While the fashion world provides much inspiration and the ability to express ourselves through clothes, it can no longer be just about the beautiful garments, glossy campaign shots, and vibrant runway shows. The fashion industry is under much scrutiny to clean up its act—including reducing its environmental footprint, improving workers’ conditions, and achieving better transparency across supply chains.
With so much to be done, charitable organisations like Tearfund are pushing for industry-wide accountability and empowering consumers to enact change. Tearfund has again collaborated with Baptist World Aid Australia to produce the Ethical Fashion Report 2021, released today.
This year’s report focuses on 98 companies that represent over 400 brands worldwide. Companies with $30 million or more in annual revenue and smaller companies who requested to participate were included in the report. Of note was the “excellent progress” by several New Zealand and Australian brands, including some that have improved their grading since the preceding 2019 report, despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Brands were graded across several criteria for the 2021 report, including worker empowerment, environmental sustainability, and supplier auditing. New Zealand label Joyya (formally known as Freeset) was one of four industry leaders to receive an A+. Joyya was was founded in 2001 by two New Zealanders to provide employment and intervention opportunities for women trafficked into prostitution in Kolkata, India. The company produces apparel and accessories using eco-friendly materials.
Various other brands were graded an A for “good practices”, including AS Colour, Country Road, Glassons, Nudie Jeans Co, and Witchery. And as with anything, Tearfund notes that even for brands graded highly, as always, there is still room for improvement to uphold workers’ rights and reduce environmental footprints.
Speaking to Fashion Quarterly, Tearfund Educational Advocacy Manager Claire Gray observed three key areas where brands enacted positive change, including a commitment to transparency through publication of complete supplier lists, better traceability of raw materials to identify at-risk workers, and an increase in the use of sustainable fibres.
Of course, not all companies received a glowing report. Some brands did not respond to Tearfund’s participation requests, and the grading was determined from publicly available information. Many industry players continue to engage in poor business practices that impact workers’ fundamental rights, and not all brands do enough to take stewardship of environmental damage caused by the production and end disposal of clothing.
In the spirit of progress over perfection, we applaud all brands committing to change, and encourage initiatives like the Ethical Fashion Guide to steer more to do the same. As Gray says, “the fashion industry can be a powerful force for change—for people and the planet. We’ve seen time and time again, when companies make a commitment to creating fairer working conditions and more sustainable production, change does happen! After all our years of research, and despite the challenges facing the fashion industry, we genuinely believe that we can create a fashion industry that empowers workers and doesn’t exploit them; and that preserves our precious planet and doesn’t destroy it.”
Ultimately, the fashion industry’s challenges are shared problems, and it’s not just brands that deserve scrutiny. Consumers have a way to go—from shifting our consumption mindsets and extending the longevity of our clothes, to investing in brands doing better.
Download the Ethical Fashion Guide 2021 at tearfund.org.nz/ethicalfashion.
