Fashion’s Suppliers Want More Say on Climate Action

Fashion’s manufacturing base wants a bigger say in the industry’s sustainability efforts.

Much of the sector’s environmental footprint takes place deep in supply chains, where textiles are washed and dyed in energy-, water- and chemically intensive processes. But the industry’s plethora of sustainability-focused initiatives are largely driven by brand demands. That’s led to criticism that those with the most skin in the game have been excluded from conversations about how to bring about change.

“We are dealing with disparate demands from different brands asking for different things. Nobody wants to pay for it,” said Miran Ali, a Bangladesh-based manufacturer who has helped launch a new initiative geared towards giving manufacturers a bigger voice in fashion’s climate conversations. At present, brands “just make a statement and then expect us to pay the bill for it, or my workers to pay the bill, which is even worse,” Ali said.

The Apparel and Textile Transformation Initiative aims to address this imbalance. The manufacturer-led programme launched on Thursday in London under the leadership of trade groups the International Apparel Federation and International Textile Manufacturers’ Association.

“ATTI has been designed to strengthen manufacturers’ leadership and accelerate environmental transformation and sustainability across the apparel and textile sectors,” said Matthijs Crietee, Secretary General of IAF. “In an era in which industry faces unprecedented challenges, ATTI is a source of great optimism.”

The initiative will be formed of country chapters, led by national industry associations, who will be responsible for developing plans to modernise and drive sustainable transformation at a local level in consultation with brands, financial institutions, civil society and policymakers.

Pilot chapters have already launched in Bangladesh and Turkey, with more countries expected to join in the coming months.

Learn more:

Where Is the Money to Make Fashion More Sustainable?

Decarbonising the industry is expected to take $1 trillion over the coming decades. Where that money will come from and how it’s distributed remain open questions.