BRIEFING: Meeting the environmental challenge in the apparel industry

The progress the clothing sector has made over the past ten years in improving labour conditions in its supply chain has shown what can be achieved by companies acting both individually and collectively to address an area of acute public concern. To a degree, the intense media focus given to social issues in the supply chain has resulted in less public attention being given to the environmental impacts of the clothing and textiles industry, and by the same token to the efficacy of the industry’s efforts to meet those environmental challenges.This briefing provides an overview of what those challenges are and how the industry is attempting to meet them, with perspectives from corporate responsibility executives, industry advocates and campaigners.