An important new bill Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act has been introduced in the New York State Legislature and if it is passed, it will have a major impact on the fashion industry.
State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblywoman Anna R. Kelles unveiled Assembly Bill A8352.
The first-of-its-kind bill will make responsible fashion industry, which is one of the least regulated industries.
It would require all major fashion retailers “to disclose environmental and social due diligence policies.” Specifically, it would require all brands to use “good faith efforts” to map 50 per cent of the supply chain “across all tiers of production, from raw material to final production.”
It has been said that the law would affect large brands that account for over US $ 100 million in revenue (it will cover many fast fashion brands like H&M and luxury brands like Louis Vuitton). And if fashion companies violate the law, they could be fined up to 2 per cent of their revenue.
Experts believe that it’s a huge move, and one that could be a tangible step forward for making fashion more ethical and sustainable.
Violence, wage theft and safety issues in factories are pervasive because brands have no legal accountability to their manufacturers. With this new bill, these brands would have to ensure standards are upheld where clothing is produced and where the materials are farmed.
As per a report of The New York Times, the state legislature will likely bring the bill to a vote after budget negotiations in late Spring.
Senator Biaggi said that they have plenty of support and are hopeful it will become the law. As of now, there is no response from brands, but we’ll likely see some pushback. Specifically, for luxury brands, the argument against full transparency often comes down to proprietary design information issues. On the fast fashion side, brands usually blame sub-contractors for bad behaviour in the supply chain. If A8352 becomes law, we may see an end to these excuses and witness some changes – finally.
