US' Apparel Impact Institute launches textile sustainability programme

To fund the feasibility study, Aii turned to the leading sustainable bank in the US, and another San-Francisco based institution, Bank of the West. The BNP Paribas subsidiary has committed a $100,000 grant to launch the project, Aii said in a press release.

Developed in 2010 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and focussed on energy, water and chemical management, Clean by Design rests on a decade of experience and results in scaling efficiencies in the apparel supply chain in China, Vietnam, India and elsewhere. The project will begin with assessing the current state of production and identifying apparel industry brand/retailer partners, shared suppliers and opportunities for involvement.

“The Clean by Design programme works because it can be tailored to meet the needs of individual manufacturing facilities,” said Lewis Perkins, president, Aii. “We look forward to exploring how it can help manufacturers in this state, where protecting the environment is top of mind for many citizens.”

For Aii, it makes sense to pilot in a state where philanthropic and other forms of capital are available to transform the local apparel supply chain and take a leadership position, particularly considering that Los Angeles has been a fashion leader for decades.

The feasibility stage of this programme will provide more insights into the long-term role Aii can play, not only within the wet processing and other manufacturing stages of apparel products in greater Los Angeles, but to look across a more holistic farm to closet value chain.

The Clean by Design California project kicked off in May 2021. The feasibility phase, which takes four to six months, will uncover the specific interventions and best practices that will suit California manufacturing.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)