Before diving into this week’s news recap, we want to pause and acknowledge the devastating fires in Los Angeles. The destruction, displacement, and emotional toll have profoundly impacted countless members of our community. Our hearts go out to everyone affected during this incredibly challenging time, and we extend our deepest gratitude to the first responders, volunteers, and neighbors who are coming together to provide relief and support recovery efforts.
For those looking to support relief efforts, Mutual Aid LA has compiled a regularly updated list of donation and volunteer opportunities. You can find it here.
— Brittany Sierra
January 10, 2025
Welcome to the first Week/End of 2025! Here’s your quick-hit guide to this week’s top sustainability news at the intersection of fashion, business, and ethics.
TL;DR — here’s what happened this week in sustainable fashion news:
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Pili and Orta introduced biobased indigo dye to cut denim production emissions by 50%.
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California became the first state to ban PFAS chemicals in clothing.
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NIST launched a free near-infrared database to improve textile recycling and sorting.
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A new Transparentem report exposed child labor, debt bondage, and unsafe conditions in Indian cotton supply chains.
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Poshmark and Loop partnered to enable the resale of non-returnable items.
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Shein faced U.K. lawmakers over alleged links to forced labor in Xinjiang.
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20+ jobs were added to the SFF Job Board.
…and more!
California became the first U.S. state to ban PFAS chemicals in clothing and textiles under the Safer Clothes and Textiles Act. The law prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of new fabric products containing regulated PFAS, including clothing, accessories, footwear, bedding, and upholstery, with limited exemptions for outdoor apparel. Manufacturers must provide compliance certificates to retailers and replace PFAS with safer alternatives by 2028.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the NIR-SORT database, a free tool that uses near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to provide molecular “fingerprints” for 64 fabric types, including pure fibers, blends, and post-consumer fabrics. Designed to support textile recycling, the database aims to help facilities improve sorting accuracy and speed, reduce manual labor, and increase recovery rates by training machine learning algorithms for automated systems. The database is publicly available via the NIST Public Data Repository.
A new Transparentem investigation uncovered widespread labor abuses on cotton farms in Madhya Pradesh, India, including child labor, debt bondage, and hazardous working conditions. The report identified 90 farms supplying cotton to major manufacturers, including Pratibha Syntex, Remei Group, and Maral Overseas, which in turn provide materials to global brands such as Inditex, H&M, and Amazon. Findings included children as young as six working in unsafe conditions, exposure to prohibited pesticides on organic farms, and workers trapped in cycles of poverty and debt.
In response, several brands and suppliers have launched remediation efforts, including a three-year collaboration with the Fair Labor Association to improve labor standards and enhance supply chain traceability in the region.
At a UK parliamentary hearing, Shein’s general counsel, Yinan Zhu, dodged multiple questions about the company’s ties to forced labor in Xinjiang and compliance with the UK Modern Slavery Act. Zhu refused to confirm whether Shein sources cotton from China’s Xinjiang region and deferred several other inquiries—including those about labor conditions and supply chain audits—to written responses.
Committee chair Liam Byrne criticized Zhu’s lack of transparency, calling it “ridiculous and disrespectful.” The hearing has raised further doubts about Shein’s labor practices as the company prepares for a potential IPO in London by mid-2025.
📺 Watch the full committee hearing here. [Timestamp: 15:57:59]
▶︎ Ambercycle is partnering with Benma to scale Cycora staple fibers, commonly used in everyday textiles like casual clothing and denim. Separately, Ambercycle also announced a partnership with Shenghong Holding Group to expand production of Cycora filament yarns, long fibers used in performance and luxury applications. Together, these partnerships broaden Cycora’s reach across textile markets.
▶︎ Poshmark and Loop announced a partnership enabling U.S. shoppers to resell non-returnable items purchased from Loop’s merchant network directly on Poshmark’s platform. With tighter return policies leaving customers stuck with unwanted items, this collaboration aims to addresses the waste generated by unreturnable purchases while expanding Poshmark’s resale ecosystem
▶︎ Pili, Citizens of Humanity, and Orta have partnered to introduce biobased indigo dye to the denim industry, with the first garments debuting in the Spring 2025 collections of Citizens of Humanity and AGOLDE. The dye uses renewable resources like sugar through a fermentation and green chemistry process, reducing energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and reliance on fossil fuels. Pili’s technology integrates with existing production methods and claims to cut carbon emissions by up to 50%, providing a sustainable alternative to petrochemical dyes.
On January 1, a fire tore through Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, the largest secondhand clothing market in the world, causing catastrophic damage. At least two lives were lost, and over 500 people sustained injuries, many of them severe. The market, a vital hub for reuse and repair, processes 15 million secondhand garments from the Global North each week and recirculates 25 million pieces monthly. The fire destroyed shops, merchandise, tools, and equipment, directly impacting over 8,000 community members, including retailers, upcyclers, and kayayei (head porters).
The Or Foundation has committed $1 million USD to immediate relief efforts, including debris removal, medical assistance, and direct financial support for those affected. The organization is collaborating with market leaders and local authorities to rebuild the market and address the economic disruption caused by the disaster.
The Apparel Alliance including Textile Exchange, Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition), and ZDHC, released a harmonized Supply Chain Taxonomy framework to standardize classifications within the apparel and footwear industry. The taxonomy aims to address inconsistencies in defining and categorizing supply chain tiers, which have previously led to variations in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions modeling and supplier transparency.
The framework aligns with international standards, regulatory terms, and industry benchmarks, focusing on streamlining communication, transparency, and risk management across the supply chain.
A study by European academics Joëlle Vanhamme and Valerie Swaen reveals that despite the growing popularity of clothing rental services, projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2026, clothing rental services may not be as sustainable as they appear. Published in the Journal of Business Research, the study examines “rebound effects”—instances where initially sustainable behaviors inadvertently lead to increased consumption. The researchers found that for some consumers, renting clothes encourages more frequent use of rental services or leads to purchasing the same clothes after renting, negating the environmental benefits. Others, while reducing clothing purchases, use the money saved to consume more in other categories, like electronics or travel, thereby increasing their ecological footprint.
Global Standard, the organization behind the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), has opened a public consultation for GOTS Version 8.0 and its Implementation Manual, running until March 7, 2025. The process, conducted every three years, incorporates feedback from industry stakeholders and aligns with evolving sustainability regulations. A newly formed Standards Revision Committee of 25 members, representing diverse sectors of the textile value chain, will review input and oversee updates to ensure continued relevance and regulatory compliance.
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Ralph Lauren | Sustainability Manager, Supply Chain
New York, NY | Full-Time
→ Apply here -
VF Corporation | Senior Manager, Brand Compliance, Global Responsible Sourcing
Denver, CO | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Carters Inc. | Senior Sustainability Analyst
Atlanta, GA | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here
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Primark | Environmental Specialist – EPR
Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland | Hybrid・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Primark | Head of Ethical Trade and Sustainability – EMEAA
England, United Kingdom | Hybrid・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
ASICS | Product and Environmental Trade Compliance Specialist
Amsterdam Area | Hybrid・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Stanley/Stella | Sustainability Compliance and Reporting Manager
Brussels Metropolitan Area, Belgium | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Stanley/Stella | Sustainability Communication Manager
Brussels, Brussels Region, Belgium | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Carhartt WIP | Sustainability Reporting Specialist
Basel, Basel, Switzerland | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Hermès | CDI – Responsable de Projets Développement Durable
Paris, France | Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Zalando | Senior Manager – Sustainable and Circular Products
Berlin, Berlin, Germany | Hybrid・Full-Time・Contract
→ Apply here -
C&A | Senior Manager Materials and Circularity
Düsseldorf, Germany | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Hugo Boss | Senior Social Responsibility and Impact Manager
Metzingen, Germany | Full-Time・Hybrid
→ Apply here -
Kering | Corporate Sustainability Intern
Milan, Italy | On-Site・Full-Time・Internship
→ Apply here -
Prada Group | Sustainability Internship
Tuscany, Italy | On-Site・Internship
→ Apply here -
Versace | Sustainability & Product Compliance Intern
Novara, Italy | On-Site・Internship
→ Apply here
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Hanes Brands | Sustainability Lead
Kew, Victoria, Australia | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here
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Hermès | SD & CSR Assistant Manager
Seoul, South Korea | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
Adidas | Senior Manager, Nature Execution
Taipei, Taiwan | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
On | Material Traceability Lead (Senior)
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
On | Sustainability and Social Impact Lead
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
On | Sustainability Data Analyst
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here -
On | Sustainability and Social Impact Specialist
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | On-Site・Full-Time
→ Apply here
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