More than a decade ago I was asked to speak at a social accountability conference to talk about the impact “ordering” has on the workforce — how reduction of orders caused job loss and how sudden unplanned increases in orders created sub-contracting in unknown conditions. I was never asked back and nothing has changed in our industry since the time I made that presentation.

Fashion Revolution’s latest Fashion Transparency Index (FTI) report, a special edition called What Fuels Fashion?, opens with a heart-stirring story from Malish Godfrey, a Sudanese refugee working with Root Project. In true Fashion Revolution style, it calls attention to the humans most impacted by “Big Fashion”.  This first-person narrative sets the stage for a discussion about the industry's accountability and transparency and how it relates to the current climate crisis.

As brands have proclaimed their initiatives, often disclosed in their sustainability reports and/or displayed on their websites, the word of the moment,  ‘rhetoric’,  characterizes certain aspects of the apparel industry.

We've all heard the old adage, “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Well, what if it were two trees, or five? Do ten trees make a sound? In the case of the denim industry, how many trees would have to fall before they become impossible to ignore?

One glaring find in Remake’s 2024 Fashion Accountability Report is the lack of change from last year, highlighting a problem those in the sustainability community have voiced from rooftops to social media. The needle isn’t moving and the industry seems to be frozen when it comes to progress.

We often celebrate duration, how long the relationship has existed and while that certainly should be an aspect of measured success, it is sometimes used as the single metric. Years at a job are often celebrated as milestones, anniversaries for marriage, and for the purpose here - how long brands have been engaged with their suppliers. If the relationship between spouses, an employee and employer, or between a brand and supplier is toxic should that measure still hold? 

At the core of commercial compliance is adherence to the regulations surrounding business practices throughout the supply chain that often encompass environmental, safety, and human rights standards. The idea is that these regulations cultivate a fair, just, and ethical network that promote sustainable growth. By all reports, commercial compliance is still being practiced. But, a peek behind the curtain reveals a different story.

Margin. One word that has so much impact. A word that connects the strategies and goals of a company to the outcome of a supplier. A target that often determines the final product appearance and even placement at a factory.