EXPERT ANALYSIS: Integrating Sustainability, Accountability into the Fabric of the Fashion Industry

As mannequins donning the most extravagant of clothes beckon from store windows worldwide, the fashion industry, behind the scenes, is one of the planet’s leading environmental offenders. According to recent reports, the industry is a top polluter - responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions and 20% of all wastewater. With millions of tons of clothing discarded each year, the call for a drastic transformation towards sustainability has never been more urgent​.

Fashion Industry Generates Tons of Waste Each Year

The environmental impact of the fashion industry in just the state of New York is substantial, reflecting broader global trends in fashion-related pollution and waste. New York City alone is responsible for about 200,000 tons of textile waste annually. This significant contribution to landfills highlights the extensive waste generated by fast fashion and the high turnover of clothing, which is often discarded after minimal use.

Maxine Bédat, while researching for her book, “Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment,” saw an immediate need for industry regulation. She noted during the podcast Clotheshorse that when she was writing the solutions chapter for the book, it became clear that the system was not going to change “without legislators showing up and doing their jobs.”

“I saw somebody in another company (in a coworking space) that had a pitch deck up and it showed fashion trends like animal print and stripes and sustainability. Yep, that’s the problem right there,” said Bédat.

She partnered with former New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi to introduce the Fashion Environmental Accountability Act, a.k.a. the New York Fashion Act. Heavily influenced by the California Transparency Act, the New York Fashion Act requires major fashion companies operating in New York with annual global revenues exceeding $100 million to disclose due diligence details about their supply chains and the environmental and social impacts of their operations. The legislation is designed to regulate companies outside of New York as well, essentially any that engage with New York’s substantial market - the world’s 10th largest economy.

The bill’s requirements include labor protections to ensure garment workers receive their legally due wages, which is often not the case. Additionally, it mandates that companies set and meet science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with the Paris Agreement, addressing the major climate impacts occurring within supply chains. On the chemical management front, the bill demands that leading suppliers manage their chemical use effectively, adhering to standards set by the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals organization (ZDHC).

Essentially, the legislation enforces existing industry frameworks that companies may already voluntarily follow, imposing legal consequences for non-compliance, including fines up to 2% of global revenue for failing to meet these established targets.

The bill was originally introduced in 2021 as the “Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act” and was originally submitted to Consumer Protection in February 2023, and again in January 2024. The bill was renamed and resubmitted to Consumer Protection on 7 May 2024; the day after the Met Gala.

The Met Gala Amplified Visibility for the Act

The Met Gala, held at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, is widely recognized as one of the most significant nights in the fashion world. Each year, the event attracts numerous celebrities, designers, and cultural icons, who appear in elaborate attire, aligning with the Met Gala’s annual theme. The gala significantly amplified visibility for the act, providing policymakers with an ideal platform to leverage their efforts.

On 7 May 2024, a rally in support of the New York Fashion Act took place in Albany, New York, complete with organized buses to transport attendees. Celebrity endorsements included Angelina Jolie, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cameron Diaz.

The act has significant legislative sponsors as well. Assemblywoman Anna Kelles, representing the 125th District, attended the rally and is the sponsor of the bill. “If they don’t [comply], this state has the ability to fine them up to 2% of their gross income. This is all companies that have over $100 million gross income,” Kelles said. “This is a reasonable, rational, good, common sense, good government piece of legislation that we must get done this year.”

Could the Act Be a Catalyst for Change?

As the fashion world reflects on another dazzling Met Gala, the spotlight shines equally on legislative efforts aimed at curbing the industry’s less glamorous impacts. The New York Fashion Act marks a bold step towards integrating environmental stewardship and social accountability into the very fabric of fashion commerce. By requiring significant players in the fashion scene to publicly disclose their environmental and social practices and comply with stringent sustainability standards, this legislation not only targets immediate improvements but also sets a precedent for global markets.

As New York continues to wield its influence as a top economic powerhouse, the success of the New York Fashion Act could catalyze a transformative shift across the fashion industry worldwide, making the ideals celebrated at the Met Gala a more everyday reality for the garments we wear.

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Editor's Note: 3E is expanding news coverage to provide customers with insights into topics that enable a safer, more sustainable world by protecting people, safeguarding products, and helping businesses grow. Expert Analysis articles, produced by 3E subject matter experts, researchers, and consultants as well as external thought leaders, examine the regulations, trends, and forces impacting the use, manufacture, transport, and export/import of chemicals.

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