Understanding the hidden influences behind #sustainability scoring in #fashion is crucial. The voices of small-scale farmers and natural fibre producers need to be heard to ensure true #environmental sustainability. "Our #planet deserves better! Standing with farmers and demanding transparency and fairness in the #EU's sustainability scoring is vital. In addition, it is highly important to raise awareness and push for #change in the fashion industry's environmental impact assessments!" #CircularEconomy
HOW FASHION HIJACKED THE EU'S ECO LABEL FOR CLOTHING: Almost 900 signatories representing hundreds of thousands of farmers in natural fibres supply chains have signed a letter to the EU Council voicing concerns that its apparel ‘scoring’ method for the Green Claims Directive has been hijacked by #fastfashion. The letter points out that only major brands such as H&M, Nike, Inditex and VF Corp can now afford to participate and vote in the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) tool within the Green Claims Directive process. San Francisco-based Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) is technical secretariat for the PEF Category Rules for Apparel and Footwear. Apparel Insider understands the secretariat recently hiked the cost of participation and voting for the PEFCR – and it now runs into six figures. The technical secretariat has 26 members but only 14 of these have voting rights. More than half of the 14 are fashion brands, with the only representation from natural fibres being from Cotton Incorporated and the Alliance for European Flax Linen and Hemp. The letter argues that none of the 14 voting members are farmers, highlighting that farmers’ voices aren’t heard up, “against the well-funded and powerful fast fashion industry.” The letter points out that PEF continues to penalise and misrepresent natural fibres vis-à-vis their synthetic and man-made counterparts – to the detriment of farmers and the environment Our OPEN ACCESS story here: https://lnkd.in/evSdQnsU