A global coalition of 130 organisations led by American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) and International Apparel Federation (IAF), has urged supranational, national, and local authorities around the world to modernise domestic textile, garment, footwear, and related accessories labelling requirements and legally allow more sustainable and economic, digital labels for required labelling information.
The signatories: The 130 signatories represent the global fashion and sportswear industry, and its enablers and stakeholders, including those representing materials such as leather, wool, and textiles; and those working to advance sustainability, circularity, and authenticity solutions.
Open letter: An open letter to “Whom it may concern” says that with greater demand for more traceability, transparency, and accountability from all stakeholders in the industry’s global value chain, the time for supranational, national and local authorities to act and update these outdated, inflexible, and complex labelling requirements and empower their consumers with more accessible information through greener e-labelling is now.
- Shifting to the use of digital labels would significantly reduce labelling waste and aid decarbonisation efforts, resulting in the elimination of at least 343,000 MT of CO2e from industry supply chains.
Bolder action required: In fact, reacting to the growing interest by consumers to receive information digitally, governments around the world are starting to embrace digital approaches—such as the proposed EU digital product passport and replacement of traditional labelling requirements with the option to use electronic labelling for consumer electronics products (eg, Singapore, Australia).
But to really move the needle, bolder action is required. The letter details the advantages of going for digital labelling:
- Amending supranational, national and local regulations to allow the adoption of fully digital labelling solutions would enable consumers to access more detailed and accurate information about the textiles, garments, footwear, and related accessories they are considering buying, such as more in-depth materials and origin information and supply chain details, without the industry being held back because of a need for the physical (limited) space for a label, and that can be updated in real-time to support more resilient supply chains.
- Product information would also become more accessible to a wider range of consumers, making it easier to read (including for individuals who are sight impaired) and be delivered in languages easily understood by them.
- Reducing the excessive amount of unwieldy and uncomfortable labelling tape the industry currently uses to a simple QR code or other digitally enabled tool would also discourage consumers from cutting off labels after purchase and ensure that the product’s information remains available throughout the garment’s lifecycle.
- Keeping this information with the product—which is what consumers and policymakers alike want—would make these products more useful and valuable for longer periods in the circular economy while unlocking new opportunities for resale, repair, rental, upcycling, or recycling.
The context: Industry estimates show that, collectively, labelling requirements now result in the annual production of approximately 5.7 million miles (about 9.2 million km) of label tape—enough to stretch from the earth to the moon, and back, twelve times each year.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Consumers today want more information with less waste. The opportunities are endless if digital opportunities are unlocked. Purchasers will gain access to more detailed and accurate information about the textiles, garments, footwear, and related accessories they are considering buying, such as more in-depth materials and origin information. It also unlocks more information throughout the garment’s lifecycle, including details about resale, repair, rental, upcycling, or recycling. This is one tool for a more responsible and agile global industry. We need the Federal Trade Commission, and sister agencies around the globe, to update their rules to give companies the option to meet labeling standards using digital means.
— Steve Lamar
CEO & President
American Apparel & Footwear Association
It is crystal clear we need to progress to digital labelling for apparel and footwear. The global environment needs it, the industry wants it, and consumers are expecting it. A patchwork of often very old-fashioned legislation across the world is blocking the logical path to modern garment and footwear labelling. There is no alternative to full global industry collaboration and coordination to remove these roadblocks to achieve digital labeling faster.
— Matthijs Crietee
Secretary-General
International Apparel Federation
