Support and improve The Fashion Act
New York’s proposed Fashion Act is a piece of legislation which if passed, would demand all major global brands selling in New York State (that’s most of them) to provide publicly available information about their supply chains, how they treat their workers and the planet. This information would then be used to set science based targets for climate action and to measurably improve the lives of garment workers who make their clothes.
Collective Fashion Justice has officially endorsed the Act, as it is vitally important to progress for a total ethics fashion future. But we also think it could be better.
You can help make this happen.
Ask the elected representatives sponsoring the Act to protect biodiversity and our fellow animals:
Send your own email now, using our email tips:
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While your impact is greatest when you write your own email, and our email tips can help to make this easy and effective, all messages matter.
If you aren’t sure what to write, send this:
”Dear Ms Biaggi and Dr Kelles,Thank you very much for your extremely important work on the Fashion Act, which is so critical for people and our warming climate.
I am writing today both to show my support for the Act, and to ask for it to include animals and biodiversity.
While one Bill cannot address every issue, the injustices inflicted on humans and the planet are inextricably linked with those experienced by our fellow animals, and without acknowledging this, any solutions created will only ever have partial success.
I support Collective Fashion Justice’s calls for publicly accessible tracing of raw materials derived from animals, and for risk assessment relating to animal cruelty to be required. Similarly, I would like to see the same tracing and action around habitat destruction, species endangerment and biodiversity loss included.Thank you”
The current Fashion Act will help combat the climate crisis, fashion’s waste crisis, and the exploitation of garment workers.
But the Fashion Act doesn’t address the biodiversity crisis or fashion’s serious exploitation of animals. This is where we need your help.
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We propose that the Bill demand that publicly accessible tracing of raw materials derived from animals include information on where animals are raised and slaughtered, and which high risk welfare issues are involved in these supply chains.
Such issues include mulesing, live plucking, standard mutilation practices without pain relief like tail docking and dehorning, branding, and so on.
Demanding fashion brands understand these risks helps the industry to move from awareness to action for the sake of harm reduction, as is the goal within the Act’s broader risk framework, which urges risks to not only be monitored but move beyond.
Many brands today use animal-derived materials without understanding all of the risks and harms involved in using them. This lack of knowledge limits opportunity for more responsible, innovative alternative sourcing. -
We propose that environmental disclosures required by brands should always include impacts at tier four where major biodiversity destruction occurs, demanding the assessment of risks and pollution relating to deforestation, land degradation, habitat destruction and wildlife endangerment. We cannot maintain carbon tunnel vision if we are to address the ecological crises fashion contributes to.
Many brands today are unable to understand which of their raw materials are causing the most biodiversity destruction, or how their supply chains contribute to wildlife endangerment, deforestation, land degradation and other risks. This lack of knowledge limits opportunity for more responsible, innovative alternative sourcing.
Want to do even more?
If you’re based in New York State, you can also contact your local representative here.
Share your support for an improved Fashion Act on social media
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Tag Collective Fashion Justice and the New Standard Institute in your posts to raise awareness!
New Standard Institute (@nsifashion2030 on IG and Twitter) is the organisation which worked to create this Bill – we are urging them to further improve their important work. Tag them and us (@collectivefashionjustice on IG and @co_fash_justice on Twitter) and CFJ will share your posts. You might also want to tag your elected officials and other decision-makers!
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What’s Collective Fashion Justice doing for the Fashion Act?
Early in 2022 Collective Fashion Justice engaged with New York State Senator Jabari Brisport, who supported our proposed alterations to the version of the Act which existed at the time. Our proposed alterations were then passed onto Senator Alessandra Biaggi’s office, and our board members met with her office to discuss them.
Since then, a new version of the proposed Act has been announced, but animals and biodiversity and still not included. We have continued to engage with Senator Biaggi’s office, as well as with the New Standard Institute, with whom we have also shared our endorsement of the Act. While we believe the Act must be stronger, we also recognise that in its current form, the Act could change the fashion industry for the better.
Collective Fashion Justice works for a total ethics fashion system, and recognises that while one Bill cannot address every issue, the injustices inflicted on humans and the planet are inextricably linked with those experienced by our fellow animals, and without acknowledging this, any solutions created will only ever have partial success. Help us to create a total ethics fashion system by supporting our proposed legislative reform to the Fashion Act.