Fast Retailing targets factory environmental risks

Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing trained 716 factories to use Higg Index tools in its 2025 financial year as part of efforts to improve supplier environmental performance.

A new Cascale case study details how the Japanese group combines factory assessments with technical support and purchasing feedback to address supply chain risks.

The company uses Higg Facility Environmental Module data to inform factory emissions reduction plans, supported by training, visits and energy diagnostics and direct engagement with production partners.

Since 2022, anonymous Better Buying surveys have collected supplier feedback on purchasing practices, including planning, forecasting and lead times.

“With Better Buying, it gave us the scale and the analytics that we just didn't have before,” said Eshan Chan, supply chain sustainability manager at Fast Retailing.

The group has also extended traceability upstream since 2023, mapping garment factories to fabric mills, spinners and raw-material suppliers rather than focusing solely on finished garment production.