New York’s Fashion Act: What’s It All About?
Behold, the Fashion Act.
When we first started filming with Amy in 2017, sustainability in fashion was a relatively niche topic barely covered in mainstream media or even in the industry itself. We certainly could never have imagined that the launch of our film would coincide with the launch of the first sustainability law specifically addressing the fashion industry IN THE VERY PLACE we’d be launching our film – New York. Behold, the Fashion Act.
The Fashion and Social Accountability Act aims to hold all major brands accountable for their environmental and social impacts. How?
By requiring all fashion brands selling in New York with sales over 100 million – AKA every major fashion brand - to assess, disclose and mitigate their impacts. The bill may be based in New York but it has a MASSIVE global reach.
Brands would be required to map at least 50% of their supply chain, disclosing their greenhouse gas emissions, water footprint, chemical use and median worker wages.
Brands would also be required to disclose the total volume of materials produced – a complete game changer. No more hiding behind sustainable lines that represent 0.1% of their revenue while continuing to ramp up production in the rest of their business.
Based on their findings, brands would then have to set and meet science-based targets for reducing their impact.
Non-compliance would result in a fine of up to 2% of annual revenue, entered into a community fund that would be used for environmental justice projects in New York. How cool is that?
The bill isn’t perfect and has its criticisms. For example, brands get to choose which 50% of their supply chain to map. While science-based targets for greenhouse gas emissions are clear, they’re less clear with other impact categories. And some feel the bill could be expanded to further protect the communities - mainly black and brown communities in the global south - who have been harmed by the negative impacts of fashion supply chains.
There is definitely room for improvement but we think it’s a really exciting starting point and the most comprehensive piece of sustainability legislation for the fashion industry so far. And we hear improvements are in the works to address the criticisms.
The Fashion Act is currently being deliberated by the New York state government. To support this groundbreaking bill, head to thefashionact.org