Climate

The apparel sector’s carbon footprint grew sharply in 2023, underscoring the gap between climate commitments and actual performance. The rise in emissions was driven primarily by polyester usage, particularly virgin fibres. Despite growing investment in greener practices, the sector remains far off course for its 2030 goals, according to a new report from Apparel Impact Institute.

A groundbreaking study reveals that luxury fashion brands score just 37% on average for transparency around artisan production impacts. The first-ever Artisans' Index exposes how brands from Gucci to Wayfair fail to monitor environmental and social conditions for millions of craftspeople creating embroidered handbags and apparel, block-printed textiles, and handwoven homeware.

A new 2025 analysis of fashion industry climate strategies has found that leading brands like Adidas, H&M Group, and Shein continue to fall short of meaningful action. The report by NewClimate Institute  cited weak electrification plans, overreliance on fossil gas and biomass, and a refusal to move away from the fast fashion model.

The footwear industry is finally kicking back against outdated data and misinformed comparisons with apparel. A new report busts myths around the industry's carbon impact, revealing major emission cuts and outlining clear paths for progress. With better materials, smarter factories, and accurate research, footwear can lead the way in fashion’s sustainability race.

A new report from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reveals that fashion industry climate plans are dangerously out of touch with worker realities. Despite bold decarbonisation targets, brands exclude workers from planning, risking livelihoods and safety. The study calls for a just transition that integrates environmental and social justice.

Bangladesh’s garment industry faces mounting pressure to decarbonise amid regulatory shifts and brand climate commitments. Yet, financing, energy infrastructure, and governance gaps hinder progress. A new Apparel Impact Institute report has outlined the critical enablers required for a just transition, from policy reform to capacity building. AII President and CEO Lewis Perkins throws light on programmatic investment and long-term collaboration to future-proof the sector in Bangladesh.

For every fashion brand aligned with Paris Agreement benchmarks, nearly six are increasing their pollution, says a new analysis by environmental advocacy group Stand.earth, whose 2025 Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard assesses the top apparel and footwear brands on several climate indicators.

A report, ‘Outdoor and Sports as a Leading Climate Solution Provider’, claims that this fashion segment can move far beyond its small carbon footprint to become a transformative force for climate action, health, and societal well-being. The report is almost a manifesto for a flourishing future, urging a shift from risk and compliance to opportunity and vision.

As the fashion industry struggles to firm up a roadmap towards decarbonisation, one of the players that has been pro-active in trying to clean up its supply chain is the H&M Group. Kim Hellström, Senior Sustainability Manager, Climate at the Group speaks at length about the challenges in decarbonising the supply chain.

Socially disadvantaged people are disproportionately affected by temperature extremes. A recent study explored this point in Cambodia: one of the world's hottest and most humid countries. It evidenced the extent of the heat exposure faced by workers in Cambodia and the way occupational, environmental and geographical dynamics combine to shape it. The study’s lead author, Dr Laurie Parsons of Royal Holloway, University of London, contextualises this for the country’s garment workers.