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As consumers are demanding more from the brands they support, many apparel companies are being forced to clean up their act and adopt more responsible practices and sustainable materials in the creation of their products. Because of this, we have seen a rise in responsible material producers and initiatives that are dedicated to making ethical apparel a reality. Here are three organizations that are making an impact in the responsible/sustainable/ethical material industry:
Textile Exchange is a global nonprofit that is positively impacting the climate through accelerating the use of preferred materials across the global textile industry. Since 2002 they have been working to establish best practices and fair business models for supply chain networks. By joining their global initiative they help organizations work towards their sustainability goals, by minimizing the harmful impacts of the industry and maximizing the positive effects. They also have a new strategy called Climate+ where their goal is to have 45% reduced CO2 emissions from textile fibre and material production by 2030. In short, they are creating a community that will be able to make more of a positive impact than any individual or company could.
The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a global nonprofit, and the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world. They are working to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, and better for the environment. In the 2018-2019 cotton season, 2.3 million BCI farmers received training on sustainable farming practices, and produced 5.6 million tonnes of Better Cotton - this was 22% of the global cotton production that year. BCI works with many different stakeholders across the cotton sector to promote measurable improvements. Their four key goals are
1) Reduce the environmental impact of cotton production;
2) Improve livelihoods and economic development in cotton-producing areas;
3) Improve commitment to and flow of Better Cotton throughout the supply chain; and
4) Ensure the credibility and sustainability of the Better Cotton Initiative.
The Responsible Leather Round Table (RLRT) has a vision of a carbon-neutral leather industry that improves biodiversity, water and soil health while respecting the rights of people and animals. They are a Textile Exchange initiative that is focused on the leather industry and delivering measurable impacts in that space. The RLRT is working to address the full beef and leather supply chain, with an emphasis on the impacts at the farm level. While they are in the early stages of their initiative, their work will include education and information sharing, identification of common industry terms, systems and goals, as well as action to drive the industry players to meet the goals. They will ultimately bring together a diverse group of stakeholders to develop a shared understanding of the issues, create alignment on goals and actions, and gain commitment from key industry players.
Overall, it is great to see so much innovative work in the materials sector. With the help of these nonprofits and serious commitment from industry leaders, we have no doubt that they will make the move to responsible apparel a reality.
Peer Ledger Digital Product Passport uses blockchain technology to provide end-to-end supply chain transparency. We help our customers comply with internal and external regulations, improve risk management, and communicate sustainability stories with customers. Whether your company is just starting its responsible sourcing journey or an industry veteran, we can help you record, track and report your impact.
