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Top global fashion brands now more transparent

23 Apr '18
4 min read
Courtesy: Fashion Revolution/Fashion Transparency Index
Courtesy: Fashion Revolution/Fashion Transparency Index

Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index 2018 reveals Adidas and Reebok lead the path towards greater transparency among major corporate players. Meanwhile, the Fashion Revolution Week gets under way today. Subir Ghosh reports

The top global fashion brands have been showing increasing transparency, according to Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index, which reviews and ranks 150 major global brands and retailers based on their social and environmental policies.

Adidas and Reebok scored highest followed by Puma, H&M, Esprit, Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, C&A and Marks & Spencer scoring in the 51–60 per cent out of a possible 250 points. Fashion Revolution been tracking since 2016 leading global brands and benchmarking their performance on five key issues: policy and commitments, governance, traceability, know show and fix, and spotlight issues. In 2017, the Index reviewed 100 brands, with the number being enlarged this year to 150.The original brands which were reviewed in 2017 have shown an 5 per cent overall improvement in transparency levels across each section of the methodology.

April 2018 will be the 5th anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse and five years since Fashion Revolution was born. April 23–29 is observed as Fashion Revolution Week. The aim of the week-long series of events is to engage the consumer further in the conversation about who makes our clothes —and to involve them in some of the processes along the way.

According to the findings, luxury brands publicly disclose relatively fewer social and environmental policies and practices than other major brands and retailers, but this trend has been changing. Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, YSL and Burberry scored in the 31-40 per cent range, with Hugo Boss increasing its score by 11 per cent, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger increasing their score by 9 per cent, Gucci, Bottega Veneta and YSL increasing their score by 8 per cent and Burberry increasing its score by 7 per cent this year. Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger published a list of their Tier 1 suppliers, whilst Hermès discloses its tier 1 suppliers as well as fabric suppliers and processing facilities.

ASOS came shortly behind the top ten, having significantly increased their level of disclosure since last year, followed by Levi Strauss and then The North Face, Timberland, Vans, Wrangler (all owned by VF Corp.), G-Star, Tchibo and Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius and Zara (all owned by Inditex), scoring in the 41-50 per cent range.

Only 55 per cent of brands and retailers published measurable, time-bound goals on improving environmental impacts, while only 37 per cent published goals on improving human rights. More brands and retailers (12 per cent in 2018; 7 per cent in 2017)—but still very few—disclosed how company employees’ incentives are tied to improvements in human rights and environmental management. There was a notable increase in brands and retailers that are publishing ‘anti-bribery and corruption’ policies both for the companies’ workforce and for their suppliers. Also, 62 per cent of brands and retailers (up from 40 per cent in 2017) are now disclosing their process for fixing problems when violations are found in a supplier facility.

Manifesto being launched today

Fashion Revolution will today launch its “Manifesto for A Fashion Revolution” demanding radical revolutionary change for the fashion industry and clothes that don’t exploit people or destroy the planet. It will be launched in British Parliament at Fashion Revolution’s annual Fashion Question Time event. The event marks the start of Fashion Revolution Week, which commemorates lives lost in the name of fashion, while promoting a conversation around supply chain transparency.

The manifesto lays out a vision with 10 action points for a cleaner safer fashion industry. These cover dignified work, freedom of association, celebrating craftsmanship, solidarity, protecting the environment, circularity, transparency and accountability and a celebration of life. The “Manifesto for A Fashion Revolution” can be downloaded from www.fashionrevolution.org/manifesto.

Fashion Open Studio expands horizons

The Fashion Open Studio 2018 is expanding as a powerful platform for designers and brands to discuss who made your clothes during Fashion Revolution Week.  This is a platform that celebrates transparency in the industry.

A diverse range of high-profile and well-known designers including Stella McCartney, Phoebe English, Christopher Raeburn, Community Clothing, John Alexander Skelton, Roberts|Wood, OneByMe, Katie Jones, Kepler London, Elvis & Kresse with Burberry Foundation, and Vivienne Westwood will each be adding their own voice to a Fashion Open Studio 2018, a week of talks, workshops, picnics and radical quilting. The Burberry Foundation will be talking about their five-year partnership with Elvis & Kresse to re-engineer waste material through innovative craftsmanship in an open conversation at sustainable luxury visionaries Elvis & Kresse’s Kent HQ. (WE)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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