Together with local textile workers, the Clean Clothes Campaign has calculated a uniform living wage for European low-wage countries. The gap between wages paid and living wages is still huge in countries such as Romania and Ukraine. As a result of the benchmark, fashion companies now have an orientation on which wages they have to take into account in calculations with their suppliers. In addition, the benchmark should also be used as a guideline for the EU Parliament.
Recherchetool für Materialien
Research Tool for Materials
The materials database contains media on our key topics of working conditions in the textile and clothing industry and the environmental impact of clothing. The types of media include studies, guidelines and reports, as well as films, podcasts and web tools.
In this technical opinion, FEMNET and the Christian Initiative Romero (CIR) commented on the recently published ‘Guide of the Federal Government for Sustainable Textile Procurement of the Federal Administration’ and pointed out shortcomings.
Whether as protective clothing, bedding or merchandise items: Textiles are indispensable in many industries. It is well known that these are often produced under conditions that exploit people and the environment. Last but not least, the increasing interest of the public in aspects of sustainability is driving more and more companies to commit to socially and environmentally friendly production.
The joint project #Fair Wear Works by GNF and FEMNET aims to raise the awareness of managers, employees and apprentices in companies about the social and ecological relevance of responsible textile purchasing. The factsheet shows possibilities and strategies to establish a fair and sustainable textile purchasing in companies.
This publication on mandatory human rights due diligence calls for concrete and comprehensive binding regulations which ensure responsible business conduct. It puts the spotlight on brands’ unfair purchasing practices at the root of human rights violations, their reliance on the flawed social auditing system, the lack of occupational safety, gender inequality, poverty wages, persistent attacks freedom of association, the acute lack of value chain transparency and lack of effective remedy in cases of human rights violations which take place on a mass scale.
Over the past few decades, the production and consumption of clothing has increased exponentially, leading to a dramatic increase in the negative environmental consequences produced by the fashion industry. Given the rising pace of global warming and the rising concern about the fashion industry’s contribution to the climate crisis and its exploitative social dimensions, decision makers, politicians and government officials have begun to promote sustainable fashion through public policy. This article reviews the main barriers facing a circular economy in general and the fashion industry in particular. It approximates nascent regulations emerging throughout the world in the field of sustainable fashion, applying circular economic principles to the fashion industry. Four categories of policy proposals are likely: Command and Control Interventions, Educational Initiatives, Incentives and Certification, grading them according to criteria of effectiveness, sustainability, feasibility, equity and compliance. The ranking process was based on an elicitation of expert judgement among a panel with expertise in the areas of sustainable fashion from the business sector, academia and civil society. Findings suggest that while some policy options appear to meet all criteria successfully, when selecting an optimal strategy for promoting sustainable fashion, there are frequently trade-offs between different alternatives.