Sustainability in the fashion and textile industry is a big thing in today’s times. As such, there are many non-governmental organisations which not only talk about sustainability but also actively help the industry move forward with their sustainability initiatives and provide services to aid them. This includes providing certifications, rankings and sharing of essential knowledge. These organisations are also instrumental in actively helping manufacturers, whether that be through direct funding for sustainability or via accreditation and certification. We will explore some of these renowned organisations.
Fashion for Good
Located in Amsterdam, Fashion for Good is a global initiative to promote and stimulate a sustainable and responsible clothing industry. Its core is the ‘innovation platform’ where it connects those working on sustainable innovation with brands, retailers, manufacturers and funders to bring in new ideas and technologies. This platform provides practical support to innovators depending on their stage of maturity.
The organisation’s ‘scaling programme’ supports market-ready innovators who have passed the proof-of-concept phase and are ready to scale their innovations in the supply chain.
The organisation also has a Good Fashion Fund which is the first investment fund focused solely on driving the implementation of innovative solutions in the fashion industry.
Global Fashion
Agenda (GFA)
Global Fashion Agenda is a non-profit organisation that fosters industry collaboration on sustainability in fashion to accelerate impact.
The organisation has been leading a positive movement for the fashion industry since 2009 and presents the renowned international forum on sustainability in fashion, Global Fashion Summit, in core industry regions around the world.
GFA influences policies through its advocacy efforts including the Global Textiles Policy Forum, publishes articles on thought leadership including The GFA Monitor, Fashion CEO Agenda and Fashion on Climate, implements impact programmes including the Circular Fashion Partnership and the Global Circular Fashion Forum, presents educational guidance through the GFA Academy and connects companies with solutions through the Innovation Forum. GFA-depth analysis and reports based on the latest industry data can
help manufacturers stay up-to-date on technologies.
Accelerating
Circularity Inc
Accelerating Circularity is a non-profit that catalyses new circular supply chains and business models to turn used textiles into mainstream raw materials. The organisation’s project focus is on Feedstock Collection, Sorting, Preprocessing, Chemical and Mechanical Recycling and Yarn Spinning.
Its goals are on research to landscape materials and players, standardise grades for recycling inputs and inform the circular model; aggregate data and map a new circular supply chain with a focus on specific end products; outline missing links; and report on the development of commercially viable circular textile supply chains.
The organisation’s data collection and research on materials, grade standardisation for recycling and reports on the sustainable supply chains can help manufacturers stay on track with sustainability.
Textile Exchange
Textile Exchange is a global non-profit driving positive impact on climate change and nature across the fashion and textile industry. It guides and supports a growing community of brands, retailers, manufacturers, farmers and others committed to climate action toward more purposeful production, right from the start of the supply chain.
The organisation’s goal is 45 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas from fibre and raw material production by 2030 in the fashion, textile and apparel industry. To give the fashion and textile industry a way to authenticate their sustainability claims from raw material to final product, it has developed a set of robust standards which help in accreditation and certification.
Its strategic partners include Apparel Impact Institute, Conservation International, Fashion for Good, Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, Global Fashion Agenda, Responsible Business Coalition, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, The Biodiversity Consultancy, The Fashion Pact, The Policy Hub and ZDHC. The organisation provides a scorecard for members to measure sustainability and also provides gap analysis and an impact dashboard, besides guidance on training, one-on-one support from experts and a materials’ summaries library.
Apparel Impact
Institute (AII)
AII identifies, funds, scales and measures the apparel and footwear industry’s proven environmental impact solutions. It plays the critical role of a technical clearing house for partner brands, manufacturers and philanthropic donors, validating and aggregating proven environment initiatives.
Apparel Impact Institute is building a US $ 250 million Fashion Climate Fund (combining industry and philanthropic sources) to unlock a total of US $ 2 billion in blended capital towards verified impact solutions, thereby removing up to 150 million tonnes of CO2 from the apparel supply chain, with US $ 150 million kept to benefit manufacturers.
AII’s stakeholders will widely adopt proven impact solutions across all tiers and interventions. The organisation intends to partner with financial capital to de-risk and scale investment in proven clean energy solutions and fund the development of digital tools for transparent, standardised impact reporting.
Good On You
Good On You is an organisation that confers ratings to fashion brands based on analysis of the sustainable and ethical practices of said brands.
The organisation’s ratings technology and independent analysts compile and verify brands’ own public reporting, the most robust third-party indices (like the Fashion Transparency Index and CDP Climate Change and Water Security projects), as well as certifications and accreditations (like Fairtrade, Fair Wear Foundation, Cradle to Cradle, OEKO-TEX Made in Green, Global Organic Textile Standard or the Responsible Wool Standard).
Using publicly available information, it considers brands’ practices throughout their entire supply chains, from raw fibres to products’ end of use. Altogether, the evaluation is done using up to 1,000 data points across more than 100 key issues and indicators to arrive at each brand’s score.
The ratings consider People – how well brands address their impacts on workers across the supply chain; Planet – brands’ environmental policies being under check and reduced greenwashing; Animals – from rating cruelty-free and vegan fashion to addressing animal welfare within fashion’s supply chain.
These ratings are then given to various players along the supply chain and help in boosting sustainability efforts.
Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF)
Centre for Sustainable Fashion is a University of the Arts London research, education and knowledge exchange centre. The organisation collaborates with universities, businesses and other organisations around the world to promote Fashion Design for Sustainability as a field of study, industry and education practice.
The organisation conducts research, engages in participatory practice with businesses, NGOs, government agencies and other organisations for knowledge exchange. It creates courses and resources for LCF and UAL students and for wider audience through digital learning and supports changes in policy and advocacy for social and environmental justice.
The CSF Strategy (2020-25) has set the direction for the next five years with short and long-term aims and objectives, a delivery plan and a framework for accountability. It builds on academic research, knowledge exchange and educational practice undertaken by CSF since the Centre’s formation in 2008.
The centre’s research and participation in businesses along with knowledge exchange of the newest sustainability practices and technologies is shared with businesses for a better sustainability process.
| Policy Hub The Policy Hub (founded in 2019) unites the apparel and footwear industry to propose policies that accelerate circular practices. It consists of five partner organisations representing more than 500 stakeholders: 1. Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) 2. Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) 3. Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) 4. Textile Exchange (TE) 5 Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) The Policy Hub’s vision is to encourage an ambitious policy framework to accelerate the transformation of the apparel and footwear industry towards circularity. It focuses on:
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PoliticallyInFashion
Founded by entrepreneur Hilary Jochmans, PoliticallyInFashion is a community for all those in fashion – designers, manufacturers, artisans, retailers, models, lawyers, reporters, consumers – to learn about legislative and regulatory issues of key importance in the industry.
The mission is to educate individuals on public policy and empower them with this knowledge; to then engage with elected representatives on how these issues impact companies and consumers.
Recent initiatives from PoliticallyInFashion include spearheading advocacy for the creation of a Fashion Czar in the US and a Call to Action for the Federal Trade Commission to update the Green Guides, a federal regulation designed to assist businesses in making lawful environmental marketing claims and helping the public understand and appreciate these statements. These endeavours have been featured in WWD, Marie Claire, British Vogue and Fashionista, among others.
The organisation is instrumental in educating businesses about the regulatory practices in the industry and how companies can educate themselves on the legislations practised in the industry.
Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)
Sustainable Apparel Coalition is a leading alliance for sustainable production in the apparel, footwear and textile industry. The coalition develops The Higg Index, a standardised value chain measurement suite of tools for all industry participants. The tools measure environmental, social and labour impacts across the value chain. The SAC’s Higg Index provides certifications to companies and manufacturers.
SAC Strategic Councils are designed to bring together a set of diverse members on a regular basis in order to discuss and consult on emerging issues and provide input and guidance on areas of strategic importance.
Member Expert Teams (METs) are formed on an as-needed basis in order to garner expertise where specific and targeted member input is needed regarding certain aspects of Higg Index Tool or SAC initiative.
Fashion Takes
Action (FTA)
Fashion Takes Action is a Canadian non-profit organisation established in 2007 to advance sustainability in the entire fashion system through education, awareness, research and collaboration.
This is achieved through its industry programs such as the annual WEAR Conference, its work to advance circularity, Employee Education workshops and Sustainable Fashion toolkit. For citizens, a youth education program ‘My Clothes My World’ is offered.
Since 2014, the World Ethical Apparel Roundtable (WEAR) Conference has brought together the entire fashion industry to learn, network and collaborate. The Sustainable Fashion Toolkit is a free online platform that features hundreds of vetted, credible resources from global organisations that have been summarised and categorised. This is an important time saving resource that includes reports, guidelines, standards, articles, podcasts, case studies and more.
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
The organisation is instrumental in providing a certification standard for manufacturers to make cradle-to-cradle apparel i.e. apparel that can be effectively recycled after being used.
Across the value chain, Cradle to Cradle Certified® is used to innovate and optimise materials and products according to the world’s most advanced science-based measures.
The Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard features two product cycle pathways and five R-Strategies, offering the opportunity to learn about circular products, system methodologies and related requirements.
