EU Adopts Forced Labor Ban, Netflix Drops 'Buy Now!' Documentary, H&M Signs Green Energy Deal in Vietnam & More Industry News
From game-changing legislation to cutting-edge innovations and tools, these are the stories everyone’s buzzing about. 🐝
Welcome to Week/End—your quick-hit guide to the week’s sustainability news at the intersection of fashion, ethics, and business. Each week, we do the heavy lifting, curating the need-to-know headlines that matter most, so you don’t have to. Think of us as your shortcut to staying up to date—without the stress or the time drain.
The EU Adopted Landmark Forced Labor Ban Across All Member States
The European Union introduced a regulation to ban goods made with forced labor across its 27 member states, whether produced domestically or imported. Approved by the European Council on Tuesday, the law gives member states three years to implement the regulation alongside the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
The law establishes a framework for legal action targeting forced labor-made products, with the European Commission responsible for maintaining a database of high-risk areas and products to support enforcement. Investigations can be initiated by the Commission for suspected violations outside the EU or by national authorities within their territories. Final decisions on banning or withdrawing products will apply across all member states, ensuring unified enforcement under the principle of mutual recognition.
A New Framework Launched to Track Fashion’s Climate Commitments
The Accelerating Climate Transition (ACT) initiative introduced a new framework to help fashion companies assess whether their sustainability strategies align with their climate commitments. Developed by Paris Good Fashion, CDP, Ademe, and DEFI, the ACT framework evaluates companies based on five key principles: commitment, transition planning, current actions, past performance, and consistency.
Unlike other tools, such as the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), ACT offers a detailed assessment of both qualitative and quantitative actions, providing companies with concrete insights to guide decarbonization efforts.
Following a pilot with 15 fashion companies, the framework highlighted strengths in governance but identified gaps in supplier engagement, Scope 3 emissions, and the need to address business models reliant on growth. The tool is now available to the industry, aiming to foster transparency and accelerate progress toward Paris Agreement goals.
H&M Becomes First Global Fashion Brand to Sign Green Energy Deal in Vietnam
H&M signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Vietnam’s Power Engineering Consulting Joint Stock Company 2 (PECC2) under the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) framework. Signed on Tuesday, this agreement allows H&M to access renewable energy, supporting its sustainability goals. The DPPA mechanism, introduced by the Vietnamese government earlier this year, enables private renewable energy developers to sell electricity directly to consumers.
During the signing event at the PECC2 Innovation Hub, H&M representatives toured facilities like the Battery Energy Storage System and Operations Control Center to learn about PECC2’s energy technology and processes. PECC2 noted that this partnership represents its first DPPA collaboration with a global fashion brand, aligning with its efforts to promote clean energy solutions.
Fashion for Good Launched Feedstock Assessment to Identify Polymer Alternatives
Fashion for Good, in collaboration with Bestseller, On, and nova-Institute, launched the Feedstock Assessment for Biosynthetic Innovation, a project aimed at advancing the use of bio-based and CO₂-based alternatives to virgin fossil-fuel polymers in the fashion industry. This initiative addresses the sector's heavy reliance on synthetic materials like polyester, which currently makes up 57% of total fiber production, according to the Textile Exchange.
The project focuses on:
Assessing feedstocks to reduce the industry’s ecological footprint.
Identifying alternatives that work with existing manufacturing systems.
Ensuring feedstocks align with consumer and regulatory expectations.
The nova-Institute will conduct a detailed analysis of potential pathways for producing polymers such as bio-PET, PA, EVA, and elastane.
The results will be shared through reports, workshops, and a whitepaper offering strategic recommendations for scaling sustainable materials.
A New Study Highlights Circular Opportunities for U.S. PET Packaging and Polyester Textiles
A new study from Systemiq Ltd., supported by Closed Loop Partners, Eunomia Research & Consulting, and The Recycling Partnership, outlines strategies for improving the circularity of PET packaging and polyester textiles in the U.S.
PET and polyester account for 30% of the country’s plastic packaging and textile use. The study, ‘PET Packaging and Textiles in the United States,’ notes that if current trends persist, consumption could increase 1.5 times by 2040, potentially resulting in significant waste and greenhouse gas emissions. However, it also highlights opportunities for circular economy approaches, like scaling recycling technologies, reuse systems, and reducing material use, which could deliver economic and environmental benefits.
Key findings from the study include:
A potential reduction in virgin PET and polyester consumption and waste by half.
Increasing PET packaging recycling rates to 70% (from 23%) and polyester textile recycling to 19% (from 1%).
A possible 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with PET packaging.
The study emphasizes the urgency of implementing circular economy solutions to address the environmental impacts of PET and polyester consumption in the U.S. and outlines actionable strategies to mitigate waste and emissions while driving economic benefits for the recycling industry.
Fair Wear and EOG Partner to Advance Human Rights Due Diligence in Outdoor Apparel
Fair Wear Foundation and the European Outdoor Group (EOG) announced a strategic partnership to advance human rights due diligence (HRDD) in the outdoor apparel supply chain.
This collaboration will focus on introducing Fair Wear's HRDD Academy to EOG’s 143 member organizations, equipping outdoor brands with actionable tools and guidance to address labor rights challenges and comply with evolving legislation.
Over the next year, Fair Wear and EOG will collaborate through events and digital platforms to strengthen the outdoor industry’s role in improving global labor conditions and advancing worker rights.
Researchers Introduce New Tool to Measure Microplastic Shedding
A research team at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland has created the first visual fibre fragmentation scale to measure microplastic shedding from clothing materials.
The scale, which ranges from one (highest shedding) to five (lowest shedding), aims to help manufacturers identify low-shedding fabrics more efficiently than current methods. The tool could enable the fashion industry to reduce environmental impact and inform consumers about fiber shedding.
The findings were published in Cambridge Prisms: Plastics and are part of their efforts to establish industry standards for microplastic pollution.
→ Read the press release
→ Read the paper
Mount to Coast and BASF Collaborate on Biopolymer Midsole for Running Shoes
Mount to Coast and BASF introduced CircleCELL™, a running shoe midsole made using BASF’s ecoflex® BMB biopolymer. This material uses renewable feedstocks, certified through the biomass balance approach, to replace fossil-based inputs during production. The midsole aims to maintain the performance standards of traditional materials while incorporating sustainability into the design.
The partnership highlights efforts to explore biopolymer applications in sports footwear, focusing on durability, energy return, and reduced reliance on fossil-based materials. Certified under REDcert2 and ISCC PLUS, the collaboration marks a development in integrating renewable resources into performance-driven products.
Mostafiz Uddin Released Report Highlighting Progress and Challenges in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry
A new report on Bangladesh's ready-made garment sector, released by Mostafiz Uddin, Managing Director of Denim Expert Ltd. and founder of the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, offers insights into the industry’s advancements in sustainability, technology, and innovation.
The report highlights significant progress in areas like worker safety, compliance with international standards, and sustainable practices, underscoring the country's efforts as one of the world’s largest apparel producers.
However, the report also addresses ongoing challenges, including wage disparities, working conditions, and the need for greater productivity through technological innovation. The report examines policies, practices, and external factors shaping the sector, offering insights into both progress and challenges within the global supply chain.
GOTS Released Due Diligence Handbook for Auditors
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) released a Due Diligence Handbook for Auditors, developed in collaboration with the UpRights Foundation. The 75-page guide provides a practical framework for certification bodies to assess compliance with GOTS 7.0 criteria, focusing on human rights and environmental due diligence.
Aligned with international standards and regulations like the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the handbook aims to enhance transparency and accountability across global textile supply chains. It complements GOTS' previous handbook for certified entities, empowering stakeholders to uphold sustainable and socially responsible practices.
💬 What’s your take on this week’s news? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and we might feature your response in next week’s newsletter!
🎥 The new documentary Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy is now streaming on Netflix. The film explores the science of consumer behavior, exposing the subtle techniques brands use to influence purchasing decisions and drive continued spending. → Watch the trailer → Watch the film
👗 HURR and Deliveroo partnered to offer 20-minute delivery of rental designer dresses across Central London. This marks Deliveroo’s first venture into fashion as the company continues expanding beyond food and grocery delivery. → Read more
💼 Paris-based lab-grown leather startup, Faircraft, raised €15 million in Series A funding to scale production. It also introduced its first handbag this week made with the material. → Read more
🌱 Uncaged Innovations introduced Elevate, a bio-based leather alternative made from plant-based elements and grain proteins. Its first products, created in partnership with 10 global independent brands, are set to launch in January 2025. → Read more
⏸️ Spinnova paused plans for its production facility with Suzano due to delays in meeting cost efficiency targets required to move forward. Both companies are now pursuing alternative strategies, with a revised timeline for the project to be announced. → Read more
♻️ Australian fashion brand ELK is partnering with recycling company BlockTexx to manage end-of-life garments collected through ELK’s (RE)NEW take-back program. Using BlockTexx’s S.O.F.T. (Separation of Fibre Technology) process, the initiative will separate textiles into raw materials that can be repurposed for use in the textile, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors. → Learn more
🏆 Eight designers have been named finalists for the 2025 International Woolmark Prize, each receiving funding to create Merino wool collections as part of the program. The winner will receive AU$300,000 to support their business. → Learn more
💬 What’s your take on this week’s news? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and we might feature your response in next week’s newsletter!
Fashion’s Role at COP29: Progress or Missed Opportunity?
COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, faced significant scrutiny this week, with major world leaders and key fashion players skipping the conference amid criticisms over the host nation’s reliance on oil and controversial human rights record. While companies like PUMA, Inditex, and H&M attended alongside proactive suppliers such as Artistic Milliners, many others opted out, citing resource prioritization and skepticism about the event's impact.
Critics argue the lack of strong global commitments, particularly on climate finance for suppliers and clean energy transitions, undermines progress. Lewis Perkins, President of the Apparel Impact Institute, emphasized the importance of fashion brands participating in global events to drive policy and financial accountability, stressing that meaningful climate action requires industry-wide collaboration.
As fashion remains intertwined with agriculture, energy, and water systems, the industry’s absence at these events raises ongoing questions about its role in addressing climate change.
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I’m intrigued by the reaction to the HURR x Deliveroo deal and the positioning that it’s sustainable fashion that’s faster than fast fashion. From a consumer point of view it’s a very cool service if you aren’t organised and feel like you don’t have anything to wear. From a sustainability point of view it is getting a single item of clothing delivered to you on a moped in central London which is not exactly efficient behaviour. I can see why this is a cool campaign and a huge coup for HURR, but it’s also encouraging disorganised and “unmindful” fashion consumption and you can see in this case that the business growth and headlines are prioritised over sustainability which I find disappointing. Particularly because HURR positions themselves as a sustainable company and they haven’t addressed the elephant in the room here. I would have been more impressed if this press release already addressed this and said, for example, we’re offsetting the pollution in some way. But I applaud them on a great campaign and a cool idea for a growing rental platform.
Likewise, I love what Vestiare Collective is trying to do with their influencer campaign, and I don’t mind that they are calling out fast fashion brands they won’t list. However, I think there’s a risk that it backfires because some of the snarky social content could make consumers feel like their behaviour is being criticised rather than feeling educated about their future behaviour and that’s a quick way to turn people off the message. I hope it’s an effective campaign though and I am glad someone is testing this approach.
💬 What’s your take on this week’s news? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and we might feature your response in next week’s newsletter!