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How a converged single audit approach marks the next step in responsible sourcing 28 Jun 2019

Hannah Abdulla

An overhaul of the auditing process on factory safety and working conditions is long overdue – and a new initiative launched this month could offer the solution. The Social & Labour Convergence Programme's Converged Assessment Framework enables apparel brands and retailers to align collectively around one standard, reduce the amount of money spent on duplicated auditing, and instead free up resources to improve efficiency and factory working conditions. SLCP executive director Janet Mensink, and Peter Higgins, senior director of global responsible sourcing at VF Corp, tell just-style more.

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Joined-up approach needed for truly green supply chains – Hugo Boss sustainability chief 11 May 2019

Beth Wright

It's been almost a year since Hugo Boss outlined its latest, annually revised set of ambitious sustainability targets and the German premium fashion brand continues to make progress towards its goals, including upping its use of more responsibly sourced cotton and reducing the number of potentially hazardous substances within its supply chain. Driving these efforts is Andreas Streubig, director of global sustainability, who also tells just-style of his concerns that despite efforts by individual companies, a concerted industry approach is still in its beginning when it comes to driving systematic change.

Inditex outlines new global sustainability goals 17 Jul 19

Beth Wright

Spanish clothing giant Inditex, the world's largest clothing retailer, has outlined a series of new sustainability commitments – including a pledge that 100% of the cotton, linen and polyester used by all eight of its brands will be organic, sustainable or recycled by 2025.

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Cambodia social and labour compliance project extended 17 Jul 19

Hannah Abdulla

Cambodia's Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has signed an MoU with German development organisation Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to extend an initiative aimed at achieving sustainable growth in the country's textile and garment sector.

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Ventile adds recycled cotton fabric to line-up 17 Jul 19

Beth Wright

Textile manufacturer Ventile, whose special high-quality woven cotton fabric was first developed in England in 1943, has unveiled its first high-performance material made entirely from recycled cotton.

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New guidelines aim to transform jeans production 16 Jul 19

Beth Wright

Denim experts from around the world have contributed to new guidelines launched today (16 July) to help fashion brands and manufacturers transform the way they produce jeans by tackling waste, pollution, and the use of harmful practices.

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New Gap project to boost social dialogue in Bangladesh 16 Jul 19

Beth Wright

US speciality apparel retailer Gap Inc has launched a three-year initiative to strengthen social dialogue and industrial relations in all factories that it sources from in Bangladesh.

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Responsible Down Standard gets "most substantial" update 15 Jul 19

Hannah Abdulla

The latest update of the Responsible Down Standard is described as the "most substantial revision" since its launch in 2014, and includes the mandatory euthanasia of sick or injured birds in order to prevent suffering, and stunning before slaughter.

Where in the world is worst for worker rights? 15 Jul 19

Leonie Barrie

An annual survey of violations of human and trade union rights ranks key apparel producing nations including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Guatemala, the Philippines and Turkey among the ten worst countries in the world for worker rights.

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US imports from Bangladesh and Cambodia jump in May 8 Jul 19

Hannah Abdulla

Bangladesh and Cambodia both enjoyed a boost in apparel shipments to the US during May – at around the same time US President Donald Trump said he was mulling a tariff hike on all incoming Chinese goods, suggesting retailers and brands are moving forward with plans to cut back on how much product they source from the Southeast Asian giant.