Sustainable Fashion and Apparel Design: Standards | Certificates | Seals | Initiatives | Responsibility

BCI works with a diverse range of stakeholders across the cotton supply chain to promote measurable and continuing improvements for the environment, farming communities and the economies of cotton-producing areas.

Headquartered in Switzerland Remei AG coordinates the production of sustainable textiles made from organic cotton and accompanies the production process from stylesheet to delivery. Started 1983 as a yarn trading company, Remei's success is based on a mature and sustainable supply chain management. Trace the path of item of clothing from the cultivation of the bioRe® cotton through all stages of production to the finished garment.

"Controls the chemicals and fabrics used at the beginning of the textile chain for resource-efficient and safe production for consumers and workers...Generally used to certify artificial Fibers found primarily in outdoor clothing and sportswear" (Fashion Made Fair, 2016)

The CmiA standards are composed of the Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) and the Cotton made in Africa-Organic (CmiA-Organic) Standard. They were designed to improve the living conditions of African smallholders and promote environmentally friendly cotton production. In order to maintain this value proposition, standards with social, environmental, and economic criteria were developed. The criteria of CmiA standards reflect the actual sustainability requirements for growing and processing cotton in the participating African partner countries from the field to the gin.

The Council's goal is to achieve zero textile waste going to landfills by 2037.

The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ mark provides consumers, regulators, employees, and industry peers with a clear, visible, and tangible validation of a manufacturer’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and to their communities.

Textile manufacturing is part of the manufacturing sector (NAICS 31 - 33). This sector consists of establishments engaged in spinning natural and manmade fibers into yarns and threads. These are then woven or knitted into fabrics, and the fabrics are dyed and finished.

The EU Ecolabel is the EU Ecolabel recognized in all Member States of the European Union, but also by Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. The voluntary mark introduced in 1992 by an EU Regulation (Regulation EEC 880/92) has gradually developed into a reference for consumers wishing to contribute to the reduction of pollution through the purchase of more environmentally friendly products and services.

"Seal for responsible forest and plantation management. Also applies to wood as a raw material for the manufacture of viscose, modal, and Lyocell and to natural rubber as a raw material for shoe soles" (Fashion Made Fair, 2016).

GOTS is comprised of four reputed member organisations, namely OTA (USA), IVN (Germany), Soil Association (UK) and JOCA (Japan), which contribute to the GOTS, together with further international stakeholder organizations and experts, their respective expertise in organic farming and environmentally and socially responsible textile processing. [Their] mission is the development, implementation, verification, protection and promotion of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). This standard stipulates requirements throughout the supply chain for both ecology and labour conditions in textile and apparel manufacturing using organically produced raw materials.

Greenpeace is campaigning to stop industry poisoning our water with hazardous, persistent and hormone-disrupting chemicals. The Detox campaign challenges top brands to make amends by working with their suppliers to eliminate all hazardous chemicals across their entire supply chain, and the entire life-cycle of their products.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is a voluntary ecolabelling scheme that evaluates a product's impact on the environment throughout the whole life cycle. The label guarantees among other things that climate requirements are taken into account, and that CO2 emissions (and other harmful gasses) are limited - where it is most relevant. "While the criteria are largely aligned with those of the EU Ecolabel standard, certain points are more strictly formulated" (Fashion Made Fair, 2016).

"The international Oeko-Tex Association is a union of sixteen prestigious textile research and testing institutions in Europe and Japan. Independent testing for harmful substances in fibres, yarns, fabrics, and textiles" (Fashion Made Fair, 2016). Provides three different types certification: Oeko-Tex Standard 100, Made in Green by Oeko-Tex, Step by Oeko-Tex.

ResponsibilityReports.com is the most complete and up-to-date listings of responsibility reports on the internet providing instant access to company sustainability reports, corporate social responsibility reports, CSR reports, corporate responsibility reports, CR reports, citizenship reports, ESG reports, and environmental reports.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition is the apparel, footwear and home textile industry’s foremost alliance for sustainable production. The coalition’s main focus is on building the Higg Index, a standardized supply chain measurement tool for all industry participants to understand the environmental and social and labor impacts of making and selling their products and services.

Textile Exchange expanded from a focus solely on organic cotton in 2010 to include other sustainable fibers such as lyocell and recycled polyester to promote a portfolio approach for brands and retailers to adopt at a strategic level. While the organization name changed to reflect the expanded remit, Textile Exchange continues to have a strong focus on expanding the use of organic fibers as a market-driven solution to address poverty, bio-diversity and food-security. The following standards are employed: responsible down standard, organic content standard, recycled claim standard, global recycled standard, and content claim standard.

UPMADE® enables brands and manufacturers to apply our industrial upcycling method and obtain certification. A circular economy produces zero waste and pollution, by design. It is an ideal that the UPMADE® method supports in a real and practical way.

The Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) is an international alliance of trade unions and labour rights activist who are working together to demand garment workers are paid a living wage.

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh (the Accord) was signed on May 15th 2013. It is a five year independent, legally binding agreement between global brands and retailers and trade unions designed to build a safe and healthy Bangladeshi Ready Made Garment (RMG) Industry. The agreement was created in the immediate aftermath of the Rana Plaza building collapse that led to the death of more than 1100 people and injured more than 2000.

BSCI is an initiative of the Foreign Trade Association (FTA). All BSCI participants are also FTA members and share the FTA vision of “Free Trade. Sustainable Trade”. To fulfil this vision, BSCI has been given specific governance bodies through which BSCI companies are invited to actively take part, to develop and implement an excellent system for improved working conditions in the global supply chain.

Clean Clothes Campaign is an international alliance dedicated to improving working conditions and empowering workers in the global garment and sportswear industries. Since 1989, CCC has worked to ensure that the fundamental rights of workers are respected. CCC educates and mobilizes consumers, lobby companies and governments, and offer direct solidarity support to workers as they fight for their rights and demand better working conditions.

The Inditex Code of Conduct for Manufacturers and Suppliers (hereinafter, the Code)
defines minimum standards of ethical and responsible behaviour which must be met by
the manufacturers and suppliers of the products commercialized by Inditex in the
course of its business, in line with the corporate culture of Inditex Group (hereinafter
Inditex), firmly based on the respect for Human and Labour Rights.

The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is a leading alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs that promotes respect for workers' rights around the globe. Ethical trade means that retailers, brands and their suppliers take responsibility for improving the working conditions of the people who make the products they sell. All corporate members of ETI agree to adopt the ETI Base Code of labour practice, which is based on the standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). ETI works out the most effective steps companies can take to implement the Base Code in their supply chains.

Setting Fairtrade standards and supporting producers of raw materials.

Fair Wear Foundation works with brands, factories, trade unions, NGOs and sometimes governments to verify and to improve working conditions where your clothing is made: 11 production countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.

"Social Accountability International awards a certificate and checks compliance with the social standards for the workplaces throughout the entire production chain of the textile industry. Collaboration with trade unions, corporations, and non-governmental organizations to comply with the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Declaration of Human Rights and with national labor laws" (Fashion Made Fair, 2016).