Dirty laundry: Dangerous chemistry in the washing drum - How fashion brands turn their customers into involuntary accomplices The results show that the textile industry causes a pollutant cycle of global proportions: From the production of textiles with high use of chemicals to residues in the finished textiles to washing out. The direct pollution effects of the textile industry go far beyond the country of production. Editorial team: Miller, Simone Mehr Details
Sustainability requires equity - The importance of living wages and incomes for a green economy Against the background of the massive human rights violations caused by very low wages, the discussion about the necessary level of living income is progressing. Despite all the difficulties involved in determining and implementing a living wage, this is currently being attempted in many sectors and regions. It involves companies, trade unions, non-governmental organisations, standard-setting organisations such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ Certified, scientific institutions and, in some cases, governments. Activities in this direction have multiplied in recent years. Interim results show that both a definition of what should be covered by a living wage and a regional-specific determination of its amount are possible. The first sectors are working on step-by-step plans for how the calculated wage level should be implemented. In order to trace this process, the following first step explains how the demand for living wages is linked to the requirements of the United Nations (UN) for compliance with human rights. In a second step, it is explained how a living income is defined. This is followed by case studies from various industries in which the theoretical aspects are put into practice or where at least a practical implementation is planned. The brochure concludes with an assessment of what the introduction of living income can mean for the development of prices for individual sample products as well as with demands on those responsible for the value chains. Mehr Details
Innovative and sustainable business models in the fashion industry: Entrepreneurial drivers, opportunities, and challenges New and existing companies are looking for ways to thrive in a competitive environment with innovative business models while respecting society and avoiding actions that harm the planet. Trends such as circular economy, fair trade, lowsumerism, and sharing economy are some of the many emerging entrepreneurial approaches that address this issue, but there is still a gap between what theory argues and the levels of environmental and social sustainability realized when theory is put into practice. In fact, most research on the topic of sustainable business models is still exploratory and does not fully acknowledge these emerging approaches, whose definitions, boundaries, and defining characteristics are still somewhat vague. This study seeks to contribute to the understanding of the inner entrepreneurial dynamics of innovative sustainable business models. In particular, we focus on the fashion business, a resource-intensive industry in which opportunities to reduce environmental impacts and to innovate business models abound. The aim of our research is to investigate innovative business models in the fashion industry that have sustainability as their defining characteristic, especially in terms of value proposition. In order to do that, we combine a systematic review of the literature with empirical research comprisingd of six interviews with specialists in sustainability, business model innovation, and the fashion industry, along with eight case studies on innovative fashion startups we define as ‘born sustainable.’ As a result, we propose a synthesizing framework that discloses trends and drivers of innovative and sustainable business models in the fashion industry. We also highlight opportunities and challenges for researchers and entrepreneurs interested in this topic. Mehr Details
Country profile: Croatia This country profile sums up the state of the art of the garment industry in Croatia focusing on wages, economic role of the garment industry, brand practices, health and safety issues and organizations and Union. Mehr Details
Dangerous Delays on Worker Safety - Walmart, Gap, VF, Target & Hudson’s Bay Have Failed to Address Deadly Hazards in many Factories, But Bangladesh Alliance Downplays the Problem with Rosy Status Reports Three and a half years after the catastrophic Rana Plaza building collapse, major apparel brands and retailers that are part of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety – including Gap Inc., Target, VF Corporation, Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), and Walmart1 – are failing to fulfill their commitments to make their supplier factories safe, leaving hundreds of thousands of workers at risk. Rather than hold member companies accountable, the Alliance is concealing their lack of action by refusing to publish detailed information on factory progress and by reporting some factories as ‘On Track’ on safety renovations when, in fact, they have failed to implement key renovations by mandated deadlines. Mehr Details
