The fashion industry is one of the world’s most influential yet pollutive industries in the world. It employs over 75 million people globally and generates €1.5 trillion a year in revenues[1], yet in 2018 it produced around 2.1 billion tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, equaling 4% of the global total![2]
As you may know, sustainability in fashion has been a hot topic for quite some time now, and whether due to conscious consumers or regulatory expectations, the industry’s big fish have been the frontrunners in this area. However, these brands are far from representing the whole industry, therefore, to make a real change everyone must be willing to act in unison. Fortunately, some have understood the task, which led to the birth of a Fashion Pact in 2019.
What is the Fashion Pact?
The Fashion Pact (TFP) is a CEO-led global coalition that brings together over 60 members, among which are global players, niche brands, and experts from sectors along the entire value chain.
It was launched by French President, Emmanuel Macron, and was officially presented to Heads of State at the G7 Summit in Biarritz in August of 2019 (the first time that the private sector was invited to play such an active role). As of today, the Pact has a 14-member Steering Committee that is supported by a CSO 23-member Operations Committee and a secretariat Task Force.
Purpose and Pillars of the Fashion Pact
The coalition aims to improve the sustainable performance of the fashion business by setting a common agenda that prioritizes actions and tangible targets. The pact is led by two main principles: collective collaborative action and promotion of improvements.
Additionally, partly inspired by numbers 13, 14, and 15 of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Pact has three primary pillars: (i) climate change mitigation; (ii) restoration of biodiversity; and (iii) protection of the oceans.
Across these pillars, signatories set seven strategic tangible targets (detailed below) to achieve critical impact on a global scale.
The first year of the Fashion Pact
The pandemic accentuated the need for a quicker transition into a more sustainable fashion era, but, ironically, its catastrophic economic impact undercut planned corporate sustainability efforts. Despite this, Paul Polman (Co-Chair of the Fashion Pact Steering Committee) said to Forbes that “realistically we find ourselves in a better place after one year, but it’s not time to congratulate ourselves. We achieved more than we thought despite Covid (and) we are moving in the right direction.”[3]
The Pact’s first year was all about developing a common agenda and, even with the pandemic, reaching some milestones. According to the Pact’s first public communication, 80% of their members reported an acceleration of their sustainability journey after joining the coalition.[4]
First Pillar: Climate
The coalition knows that being as energy-intensive as it is, the fashion industry can make meaningful contributions towards combating climate change and reducing GHG. “By improving our processes, materials decisions, and energy sources, we can significantly reduce our share of existing global carbon emissions and bend the curve on GHGs towards the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement.”[5]
To do this, TFP is engaging with climate experts while its members have committed to implement the following Science-Based Targets for Climate, to achieve net-zero carbon impact by 2050:
- Implementation of the principles of the U.N. Fashion Charter (the most detailed framework for the fashion industry’s decarbonization and GHG emission reductions).
- Achieving 25% low-impact materials sourcing by 2025.
- Achieving 50% renewable energy by 2025, and 100% by 2030 in their own operations. [6]
Progress: So far, 40 to 45% of all energy consumed by signatories comes from renewable sources. Member brands have achieved reductions of ~350-450k tons of GHG emissions across their owned and operated facilities.[7]
Second Pillar: Biodiversity
Cotton, wool, linen, cashmere… the reliability of the fashion industry on nature-based resources is in plain sight. Hence, it does not come as a surprise that biodiversity is a special area of focus for TFP.
To warm up the engines, TFP has come together with the “Nature of Fashion”, a series of webinars where members and conservation experts worked jointly on topics such as developing biodiversity strategies. Apart from that, signatories are committed to the protection of key species, and the protection and restoration of important natural ecosystems.[8] In the hope to lay an essential foundation for future efforts, TFP is organizing the work under two umbrella actions:
- Individual biodiversity blueprints by the end of 2020, since signatories should first develop a tailored-to-business approach to biodiversity.
- Supporting zero deforestation and sustainable forest management by 2025. As a major buyer of forest-based fibers, TFP knows that caring for biodiversity is crucial.[8]
Progress: According to an October 2020 press release, before joining the TFP, only 20% of signatories had a public commitment to biodiversity and, since then, half of them have stated that joining the coalition has been an inspiration to commit to caring for forests and avoiding deforestation.[9]
Third Pillar: Oceans
We all know that the ocean is a critical component of planetary health, however, plastic trash has grown at an alarming rate in recent times undermining the health of the oceans. In general terms, the Pact “is dedicated to mitigating our industry’s negative impact on oceans, waterways, and aquatic species.”[10]
This pillar is closely related to plastic pollution. Not only does plastic packaging account for 26% of total plastic volume, but over 90% of plastics production depends on virgin fossil feedstocks. But the industry’s negative impact on oceans does not come only from plastic packaging, 35% of primary microplastics entering the ocean are released through the washing of textiles![11]
Said this, TFP “is devoted to reducing its usage of plastic, with an initial focus on problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging”, like polybags, hangers, consumer packaging, and retail bags.[12] As in the biodiversity pillar, to make a tangible impact TFP has organized the work under two umbrella actions:
- Eliminate the problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging that consumers take home or is delivered to their home by 2025; and, by 2030 eliminate it in transport packaging.
- Ensure that at least half of other plastic packagings that consumers take home or is delivered to their home is 100% recycled content by 2025 and, by 2030, the same for transport packaging.[13]
Progress: According to the Pact’s first public communication, since joining TFP, 70% of the members have reduced unnecessary and harmful plastic packaging (including single-use ones) and worked on other actions for the replacement of plastic packaging with sustainable alternatives. Moreover, 60% of signatory brands have eliminated plastic packaging in their retail bags, and only 15% of signatories could achieve elimination of hangers and transport bags.[14]
Signatories
TFP launched with 32 signatories and has since grown to more than 60 companies across 14 countries and 8 sectors, together representing over 200 brands and 1/3 of the fashion industry. Here is a list of signatories as of April 7, 2021.[15]
| Adidas | Everybody & Everyone | Mango |
| Aigle | Farfetch | Matchesfashion.Com |
| Aldo Group | Fashion3 | Moncler |
| Asics | Fung Group | Monoprix |
| Auchan Retail | Gant | Nike |
| Bally | Groupe Galeries Lafayette | Noabrands |
| Besson Chaussures | Gap Inc. | Nordstrom |
| Bestseller | Geox | North Sails |
| Bonaveri | Groupe Beaumanoir | Paul & Joe |
| Burberry | Groupe Eram | Prada S.P.A. |
| Calzedonia Group | Groupe Etam | Promod |
| Capri Holdings Limited | Groupe Idkids | Puma Se |
| Carrefour | Groupe Rossignol | Pvh Corp. |
| Chanel | Gruppo Armani | Ralph Lauren |
| Chloe | Hans Boodt Mannequins | Ruyi |
| Celio | H&M Group | Salvatore Ferragamo |
| Damartex Group | Hermes | Selfridges Group |
| Dcm Jennyfer | Herno | Stella Mccartney |
| Decathlon | House Of Baukjen | Tapestry |
| Desigual | Inditex | Tendam |
| Diesel | Karl Lagerfeld | Umdasch |
| El Corte Ingles | Kering | Vestiaire Collective |
| Eralda | Kiabi | Zimmermann |
| Ermenegildo Zegna | Lacoste |
Final Thoughts
The pandemic has made it blatantly clear that healthy people cannot exist on an unhealthy planet and that a global crisis demands global solutions. Who we are, what we do, and how we do it are all interconnected, so we need clear and strategic targets around which we all can work hand-in-hand.
As for the fashion industry, with TFP we are off to a very good start, yet one issue is striking: the lack of representation of manufacturers within its members. Considering that the largest source of emissions for most apparel and footwear brands is in the extraction of raw materials, this issue should immediately be tackled.[16]
This is just the beginning, and we need to redouble collective efforts because only by daring to collectively change, can we transform the industry.
There is simply so much more we need to do!
What are your thoughts on the Fashion Pact? Were you surprised to see any brand on the list? Let us know in the comments below!
