Washington State Reintroduces Fashion Act, CBP Proposes Tighter Oversight on Textile Imports, U.S. Expands Forced Labor Blacklist, and More Sustainable Fashion News

The top sustainability news you may have missed this week.

Jan 18, 2025

January 18, 2025

Welcome to Week/End—your quick-hit guide to the week’s need-to-know sustainability news at the intersection of fashion, business, and ethics. Every Saturday, we deliver a curated recap of the most important industry updates straight to your inbox. No endless scrolling, no juggling multiple sources—just everything you need, in one simple, streamlined email. Think of us as your shortcut to staying informed and ready to lead the conversation—without the overwhelm.

TL;DR —Here’s what happened in sustainable fashion news this week:

Washington State Reintroduced the Fashion Act
CBP Proposes New Rule to Tighten Oversight of De Minimis Textile Imports
U.S. Expanded Forced Labor Blacklist to Include Major Chinese Manufacturer
British Fashion Council Adopted Copenhagen Sustainability Standards
OEKO-TEX Strengthened Certification Standards for 2025
Regenagri Introduced Carbon Insetting Program to Monetize Sustainable Farming Practices
EU Businesses Urge Commission to Protect Stability in Sustainability Legislation

Plus, sustainability job openings from Brooks Running, New Balance, Arc'teryx Equipment, Gymshark, Meshki, and more were added to the SFF Job Board.

Washington State Reintroduces Fashion Industry Disclosure Bill

What’s going on? Washington State Representative Sharlett Mena has reintroduced HB 1107, a bill that would require major fashion companies to disclose their environmental and social impacts. The legislation applies to companies with over $100 million in global revenue and would mandate transparency on chemical use, greenhouse gas emissions, labor practices, and waste management. It would also establish standards for marketing terms like "sustainable."

The details: This is the fourth attempt to pass the bill since its original introduction in 2022. Previous versions faced pushback from industry representatives, who raised concerns about compliance challenges and state-level implementation timelines. The latest version maintains broad disclosure requirements, while supporters argue it provides critical oversight on fashion’s environmental footprint.

If passed, companies would need to report high-priority chemicals, carbon emissions, and supply chain working conditions, as well as disclose how they manage excess inventory and define sustainability claims.

What’s next? If enacted, the first mandatory disclosures would be due to the Department of Ecology by January 1, 2027. The department must also complete a policy assessment by October 2026 and an updated review on sustainability labeling by October 2028.

Curious about what’s in the bill? Dive into the full legislation here.

CBP Proposes New Rule to Tighten Oversight of De Minimis Textile Imports

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) introduced the Entry of Low-Value Shipments (ELVS) rule as part of the Biden administration's effort to address the exploitation of the de minimis exemption, which allows goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. Originally intended for small, low-value shipments, the exemption has been widely used by companies like Shein and Temu to bypass tariffs, raising concerns about counterfeit goods, labor practices, and unfair competition.

Context:

In September 2024, the Biden administration announced plans to reform de minimis trade practices to strengthen domestic industries, reduce counterfeiting, and promote fair competition. Experts anticipated a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by late 2024, culminating in the ELVS rule to address regulatory loopholes.

Details of the Proposed Rule:

The ELVS rule would require electronic filing of detailed data for all shipments under the de minimis threshold, including textiles and apparel.
With over 4 million daily de minimis shipments, the proposed regulation is designed to improve oversight, enhance enforcement, and prevent counterfeit or non-compliant goods from entering the U.S. market.
A public comment period of 60 days will provide stakeholders an opportunity to weigh in on the proposed changes.

Industry Implications:

Brands importing low-value goods may face increased compliance costs for meeting new data reporting requirements.
While the public comment period will shape the final rule, implementation will depend on the speed of the regulatory process, which could extend beyond the Biden administration’s term.
By curbing exploitative practices, the rule aligns with broader efforts to promote sustainable trade and ethical business practices in the fashion sector.

EU Businesses Urge Commission to Protect Stability in Sustainability Legislation

A coalition of major companies, including Primark, L’Occitane, Nestle, and Unilever, has formally petitioned the European Commission to oppose reopening the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) for renegotiation. This comes as the European Commission prepares its Omnibus Simplification Package, which aims to streamline major sustainability regulations under the EU Green Deal.

Context:

The Omnibus Simplification Package, set to be unveiled by February 2025, seeks to reduce regulatory burdens, particularly for SMEs, by addressing overlaps in reporting requirements under the CSDDD, CSRD, and EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities.
The package follows political shifts in the 2024 European Parliament elections, where regulatory concerns gained momentum.
While simplifications aim to ease compliance, climate and labor advocates have raised concerns about potential weakening of environmental and social protections embedded in the original legislation.

Why the Coalition Responded:
The coalition’s letter highlights concerns that reopening the directives for renegotiation could:

Cause delays in implementation, undermining businesses that have already invested resources to meet compliance.
Create uncertainty that disrupts global supply chains and sustainability strategies.
Weaken the EU’s leadership in sustainability, impacting the broader push for global corporate accountability.

The Coalition is Calling on the Commission to:

Provide clear guidance for CSDDD implementation and maintain the current trajectory for compliance.
Avoid changes that could disrupt progress or dilute the impact of existing regulations.

With parts of the CSDDD already in force, this debate underscores a critical balancing act for the EU—simplifying compliance while maintaining the integrity of sustainability goals. The response to the petition and final details of the simplification package will likely shape corporate sustainability strategies heading into 2025.

PVH is Facing Scrutiny in China Over Xinjiang Sourcing Practices

China’s Ministry of Commerce has preliminarily determined that PVH Corp., parent company of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, engaged in "improper" practices related to Xinjiang cotton. The investigation, initiated on September 24, 2024, under the Unreliable Entity List framework, alleges PVH boycotted Xinjiang cotton products and terminated transactions with Chinese entities without factual basis. The final results of the investigation will be made public following further consultations reflecting the broader challenges for global fashion brands, including H&M and Uniqlo, in navigating conflicting trade regulations while maintaining access to critical markets like China, which produces over 90% of the country's cotton.

U.S. Expanded Forced Labor Blacklist to Include Major Chinese Textile Manufacturer

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has added Huafu Fashion Co., a leading Chinese textile manufacturer, and 24 of its subsidiaries, to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List. This marks the largest single expansion of the list to date, bringing the total to nearly 150 entities. The move targets Huafu's vertically integrated supply chain, which includes cotton planting and textile production in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where forced labor allegations have been widely reported.

The addition of Huafu Fashion's subsidiaries, including facilities located outside Xinjiang, subjects these companies to a rebuttable presumption that goods linked to them involve forced labor, effectively barring their import into the U.S. market. According to officials, the action is part of an ongoing effort to enforce the UFLPA, which was signed into law in 2021.

► The British Fashion Council will adopt Copenhagen Fashion Week’s sustainability standards, piloting them with Newgen brands in 2025 and implementing them fully by 2026. The requirements cover ESG strategies, diversity policies, preferred materials, and limits on single-use props, complementing London Fashion Week’s recent ban on exotic skins. While the initiative promotes sustainable practices, questions remain about the financial impact on smaller brands amid London’s challenging economic climate.

► OEKO-TEX announced updates to its certification standards, effective April 1, 2025, including stricter BPA limits, new requirements for leather supply chain transparency under EU deforestation regulations, and expanded Eco Passport certification to include commodity chemicals and biodegradability verification.

► IKEA’s parent company, the Ingka Group, announced plans to invest €1 billion in recycling infrastructure projects through its Circular Investments program. The initiative targets various sectors, including textiles and home furnishings, to increase the availability of recycled materials and reduce CO2 emissions. Key projects include RetourMatras, which recycles 2.5 million mattresses annually, and partnerships aimed at incorporating recycled textiles into IKEA product lines.

► Shein is consolidated its charitable efforts into the Shein Foundation, committing €5 million ($5.3 million) to waste monetization projects in the Global South, including support for Africa Collect Textiles’ recycling initiatives in Kenya. The foundation will fund local drop-off points and infrastructure to increase textile recycling efficiency, with additional grants supporting circular economy projects, such as a $250,000 low-interest loan to Cambodia's KaTik for upcycling textile waste. The foundation builds on prior commitments like the $15 million EPR Fund pledge announced at the 2022 Global Fashion Summit, following scrutiny over Shein’s labor practices and supply chain transparency, and coinciding with the company's preparation for a potential IPO in London by mid-2025.

Regenagri Introduced Program to Help Farmers Monetize Sustainability Through Carbon Insetting

Regenagri introduced a global carbon insetting program, enabling farmers and growers to monetize sustainable practices through its certification. The program supports carbon reduction efforts within supply chains by investing in initiatives like regenerative agriculture and reforestation, allowing certified farms to benefit from these investments. Initial participants include producers in the U.S., Brazil, India, Turkey, Ivory Coast, and Pakistan, covering 871,827 acres of farmland and cultivating crops like cotton, soybeans, and cereals.

As part of the certification, farms undergo annual third-party audits to validate greenhouse gas reductions in line with GHG Protocol and IPCC standards. Participating farms are issued carbon insetting units based on verified reductions in carbon footprint, providing an additional revenue stream for producers while enabling supply chain partners to directly decarbonize their operations.

By 2025, Regenagri expects to expand the initiative to 1.5 million acres, generating over 600,000 carbon insetting units annually.

💬 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!