Collaboration in Action: Tools & Data
For the fashion industry to make meaningful progress toward sustainability targets, we need unified data and the right tools to manage it. Aligning on a common language is essential, not just to comply with upcoming legislation but also to streamline efforts and reduce redundancy for suppliers and brands.
In this quarterly briefing, we spotlight our Tools & Data Working Group – which comes to life publicly through the apparel alliance – to share how Fashion Conveners members, including Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), Cascale, Textile Exchange and ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme (ZDHC), collaborate to align and enhance their tools and programs.
WHY WE COLLABORATE ON TOOLS AND DATA
The organizations represented in the Tools & Data Working Group offer programs that are widely used across the fashion industry by a significant number of common members. These include but are not limited to Aii’s Clean by Design program, Cascale’s Higg Index suite of tools, Textile Exchange’s Corporate Fiber & Materials Benchmark Program and ZDHC’s Supplier to Zero Program.
To simplify how the industry reports on sustainability performance, the group meets regularly to explore opportunities to align their programs and standardize terms and definitions. “This group is rooted in collaboration, leveraging our different areas of supply chain expertise with the common goal of making it easier for the industry to leverage factory-level data, toward the 45% CO2e reduction by 2030 milestone,” says Andrés Bragagnini, Manager of Stakeholder Engagement at Aii and working group member.
Andrew Martin, EVP at Cascale and working group member, further emphasizes this point. “Together, our aim is to deliver significant new efficiencies, accelerating measurable impact. By replacing duplication with deep and intentional collaboration, and by providing clear, long-term roadmaps for continuous improvement for the industry, our four organizations aim to harness each others’ strengths to collectively move the industry forward.”
While the main focus is supporting the industry, the working group also helps set priorities and promote efficiency within Fashion Conveners member organizations. “We're complicated entities within a complex supply chain, so aligning our data is essential to maintaining our momentum,” adds Bragagnini.
HOW WE COLLABORATE TO SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY
Standardizing Language and Data
Recent regulatory updates in Europe and the United States (summarized in our last spotlight on Policy) will require companies to disclose new environmental data.
One key piece of legislation affecting the fashion industry is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which established the creation of Digital Product Passports (DPP). By 2030, every textile product for sale in the European Union will need a DPP – a digital tool designed to provide information about a product’s origins, material composition, supply chain, recyclability and more. “This development makes it even more critical to have an aligned data language for suppliers and brands,” says Janne Koopmans, Collaborations Director at ZDHC and working group member. “We’re working together to identify what brands really need to create DPPs and how we can help drive it forward through our program offerings.”
An example of this collaboration is the four working group organizations exploring how to assign unique identifiers to facilities. With the upcoming ESPR legislation, brands will need tier-specific data to create DPPs. Unique facility identifiers will be essential for this data collection. “If we have this in place, we can leverage other programs with detailed tier information to complete the data set, thereby reducing the data collection burden on manufacturers,” says Koopmans.
While legislation drives the working group’s priorities, frequent requests from industry members do as well. Another key priority is aligning on a supply chain taxonomy – a shared reference point for what is included in the different supply chain tiers – to help the industry speak a common language when reporting on environmental performance. “One of our main focuses is coming together to create a unified data language that acts as a translation between different tools so we can communicate with each other,” says Koopmans. “While we’re not there yet, we’re laying these foundations so that data communication can happen more smoothly for the industry.”
Aligning Tools and Solutions
With numerous data collection and measurement tools available to the industry – and the fact that many Fashion Conveners members’ tools are used by the same brands – a key focus for the working group is better aligning tools and data standards. This aims to create a more converged approach that accelerates progress, prevents duplication and reduces the burden across the industry supply chain.
For example, as of November 2023, ZDHC’s Supplier to Zero Programme aligns with Cascale’s Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), which standardizes how facilities can measure and evaluate their yearly environmental performance. Additionally, with the latest update to the Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM), key industry collaborators, including Textile Exchange and ZDHC, have contributed to the development of specific content related to chemicals, materials, biodiversity, and circularity. Various efforts to align reporting frameworks are ongoing, including between Cascale’s Higg BRM, Textile Exchange’s Material Benchmark, and ZDHC’s Brand to Zero programme assessment, further demonstrating the industry’s commitment to creating streamlined, unified approaches.
“By aligning our goals, solutions, tools, reporting, and training — we create a connected, end-to-end pathway to action for the entire industry. This is nothing small. Through collaborative efforts such as these, we hope to coordinate resources for the industry to move faster, together,” says Martin.
In addition, ZDHC’s Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL) and Wastewater & Sludge Guidelines are accepted in Aii’s Clean By Design program – an approach to supply chain efficiency guided by 10 Best Practices that when implemented in any production facility can deliver almost immediate return on investment.
As the fashion industry continues to face the pressing challenges of sustainability, collaboration and alignment between key organizations and initiatives are more critical than ever. By harmonizing tools, frameworks, and best practices, we can help drive meaningful change at scale, reducing environmental impacts and promoting more efficient and responsible supply chains.
Looking forward, our member organizations are committed to continue collaborating to align proven tools and programs. “By creating a more common language and aligning what we’re asking for, we hope to relieve some of the data fatigue often felt in the industry,” says Koopmans. “And if we obtain more useful, comparative data, we are also in a better position to drive progress and be more transparent.”
WHERE TO LEARN MORE
You can find a list of all Fashion Conveners member organizations’ tools and programs on this page.
Check the apparel alliance website for updates on the working group’s progress, as well as new resources as they become available.
Follow the Fashion Conveners on LinkedIn to stay up to date with our member organizations’ latest resources, collaborations and announcements.
The Fashion Conveners is a global collaborative of non-profit alliances working individually and collectively to accelerate positive action in the fashion industry. We are on a mission to accelerate collective action through connected partnerships within the apparel and accessories value chain, with the ultimate goal of building greater social, economic and environmental prosperity.
Learn more about the Fashion Conveners here.
Read our Q3 briefing on the latest launches, events and collaboration opportunities in sustainable fashion here.