A recent report titled What Fuels Fashion?, by Fashion Revolution indicates, major fashion brands including DKNY, Tom Ford and Reebok have failed to outline plans to reduce carbon emission emissions in their supply chain.
The report ranks 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers, each with a turnover of $400 million or more. It evaluates these brands based on 70 sustainability criteria, such as emissions targets, supply chain transparency, and the use of renewable energy in factories. As per the report, only four out of 250 brands have met the emissions reduction targets set by the United Nations. While 117 brands had decarbonisation targets, only 105 disclosed updates on their progress, with 42 reporting increased scope-3 emissions compared to their baseline year.
Additionally, the report highlights that 86 per cent of companies lack a public coal phaseout target, and 94 per cent do not have a public renewable energy target. Only 43 per cent of brands are transparent about their energy sources.
Another major concern for the brands is overproduction. Almost 89 per cent of large fashion brands failed to disclose the number of garments they produce annually. The industry's impact on supply chain workers, particularly in regions prone to severe weather events, is also troubling. In countries like Bangladesh, extreme weather conditions, such as floods, pose significant risks to workers. The report notes that only 3 per cent of major brands disclose efforts to support workers affected by the climate crisis.
Maeve Galvin, Global Policy and Campaigns Director, Fashion Revolution, emphasises the potential for the fashion industry to make a positive impact. She states, by investing at least 2 per cent of their revenue into clean, renewable energy and upskilling and supporting workers, fashion could simultaneously curb the impacts of the climate crisis and reduce poverty and inequality within their supply chains.
