Although the increase in tier 1 and, to a lesser extent, tier 2 sharing and raw material suppliers is a positive development, in addition to location data, there is a lack of salary information, cases of gender-based violence and other violations in the apparel sector, Remake said in a press release.
Twenty-two companies (37%) allowed trade associations to lobby on their behalf against the Apparel Workers Protection Act or they manufactured apparel in California and never endorsed the project. the law.
US-based Remake recognizes the urgent need for transparency in commercial activities as they are the root cause of many of fashion’s impacts. According to the 2021 Fashion Remake Accountability Report, 36 US companies – 60% of those surveyed – publish tier 1 supplier lists. One in five invests in communities where they operate, considering race, class, and gender.
21 companies (35%) produce in Bangladesh and have yet to sign the International Agreement on Fire and Construction Safety.
Remake is a community of fashion lovers, women’s rights advocates and environmentalists with a mission to change industry practices that are harmful to people and the planet.
No fashion brand or retailer pays a living wage for most workers. In most cases, companies do not appear to be paying any workers, even in their Tier 1 factories, a living wage, Remake said in a press release.
“We don’t see real investments in worker-led welfare efforts like subsidized transportation or housing. Instead, most corporate benefits programs require one-time ’empowerment’ training sessions, which is a green cleaning exercise,” it said.
Only five companies (8%) were able to demonstrate that at least some of their garment manufacturers earn a living wage.
Canceled contracts, high discounts and payment delays during the pandemic have added to the need to address power asymmetries in the fashion supply chain. To date, most companies have had a supplier code of conduct but no buyer code of conduct, which would require brands to uphold fair pay and contractual terms. more, Remake said in its report.
Fourteen of the companies surveyed by Remake (23%) have never agreed to pay for orders during the pandemic, and 14 have set a deadline target to reduce all virgin polyester and other petroleum-based synthetic materials.
Remake welcomes the majority of companies adopting science-based goals, but sees few that address climate impacts with an intersecting lens. In addition, there is little or no data showing progress in Scope 3 emissions, which is where most of the industry impact is located.
Furthermore, there are few incentives available to suppliers to decarbonize and support companies’ climate goals. Thirty-three (55%) companies reported annual carbon emissions, including Scope 3 factory emissions.
Across the board, there are limited incentives for executives to follow through on their sustainability commitments.
Most of the 60 fashion companies assessed had set science-based goals, but they were dangerously behind in achieving them, Remake said in its report. there. Only 55% of them publish their full Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
According to the report, fashion companies offer their suppliers financial incentives to invest in carbon-efficient technologies.
The data on where the fashion is made is better, but the data on how the fashion is made is still hidden. Companies are strongest in terms of factory disclosure, with 60% publishing Tier 1 supplier listings. 13% publishing outside of Tier 1 in their supply chains, such as textile mills. .
The rework report shows that resale is on the rise, but circularity is no substitute for a linear economy. Many companies have now incorporated a resale program, and some have expanded rentals of express freight at a variety of company sizes.
Small and medium-sized sustainable brands are consistently outperforming fashion giants, and European brands are outpacing US corporations in terms of human rights leadership.
Green washes are becoming the norm as big brands are adopting buzzwords like sustainable fibres, worker empowerment, transparency, circulation and recall initiatives, masking those Limited progress on living wages, social protection, overproduction and fashion’s staggering wastefulness, the report notes.
Furthermore, industry targets and indicators lack urgency and specificity, with limited comparable data in the public domain.
Fiber2 Fashion News Desk (DS)
