Our Journey with Better Cotton
Working with Better Cotton to enhance climate resilience and smallholder livelihoods, leveraging our expertise in landscape and impact finance.
Stepping up sustainable production and social equality
The apparel and footwear industry walks a fine line between advantageous economic opportunities and precarious working conditions. Poor value chain dynamics, the cost-price and wage pressure in fast fashion and insufficient regulatory schemes are tipping the balance against people and planet.
We believe a socially just and environmentally sustainable manufacturing industry is possible – from fibres to finished product. Together with our partners, we’re working to develop sustainable business models, create positive on-the-ground impact and improve sector governance in key apparel-producing countries.
“We have already seen the Race to the Top apparel program identify savings opportunities up to 22% of energy use in key textile suppliers in Vietnam. With the Tier 1 garment supplier program we can now scale this further and continue to reduce emissions in partnership with our supply chain.”
Senior Manager Environmental Capability Building, GAP Inc.
Our initiatives in apparel
Our apparel program has two main objectives: enabling wage increases and developing and scaling inclusive and sustainable business models. Learn more about how we are working towards these objectives through our initiatives focused on innovation, collaboration, and impactful solutions.
Program
Find out moreProgram
Find out moreWages in Apparel and Responsible Purchasing (WARP)
Addressing the (living) wage challenge requires collective industry action with sufficient trading leverage from brands.
Program
Find out moreLife And Building Safety Initiative (LABS)
LABS is a collaborative program by a group of brands focused on shared assessments and a shared standard for Life and Building Safety.
Tool
Find out moreIN Sustainable Textile and Apparel Parks (INSTEP)
INSTEP is a collaborative approach to step up the sustainable production of textiles and apparel.
News & Resources
The latest updates from our work in the apparel sector
Living wages, collective bargaining and responsible purchasing practices
SUTRA 2.0: Sustainable Trade Summit 2024 Advances Responsible Sourcing in Indian Markets
