The European Union (EU) has officially adopted a law that will see a ban on greenwashing and other environmental claims or so-called ‘eco marketing’ being plastered across fashion items with a clear shift towards information on how long an item should actually last.
The European Parliament explained this new directive is meant to work together with the green claims directive which is currently being discussed at committee stage in Parliament.
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However, multinational accountancy firm KPMG argues this is a positive step but sustainability must go beyond the focus on climate and the role businesses can play in protecting the environment.
It must also support broader issues such as human rights and social responsibility.
Thankfully, progress is being made on that front too. Last week over 30 fashion brands and retailers pledged a yearly contribution of 0.019% of their respective ready-made garment export volume from Bangladesh to support an Employment Injury Scheme (EIS Pilot) which aims to give workers financial protection against workplace injuries and fatalities.
It feels like a broken record by this point as everyone knows the fashion industry must become more transparent in all of its practices from the origins of the fibre that is used to the conditions of the worker that is making the garment. But it does provide an opportunity for brands and retailers to build trust with customers and empower them to make choices aligned with their values.
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By GlobalDataThe EU’s latest law’s focus on longevity, recyclability, and reduced waste will hopefully mean we’ll see all of the talk of a circular economy become a guiding principle for the future of fashion.
Speciality chemicals firm Archroma recently announced a new solution that aims to offer end-product durability while claiming to meet sustainability targets with cleaner chemistries compliant with current and anticipated industry regulations, which could potentially help those wishing to abide by the new durability law.
This stance could help with making green fashion a necessity rather than an option and steer the industry towards a more sustainable and ethical tomorrow.
However, it should be noted there is still a stark disconnect between fashion suppliers and vendors when it comes to sustainability commitments, with at least 50% of brands and retailers reported to not be engaging with suppliers in their green objectives, according to the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
There is still a lot of work to do internally but at least EU legislation is continuing to move the global fashion sector in the right direction.
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