and initiatives dedicated to tackling COVID-19. Sign up for our regular newsletters in the box below for all the latest on these and please share relevant details to colleagues and friends to help accelerate solutions.
