Labels & Legislation
-
Tuesday, 07 February 2023Pay rise sought for Bangladeshi garment workers
BANGLEDESH - Unions are calling for a big wage increase for garment workers in Bangladesh which has been hit by its highest rate of inflation in 11 years. Bangladeshi affiliates of the IndustriALL global union are demanding that the minimum wage… -
Friday, 03 February 2023Greenwashing guide comment deadline extended
WASHINGTON DC - The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has extended a period of public consultation on a planned update to its official guidelines to help companies avoid accusations of greenwashing. The FTC's deadline for comments on the updated… -
Monday, 30 January 2023Industry bodies issue legislation guidelines
WASHINGTON – Four major fashion industry bodies have come together to issue joint guidelines on what they hope to see from new legislation aimed at advancing sustainability and social responsibility. The American Apparel and Footwear Association… -
Monday, 30 January 2023EU calls on young to promote circular fashion
BRUSSELS - The European Commission has launched a new campaign – ReSet The Trend – which aims to engage Europeans in the battle against fast fashion and raise public awareness about the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. Under the… -
Friday, 27 January 2023New proposals could boost EU recycled markets
BRUSSELS – A new report from the European Environment Agency that looks at Europe’s secondary market for raw materials, as part of the EU’s ambitions for a circular economy, finds the current structure for recycling textiles is not functioning well… -
Thursday, 26 January 2023First firms meet new Organic Cotton standard
ZURICH - Chemical management specialist Oeko-Tex says that two pilot customers have already been certified to its new Organic Cotton label which launches in April. Indian textile supplier Milan Group and Turkish cotton producer Akasya have both been… -
Tuesday, 17 January 2023EU Fashion Alliance proposes industry measures
GRAN CANARIA – The European Fashion Alliance (EFA), a collective of 29 member organisations, has put forward a package of measures and actions it believes could accelerate sustainability efforts on the continent. Representatives from the likes of… -
Monday, 16 January 2023New EU directive to impact 300 textile plants
BRUSSELS - Some 300 textile industry plants in the European Union (EU) will have to comply with new legal norms adopted under the EU Industrial Emissions Directive to reduce their environmental impact. The requirements, which will also affect 3,000… -
Friday, 13 January 2023Headwear brand Buff awarded B Corp status
BARCELONA - Spanish head and neckwear brand Buff has become the latest fashion industry company to be awarded B Corporation certification. B Corps, of which there are more than 6,000 globally, are subjected to rigorous assessments which measure… -
Thursday, 05 January 2023New York state bans PFAS in clothing
NEW YORK - New York has become the latest US state to ban the manufacture and sale of garments and textiles that contain PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Governor Kathy Hochul has now signed off on Senate bill S6291A which was… -
Thursday, 15 December 2022Podcast: Oeko-Tex tool addresses due diligence
WAKEFIELD – In our latest Ecotextile Talks podcast, hosted by Phil Berman, we hear from Oeko-Tex product manager Melanie Teuteberg regarding the company’s recently launched Responsible Business tool. The Swiss firm launched the solution in late… -
Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Euratex, IndustriALL plea for EU textiles strategy
BRUSSELS - Textile and clothing industry body Euratex and the IndustriALL global trade union have issued a joint statement calling for measures to protect both workers and employers from the impacts of the proposed European Union (EU) Strategy for… -
Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Council of EU wants due diligence concessions
BRUSSELS - European Union (EU) member states are seeking concessions which would mean fewer companies are initially bound by due diligence proposals to make companies liable for human rights and environmental issues in their global supply chains.… -
Tuesday, 06 December 2022Swedish NGO calls for bolder EU textile strategy
STOCKHOLM – A Swedish industry authority has published a position paper which calls on the EU’s Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles to go further if it’s to successfully decarbonise the sector. The Sustainable Fashion Academy (SFA) and… -
Thursday, 01 December 2022AAFA ramps up calls for digital product labels
WASHINGTON DC - The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) trade body is ramping up its call for the US to allow brands to replace lengthy care labels with digital QR codes to share product and sustainability information with consumers and… -
Monday, 28 November 2022Ducks 'abused under Responsible Down Standard'
NEW YORK - The PETA animal welfare organisation claims to have evidence of live ducks having their throats slit and feet cut off to produce down under the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) for leading brands. The Textile Exchange industry body, which… -
Tuesday, 22 November 2022EAC calls out DEFRA’s environmental inaction
LONDON – The chair of the UK’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), Philip Dunne MP, has written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Thérèse Coffey in frustration at the department’s inaction on key policies to… -
Monday, 21 November 2022ETI responds to EU due diligence proposals
BRUSSELS - The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) has published its response to the European Union's (EU) mandatory due diligence proposals to make brands liable for human rights and environmental issues in their global supply chains. The ETI was… -
Friday, 11 November 2022
Europe to adopt mandatory due diligence law
BRUSSELS - The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD) directive, which seeks to make companies responsible for human rights and environmental issues in their global supply chains, is set to be adopted this month. It follows a… -
Friday, 28 October 2022NGOs call on EU’s PEF tool to go further
BRUSSELS – Signatories to the Make the Label Count initiative have sent a joint letter to the European Commission warning that “textile legislation could give licence to greenwashing” should their strategy for a sustainable and circular sector fail… -
Thursday, 27 October 2022NGOs question value of EU PEF tool
BRUSSELS – A group of non-profit organisations including Fashion Revolution, Clean Clothes Campaign and the Fair Trade Advocacy Office have raised concerns about the EU’s impending Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEF-CR), suggesting… -
Thursday, 27 October 2022Zero waste to landfill certification launched
HONG KONG – Eurofins has launched a new ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ certification service to support company-wide commitments on zero waste and reduce the amount of industrial waste that ends up in landfill. The new service is designed to reflect UN… -
Monday, 24 October 2022Update: guide to textile standards and legislation
WAKEFIELD – We’ve just published the eighth edition of our Textile Standards & Legislation booklet which is designed to give readers a snapshot of the most important voluntary and obligatory environmental and social standards, tools and labels in… -
Wednesday, 19 October 2022UK authorities face court action on Xinjiang
LONDON - British authorities are being taken to court this month after campaigners took legal action over their failure to block imports of cotton made with forced labour in the Xinjiang region of China. The judicial review, being brought by two… -
Wednesday, 19 October 2022Coalition calls for risk-based EU due diligence
BRUSSELS - An alliance of garment industry NGOs and manufacturing associations from key supply chain countries has launched a joint statement on what it wants to see from the European Union's (EU) mandatory human rights due diligence proposals. The… -
Friday, 14 October 2022
Campaigners want more from forced labour ban
BRUSSELS - More than 70 civil societies, human rights coalitions and trade unions have released a joint statement on the European Commission's proposals to ban products made with forced labour from the single market. They broadly welcome the… -
Tuesday, 11 October 2022Watchdogs issue guidance on use of Higg MSI
OSLO / AMSTERDAM - Consumer watchdogs in Norway and the Netherlands have issued joint guidance to the textile industry on the use of Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) data on consumer-facing product labels. The Norwegian Consumer… -
Monday, 10 October 2022Green Theme secures US$5.4m in funding
ALBUQUERQUE – Textile finishing specialist Green Theme Technologies (GTT) has secured US$5.4 million in financing, which it’ll use to further develop its Empel range of fabric treatments. The company’s line of solutions – which impart water… -
Monday, 10 October 2022
RREUSE reacts to EU's textiles strategy
BRUSSELS - The RREUSE non-profit network of social enterprises involved in the reuse, repair and recycling sector has published a position paper on the European Union's (EU) Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. RREUSE broadly welcomed the… -
Monday, 03 October 2022California governor signs off on PFAS ban
SACRAMENTO - California governor Gavin Newsom has signed off on a bill banning the manufacture and sale of garments and textiles that contain PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the state by 2025. Newsom also signed a bill… -
Tuesday, 27 September 2022Shoe industry calls for its own standards
WASHINGTON DC - The US footwear industry is calling for different sustainability standards to the rest of the apparel industry insisting that umbrella 'fashion' standards don't work in the real world. The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of… -
Wednesday, 14 September 2022Europe unveils proposals for forced labour ban
BRUSSELS - The European Commission (EC) has unveiled its proposals to ban products made with forced labour from the single market, a year after EC President Ursula von der Leyen committed to do so in her 2021 State of the Union speech. It follows… -
Thursday, 08 September 2022Hopes of a breakthrough in SAC controversy?
OSLO / AMSTERDAM - Consumer watchdogs in Norway are working with counterparts around the world on how sustainability information could best be incorporated on consumer-facing garment labels following a "constructive" meeting with the Sustainable… -
Wednesday, 31 August 2022UK government framework tackles emissions
LONDON – Manufacturing facilities in sectors including textiles and chemicals will need to adopt ‘sustainable’ best practices to prevent or minimise carbon emissions, as part of a new programme launched by the British government. Based on the… -
Monday, 22 August 2022Policy Hub urges EU to tackle rising textile waste
BRUSSELS - The Policy Hub, a joint project from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), Global Fashion Agenda and Textile Exchange, has published a position paper on the European… -
Wednesday, 17 August 2022New forced labour measures for CTPAT members
WASHINGTON DC - US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced new measures to prevent imports made with forced labour for companies who are members of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT). CBP is now enforcing the Uyghur… -
Friday, 22 July 2022US FABRIC Act progresses in Congress
WASHINGTON DC – The Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act, introduced earlier this year in the US, has taken another step forward in Congress and is to be discussed by the House of Representatives. The… -
Wednesday, 13 July 2022Climate lawsuits against companies increase
LONDON - The number of climate- and ESG-related lawsuits filed against companies and governments has more than doubled since 2015, according to a new study by the London School of Economics and Political Science. Entitled 'Global Trends in Climate… -
Wednesday, 13 July 2022Support builds for FABRIC Act in the US
WASHINGTON DC - More than 100 US brands, manufacturers, workers' rights groups, educational institutions and civil society groups have now given their backing to the Fashion Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act. The… -
Wednesday, 06 July 2022Sedex identifies key ESG reporting points
LONDON – Ethical sourcing organisation Sedex has launched a new report which identifies the key ESG reporting points businesses need to bear in mind to avoid losing investors and falling foul of new legislation. It says that with increasing calls… -
Tuesday, 05 July 2022Fashion firms face greenwashing complaints
LONDON - Fashion brands and retailers accounted for five out of 21 complaints made to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) since the Green Claims Code was introduced in Britain last September. CMA proposals to crackdown on ‘greenwashing’… -
Monday, 04 July 2022MP's new bid to ban mulesing garners support
SYDNEY - Politicians in New South Wales look set to once again debate a proposed ban on the controversial practice of mulesing lambs by the state's wool producers. A petition to be tabled by Animal Justice Party MP Mark Pearson calls for a complete… -
Thursday, 30 June 2022Aid by Trade Foundation income up 37 per cent
HAMBURG – The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), which oversees the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) and Good Cashmere Standard (GCS) initiatives, has revealed that its revenue rose by 37 per cent to €5.9 million (US$6.2m) last year. The non-profit's new… -
Tuesday, 28 June 2022Call for caution in PFAS military phase out
WASHINGTON DC - Two leading US textiles and apparel trade bodies are urging politicians to revise plans to phase out PFAS - so-called "forever chemicals" - from protective clothing for soldiers. The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)… -
Monday, 27 June 2022SAC suspends Higg data use on product labels
AMSTERDAM - The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is suspending globally the use of sustainability data from the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) on consumer-facing product labels after consumer watchdogs declared it illegal in… -
Friday, 24 June 2022EU urged to learn US lessons on forced labour
BRUSSELS - The US fashion industry is urging the European Union (EU) to take on board lessons learned in the US as it prepares to introduce legislation to ban the sale of products made with forced labour in the single market. Four major trade bodies… -
Friday, 24 June 2022Euratex sets out vision for textile recycling
BRUSSELS - European textile recycling could be a €6-8 billion (US$6.3-8.4bn) industry employing about 15,000 workers by 2030, according to a new report from the textile and clothing industry body Euratex. Euratex launched its ReHubs initiative in… -
Thursday, 23 June 2022Backing for new EU rules to combat greenwashing
BRUSSELS - New rules on corporate sustainability reporting which aim to end greenwashing have been provisionally agreed by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. If approved, larger companies will have to disclose more… -
Wednesday, 22 June 2022New tech could help firms comply with UFLPA
WASHINGTON DC - Cutting edge technologies such as DNA traceability and isotopic testing could be used by fashion companies to avoid falling foul of the new Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). The US Department of Homeland Securities (DHS)… -
Tuesday, 21 June 2022AAFA urges US Congress to back digital labels
WASHINGTON DC - The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is calling for the US to allow consumer information on clothes to be delivered via digital labels. It says digital labels, such as QR codes, would modernise outdated federal…
Back Issue Archive
Other Publications from MCL News & Media
©
2008 - 2023
MCL News & Media
