Labels & Legislation News
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Friday, 27 March 2020MPs urged to look again at fashion's impact
LONDON - The Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) research body is urging the UK government's influential Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) to put fashion back on the agenda of subjects it is planning to investigate. Professor Dilys Williams, the… -
Friday, 20 March 2020Textile Exchange releases new Mohair standard, updates RWS
LUBBOCK – Textile Exchange has released a new Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) alongside the first revisions to its Responsible Wool Standard (RWS). The new RMS standard is based on the same system as its wool counterpart due to the effectiveness… -
Thursday, 19 March 2020Organic textile standard gets upgraded
STUTTGART – The new version of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) released includes new requirements for chemical formulators, makes changes to the addition of regenerated and virgin synthetic textile fibres and has added a completely new… -
Monday, 16 March 2020Naturvernforbund demands change in Norway
OSLO - Norwegian nature conservation organisation Norges Naturvernforbund (Friends of the Earth Norway) has called on the country’s Government to encourage industry players to take a more responsible role and reduce the environmental impact of… -
Thursday, 12 March 2020Commission adopts new Circular Economy Action Plan
BRUSSELS – The European Commission (EC) has adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan, which will address product design, manufacture and waste in industries including textiles, plastics and packaging. Just one of the building blocks of the €1… -
Monday, 09 March 2020Value of UK sales of organic textiles rises
BRISTOL – UK sales of Soil Association certified organic textiles grew by 10 per cent in value to £45.4 million in 2019, according to a new report published today. The new '2020 UK Organic Textile Market Report' from the Soil Association based its… -
Friday, 21 February 2020Companies 'failing to disclose environmental impacts'
BRUSSELS - The largest study ever carried out on corporate sustainability reporting has concluded that too many companies do not fulfil their obligations to provide enough information to disclose their impacts on society and environment. The… -
Thursday, 13 February 2020H&M to review sourcing from Cambodia
STOCKHOLM - Fashion retailer H&M is to review its sourcing of garments from Cambodia following the decision of the European Union to partially suspend the country's trade preferences because of human rights violations. Cambodia will lose about 20… -
Wednesday, 12 February 2020Zalando welcomes new waste legislation
BERLIN - European online fashion platform Zalando has welcomed new German legislation to reduce the amount of unsold stock destroyed by brands and retailers. With only 0.05 pe cent of returns destroyed, the company says it will be unaffected by the… -
Wednesday, 12 February 2020EU partially suspends Cambodia trade preferences
BRUSSELS — The European Union (EU) has delivered a potential hammer blow to the garment industry in Cambodia by deciding to partially suspend the country's trade preferences because of systematic human rights violations. Cambodia will lose about 20… -
Wednesday, 12 February 2020European Green Deal 'must be transparent'
AMSTERDAM - The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sustainability reporting organisation has backed the European Green Deal as a "global game changer" but says that accurate and transparent reporting on tackling climate change is crucial for it to… -
Friday, 31 January 2020France bans dumping of unsold fashion
PARIS - France has made it illegal for fashion brands and retailers to destroy unsold or returned clothing under wide-ranging new anti-waste legislation. The law, which the French government claims is a world first, was finally adopted after the… -
Monday, 27 January 2020Bangladesh cracks down on illegal factories
DHAKA - Some 231 illegal factories - many of them in the textile and garment industry - are set to close in the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka after the High Court ordered officials to cut off their gas, electricity and water supplies. The… -
Wednesday, 08 January 2020Ireland set to ban textiles from household bins
DUBLIN - Ireland is set to ban clothes and textiles from household bins, landfill and incineration under new proposals designed to reduce the impact of fast fashion on the environment. Climate Action and Environment Minister Richard Bruton sees such… -
Friday, 03 January 2020New law 'could lead to synthetic fibre ban'
WASHINGTON D.C. - Brands and retailers are being warned that proposed landmark legislation in the US to clampdown on plastic pollution could lead to restrictions on the use of synthetic fibres. Heidi Sanborn, executive director of the National… -
Friday, 03 January 2020Cambodia urged to engage with EU over EBA
PHNOM PENH — The Cambodian government is being urged to work with the European Union (EU) to retain vital trade privileges after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned their loss would deliver a huge blow to the country's economy. The EU is… -
Friday, 20 December 201939 US companies certified by GOTS in 2019
STUTTGART - A total of 39 US companies gained certification to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) in 2019, bringing the total to 113 individual companies. GOTS covers the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, trading and… -
Friday, 20 December 2019New rift on factory safety in Bangladesh
DHAKA - A new rift has opened up between garment factory owners in Bangladesh and the organisations which have represented western brands on factory safety in their supply lines since the Rana Plaza disaster. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and… -
Friday, 20 December 2019EU envoy urges Cambodia to back down on EBA
MADRID - A leading European Union envoy is urging Cambodia to make political concessions to avoid the loss of special trade preferences which would massively impact on the country's apparel industry and cost about 90,000 garment workers their jobs.… -
Thursday, 12 December 2019Combined call for circular clothing economy
AMSTERDAM - Leading apparel and footwear organisations have come together to form a new organisation to call for holistic, coordinated efforts by policymakers to drive sector-wide circularity. The Policy Hub — launched by the Sustainable Apparel… -
Thursday, 12 December 2019Textiles in spotlight for European Green Deal
BRUSSELS - Textiles will be at the centre of a bid to create a circular economy in the new European Green Deal, announced this week by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Textiles, along with other "carbon-intensive industries" like… -
Tuesday, 10 December 2019Sweden set to tax chemicals in clothing
STOCKHOLM - European brands are being urged to give their views on Swedish government proposals to introduce a tax on potentially harmful chemicals in clothing and shoes. The proposed tax would be aimed to reducing the risk of consumers, workers and… -
Monday, 09 December 2019Euratex unveils circular economy action plan
BRUSSELS - European textile and clothing industry body Euratex has revealed its circular economy action plan to ensure sustainable resource use and tackle urgent environment, social and economic challenges. Euratex presented its strategy, entitled… -
Thursday, 05 December 2019
Cambodia looks resigned to losing EBA deal
PHNOM PENH - The Cambodian government appears resigned to the loss of European Union (EU) special trade preferences, a move which could massively impact on the country's apparel industry and cost about 90,000 garment workers their jobs. Cambodia… -
Wednesday, 04 December 2019US set to take on China over Xinjiang camps
WASHINGTON D.C. - The US House of Representatives has approved a bill that would make President Trump take a stand against China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region where they are reportedly being used as forced labour in the… -
Monday, 02 December 2019
EU urged to address abuses in global supply chains
BRUSSELS - More than 100 civil society organisations and trade unions have now signed an open letter calling on the European Union (EU) to introduce effective legislation to address environmental and human rights abuses in corporate supply chains.… -
Friday, 29 November 2019Creating a circular fashion industry
Erik Solheim (ES), who was controversially asked to step down as executive director of the United Nation’s Environment Programme, still has his ear to the ground on sustainability issues. What then, are his thoughts on the fashion sector’s drive… -
Monday, 04 November 2019US plastic waste Bill to prompt textile microfibre action
WASHINGTON – Working with the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC), US senators from New Mexico and California have circulated a discussion draft of what could be landmark legislation that would ban certain plastic products and require… -
Monday, 07 October 2019Unions, NGOs call for corporate accountability law
BRUSSELS – More than 80 NGOs and trade unions have joined forces, calling on the European Commission to introduce corporate accountability legislation that it’s hoped would mitigate human rights abuse cases throughout global supply chains and offset… -
Friday, 06 September 2019Sympatex receives B Lab sustainability certification
MUNICH – Functional textile specialist Sympatex Technologies has received US-based NGO B Lab’s ‘2019 Best for the World’ award, after landing in the top 10 per cent of all B Corp certified companies in recognition of its environmental… -
Friday, 06 September 2019Tchibo to receive Green Button certification
HAMBURG – German retailer Tchibo is set to be the first major retail brand to receive Germany’s new Grüner Knopf (Green Button) seal, which will be introduced by the country’s federal minister for economic cooperation and development Dr. Gerd… -
Tuesday, 03 September 2019Recall platform offers unsafe product updates
CHESHIRE – Product testing and verification services provider SGS has launched a new ‘Product Recalls’ digital platform that will enable retailers and manufacturers to stay up-to-date with the latest unsafe product notifications across both Europe… -
Wednesday, 21 August 2019PU membrane gets Oeko-Tex certified
LEVERKUSEN – Several of Covestro’s water-based polyurethane (PU) membrane films designed to give a range of advanced functionality to sports and outdoor clothing have recently been certified to the consumer Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex in Class I. Many… -
Monday, 19 August 2019Vietnam kicks off garment factory safety initiative
HỒ CHÍ MINH – The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) has partnered with Dutch sustainable trade initiative IDH to launch Life and Building Safety Initiative (LABS), in a bid to protect apparel and footwear factory workers. Local… -
Thursday, 25 July 2019Blockchain transparency tool launched
DÜSSELDORF – German start-up Retraced has launched a transparency tool which allows end-consumers to learn more about the ‘sustainable’ aspects of the fashion industry. Powered by Oracle’s Hyperledger Fabric blockchain technology platform, it aims… -
Tuesday, 09 July 2019‘Green Button’ puts sustainable fashion in sight
BERLIN – Textile professionals in the sustainable fashion space descended on Berlin earlier this month at Neonyt, Messe Frankfurt’s trade show for sustainable fashion where 170 labels from 20 countries presented their 2020 spring/summer collections… -
Friday, 28 June 2019Levi Strauss partners with IFC on climate goals
SAN FRANCISCO — Levi Strauss & Co. has announced the signing of a US$2.3 million co-operation agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in order to help the company reach its targets on reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions and water… -
Friday, 28 June 2019Nike signs UN fashion charter to fight climate crisis
BEAVERTON — Sportswear giant Nike has become the latest fashion and apparel firm to sign the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, with the company stating: “In the race against climate change, there isn’t a moment to lose.” The Charter,… -
Tuesday, 18 June 2019Anger, as UK government rejects calls to fix fast fashion
WAKEFIELD – The UK government has given a huge ‘thumbs down’ to an Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) report that wanted a one penny charge per garment on producers in a bid to end the era of throwaway fast fashion. Headed up by Wakefield MP Mary… -
Friday, 14 June 2019Levi’s, Nike, Calvin Klein among brands ‘deeply troubled’ by Myanmar
WASHINGTON — The American Apparel & Footwear Association and Fair Labor Association have written to the Myanmar government calling for action on rights violations in the nation’s textile supply chain and for freedom of association and collective… -
Friday, 14 June 2019UN wants ethical fashion to mitigate climate crisis
NEW YORK — The United Nations has put out a call for applications from young people interested in developing innovative, technology-driven solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges; none more so than the climate crisis. One of the… -
Wednesday, 05 June 2019Investors respond to Bangladesh Accord extension
DHAKA — The ICCR (Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility), which in January 2018 urged the extension of the Bangladesh Accord’s operations, has spoken out following the temporary stay the regulatory body has been granted by the Appellate… -
Tuesday, 04 June 2019Greenpeace trials tentative textile return
AMSTERDAM — Environmental campaign group Greenpeace is trialling a newly-prescribed amalgamation of existing industry standards to verify the ethical, non-hazardous production of textiles for its range of t-shirts, bags and other merchandise. The… -
Tuesday, 04 June 2019Finland explores legal due diligence obligation
HELSINKI — The Finnish Government has pledged to adopt mandatory HRDD (Human resources due diligence) legislation at both national and EU level, ensuring that due diligence is a requirement in all supply chains serving the nation’s economy. -
Tuesday, 28 May 2019SAC Policy Hub seeks circular economy growth
AMSTERDAM — The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) has launched the Policy Hub for Circular Economy in an effort unite industry leaders behind policies that promote circular practices in the apparel, footwear and textile sectors. Circularity has,… -
Tuesday, 28 May 2019Post-EAC inquiry: What next for British fashion?
LONDON - The recommendations of the EAC inquiry into the fashion industry drew plenty of praise from industry stakeholders, but sharing findings was only ever going to be the first step. Since its publication, several UK politicians have… -
Thursday, 23 May 2019Levi's, Nike, Gap seek climate and carbon talks
WASHINGTON — Senior executives from more than 75 businesses in the United States, including apparel powerhouses Gap, Levi’s and Nike, have arranged to meet with a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers to debate meaningful climate legislation —… -
Tuesday, 21 May 2019Supply chain transparency 'good for business'
WASHINGTON – A new report claims that companies exhibiting greater supply chain transparency measures benefit from “better reputations, greater operational efficiency, improved legal compliance, and increased access to capital.” ICAR (International… -
Wednesday, 08 May 2019European recycling board expands polyester focus
BRUSSELS — Demeto, a European project established to build a network of like-minded organisations in the PET industry with the goal of creating disruptive recycling solutions, has announced the addition of polyester fibre producer Kolon to its… -
Friday, 26 April 2019US Chamber of Commerce Foundation praises Walmart
WASHINGTON — The US Chamber of Commerce Foundation has made public its support of Walmart, an organisation it says forms part of an “inspiring group of corporations committed to making a difference.” This comes after the global retailer unveiled its…
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