The seventh edition of the Fashion Transparency Index, an initiative of the global nonprofit Fashion Revolution, rates 250 of the world’s leading fashion brands and retailers on their public disclosure of human rights and policies, practices and environmental impacts. regarding their operations and supply chains.
The index found that while 45% of major brands publish sustainable materials goals, only 37% publish information on what constitutes a sustainable material. Additionally, only 24% of major brands disclose how they reduce the impacts of microfibers, even though textiles are the largest source of microplastics in the ocean.
Most fashion brands do not disclose their annual production volumes even though the increase in clothing waste around the world poses a serious danger to the environment. The biggest fashion brands and retailers must increase transparency in their dealings to mitigate the climate crisis and social inequality and be held accountable, a report finds.
As many as 94% of major brands and retailers do not disclose the number of workers in their supply chains who pay recruitment fees. This gives an unclear picture of the dangers of forced labor since workers can take out huge loans in order to obtain jobs that pay poverty wages. According to the Fashion Transparency Index 2022, only 8% of brands publish the measures they have taken regarding racial and ethnic equality in their supply chains.
“It is frustrating to see the persistent lack of transparency from brands on critical issues such as their waste volumes, their carbon and water footprints, and whether workers are paid a living wage. When there is a lack of transparency on the issue itself, we cannot reasonably understand whether what is being done is strong enough to generate the impact we so urgently need Transparency empowers civil society and worker representatives and until brands publicly disclose all the information necessary to hold them accountable for their impacts, the lack of transparency looks like a deliberate strategy to reinforce the status quo,” said Liv Simpliciano, Head of Policy and Research at Fashion Revolution.
Despite these disappointing results, Fashion Revolution is encouraged by the increase in supply chain transparency between many major brands, primarily with the top tier manufacturers where the final stage of production occurs, for example, cutting , sewing, finishing and packaging. “Nine brands unveiled their tier-one manufacturers for the first time this year. It is encouraging to see significant progress across all market segments, including luxury, sportswear, footwear and accessories, and across different geographies,” said Fashion Revolution.
Fashion Revolution is a global movement advocating for a fashion industry that preserves and restores the environment and values people over growth and profit.
Fibre2Fashion News Office (NB)
