| Environmental, social and ethical pressures on the | | | | Exchange launched its Nike Anti Sweatshop campaign, |
| global textiles and fashion sector emerged in Europe | | | | focusing on the firms sourcing in China and Indonesia. |
| in the early 1980s. The main driver was consumer | | | | A good deal of negotiations and stakeholder |
| concern over the safety of the materials. However, | | | | meetings led to a generally accepted code of |
| in parallel with this trend, a minority group of ethical | | | | practice for labor management in developing countries |
| consumers demanded "chemical-free" and low | | | | acceptable to most parties involved. The SA 8000 |
| environmental impact clothing and fashion goods. This | | | | emerged as the leading industry driven voluntary |
| resulted in the European and later the U.S. organic | | | | standard on worker welfare issues. SA 8000 |
| labeling system being extended to include criteria for | | | | supporters now include the GAP, TNT and others |
| clothing and textiles, such as organic cotton. As of | | | | and SAI reports that as of 2008, almost 1 million |
| 2007, the sector was the fastest growing part of | | | | workers in 1,700 facilities have achieved SA 8000 |
| the global cotton industry with growth of more than | | | | certification. TheFair Trade movement has also had a |
| 50% a year. Regarding safety standards, the | | | | significant impact on the fashion business. The |
| Oeko-Tex standard has become highly popular in the | | | | standard combines a number of ethical issues of |
| industry. Although unknown to consumers, it tests | | | | potential concern to consumers - environmental |
| for chemicals such as flame retardants in clothes and | | | | factors, fair treatment of developing country |
| categorizes goods according to their likely exposure | | | | suppliers and worker welfare. The Fair Trade label has |
| to humans (e.g. baby clothes must adhere to the | | | | show explosive growth. |
| strictest standards for chemicals). Thus the issue of | | | | Albeit on a very small scale and not always at the |
| chemicals in clothing has become largely one of liability | | | | top end of the fashion industry, many niche brands |
| risk control for the industry with the consumers | | | | have emerged which promote themselves primarily |
| obviously expecting products to pose no risk to their | | | | on sustainability grounds. People Tree in the UK |
| health. Organic and eco fashion and textiles attracts a | | | | states that it "creates Fair Trade and organic clothing |
| far smaller, but fast growing group of consumers, | | | | and accessories by forming lasting partnerships with |
| largely in Western Europe and Coastal U.S. | | | | Fair Trade, organic producers in developing countries. |
| Of far greater concern to the global fashion sector is | | | | Leading fashion journal Marie Claire ranked its "top 10" |
| the issue of worker welfare. The issue was | | | | eco brands in a recent issue. The key issues remain |
| highlighted by pressure groups such as: | | | | chemicals in clothing (certified by organic and Fair |
| Global Exchange in the U.S. targeting Levis and Nike | | | | Trade labels), worker treatment (certified by SA |
| and others. | | | | 8000 and Fair Trade) and increasingly mainstream |
| In the late 1980s and early 1990s anecdotal evidence | | | | environmental issues such as climate change. The |
| began emerging from labor activists in the U.S. and | | | | world's largest fashion brand Louis Vuitton recently |
| Europe concerning the supply chains and overseas | | | | acquired a small eco fashion label. It is clear, however, |
| factories of leading U.S. and European multinationals. A | | | | from the example of Nike and Levis, that certain |
| key target was the world's leading maker of denim | | | | issues are here to stay, such as a demand by |
| jeans Levi Strauss, but more significantly Nike, the | | | | Western consumers that leading brands manage the |
| world's largest sports shoe marketing firm. Global | | | | issue of worker welfare in their supply chain properly. |