In November 2022 I had a conversation with Ilishio Lovejoy. At that time, she was working for the supplier Simple Approach, and had an idea for a guide that would help apparel suppliers navigate the overwhelming and confusing legislative landscape in the global North. I was also confused and overwhelmed, as well as skeptical of the legislative space generally, but didn't yet have the language to articulate why.
Together we hatched a plan to bring in other suppliers and supporters to create the guide. The first iteration, written by the The Remedy Project, launched in July 2023. It was commissioned and led by Ilishio, Gauri Sharma and Kritika Chauhan of Shahi exports, Dr. Vidhura Ralapanawe of Epic group, Amila Jayawardana of Norlanka, Evre Kaynak Czyszczewski who supported in an independent capacity, the Transformers Foundation team, and Constantia Chirnside and others from the GIZ FABRIC team.
We were overwhelmed by the momentum the report generated. Fast forward a year, and we are releasing the second iteration. This time, it was commissioned and led by some of the same entities, and some new ones: the Shahi team, the Simple Approach team, the Transformers team, the GIZ FABRIC team, as well as Danijela Cafuta of Lenzing, Kami Wong and her colleagues Kyle Chung and Catherine Chiu of Crystal Group, Linde van Wichen of Pactics, and the The Sourcery team.
This year's iteration includes updates to the 12 pieces of legislation included in last year's report as well as three new pieces of legislation. Particularly noteworthy is the inclusion of the EU directive on unfair trading practices in the agricultural and food supply chain, which holds lessons for fashion on commercial compliance.
While I'm so inspired by what this group has, with very limited resources, accomplished, I'm left with two questions:
1) Inequity between value chain groups is, in my view, the reason most "bad stuff" happens in fashion supply chains. How do we use legislation to address inequity between value chain groups rather than, as I fear is currently the case, giving those with the most power even more of it?
2) There seems to be growing consensus that including the supply chain in the development of legislation would make it more effective. But practically, how do we do this? Over the last year, Transformers has regularly fielded requests from both suppliers and policy makers looking to find each other. When these requests come in we make introductions between individuals. However, this speaks to a bigger infrastructural gap that I am not sure how to fill.
👉Join us on 6 August for the launch webinar! Link below!
Also, a special thanks to many others who helped make this report happen: Ani Wells Fiona Fung Archana Kotecha Business & Human Rights Resource Centre IAF: International Apparel Federation Matthijs Crietee Michele Crymes, Esq. German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
Social & Labor Convergence Program Anett Soti (安妮特)
![View organization page for Transformers Foundation, graphic]()
🚨Launching “An Apparel Supplier’s Guide 2.0: Key Sustainability Legislation in the EU, US, and UK” 🚨
In July 2023 the first iteration of this guide covering 12 pieces of legislation, was published. This document is an update to that guide and includes updates to the 12 factsheets issued last year as well as three additional fact sheets covering new legislative initiatives not previously included.
Download the updated guide: https://lnkd.in/e9sxkc22
Register for the launch webinar on August 6th here:
➡️ North America & EU (Aug 6 @ 10am CEST) Registration here: https://lnkd.in/g8ecXrXx
➡️ APAC (Aug 6 @ 10am CEST) Registration here: https://lnkd.in/gTReNZgk
Transformers Foundation Crystal International Diamond Fabrics Limited (Sapphire Group) Lenzing Group Pactics Poeticgem Limited Shahi Exports Pvt Ltd Simple Approach Ltd. The Sourcery Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Asia Garment Hub
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