In New York, a bill on the sustainability of fashion and social responsibility of fashion brands was unveiled. According to The New York Times, if passed, New York will become the first state where major fashion companies will be held legally responsible for their role in the climate change system. The bill is reportedly initiated by State Senator Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblywoman Anna R. Kelles. It is also supported by a coalition of non-profit fashion and sustainability organizations, including the New Standard Institute, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, as well as design activist Stella McCartney. The law would apply to global clothing and footwear companies with more than $100 million in revenue doing business in New York City, which includes nearly every major multinational fashion brand, from LVMH, Prada, and Armani, to fast fashion giants like Shein and Boohoo.
Under the future law, these companies will be required to map at least 50 percent of their supply chain, starting with the production of raw materials. They would have to disclose their payroll, greenhouse gas emissions, water and chemical management and develop specific plans to reduce their environmental impact. Finally, companies will need to disclose the amount of materials they produce and, for example, how much cotton, leather or polyester they use. All this information must be available online.
Companies will be given 12 months to comply with the supply chain directive and 18 months to disclose impacts. If they are found to be in violation of the law, the companies will be fined up to 2% of annual revenue – these fines will go to a new Community Fund administered by the Department of Environmental Protection. New York’s attorney general will publish an annual list of non-compliant companies.
“As the global fashion and business capital of the world, New York State has a moral responsibility to serve as a leader in mitigating the fashion industry’s impact on the environment and society,” Ms. Biaggi said in a press release. She called the initiative a “groundbreaking piece of legislation” that aims to make New York a world leader in “holding the fashion industry ‘accountable. She also said that the law passed should ensure “the priority of labor, human rights and environmental protection.”