9 Great Fashion NGOs Team Up To Accelerate Change

By Alex Assoune Nov 06, 2020

Nine leading non-governmental fashion organizations have teamed up as the Fashion Conveners to accelerate the sustainable transformation of the apparel and accessory industry.

Since August 2020, the global industry coalition wants to reduce the environmental and social impacts across fashion. The members will work individually and collectively to accelerate sustainability in the fashion industry.

Fashion Conveners plans high-level partnerships, strategies, and initiatives across the various sub-sectors of the apparel and accessory industry.

The leading group recognizes the urgency to accelerate the transformational changes to ensure fashion’s long-term success. It includes the following organizations:

Textile Exchange
The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)
Apparel Impact Institute
Fashion Makes Change (FMC)
Global Fashion Agenda (GFA)
Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC)
Fashion for Good
The Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action
The Responsible Business Coalition (RBC)

Fashion Conveners aims to build greater social, economic, and environmental prosperity within the apparel and accessories value chain.

It assembles the industry’s most influential businesses to address the climate crises and social impacts attributed to fashion.

The industry coalition leverages shared knowledge, skills, data, research, and networks to drive change and action. It wants to accelerate the industry’s progress along a journey of continuous improvement.

“For so long, the mainstream conversation has underemphasized the role of fiber production and textile manufacturing, not to mention what happens at the farm-level itself. We’re excited about what these new partnerships can mean for the industry driving holistic and scalable solutions.”

- LaRhea Pepper, Textile Exchange Managing Director

Fashion Conveners rely on key metrics, performance standards, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to maintain individual goals and independence.

It partners with fashion brands and companies to develop solutions, provide resources, drive policy, and accelerate the industry’s adoption of more regenerative and sustainable practices.

The group explains that the COVID-19 crisis exposed the fragility of the fashion industry’s value chain. It believes that a more sustainable industry is a more resilient industry, capable of healing the planet and better supporting its people.

“COVID-19 has been a very negative backdrop to so much industry news, and it has indeed accelerated our views on the potential for transformational partnerships, but together we’ve been contemplating deeper integrations for years. The timing finally seems right.”

- Amina Razvi, Sustainable Apparel Coalition Executive Director

The shift towards more environmentally friendly garment manufacturing is one of the most positive changes due to the coronavirus pandemic. While fashion stores are slowly reopening around the world, the industry realizes the importance of sustainability.

The global textile and apparel industry is sinking due to the economic crisis and subsequent lockdowns. But this disaster allowed consumers and large players in the fashion industry to plan for a better future.

The COVID-19 crisis has forced businesses and organizations to work towards making fashion more sustainable. The industry needs to start more sustainability initiatives to survive after the pandemic.

Fashion companies need to take massive action to reduce pollution, waste, and carbon emissions. Otherwise, they risk losing market shares, the trust of their employees, suppliers, partners, and customers.

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About the Author: Alex Assoune

Alex Assoune (MS) is a global health and environmental advocate. He founded Panaprium to inspire others with conscious living, ethical, and sustainable fashion. Alex has worked in many countries to address social and environmental issues. He speaks three languages and holds two Master of Science degrees in Engineering from SIGMA and IFPEN schools.