Determination

Until recently, the fashion industry's sustainability initiatives were nearly exclusively voluntary and controlled. This is rapidly changing, as legislators focus on the industry's manufacturing impacts, marketing claims, and waste output.

Regulation is gaining traction. Originally scheduled for late last year, EU legislative proposals to back up eco-friendly claims and reduce microplastic pollution are now expected to be published in the first quarter of 2023, as part of a broader European push to reduce the industry's environmental impact and improve working conditions in its supply chains by the end of the decade.

Across the Atlantic, the New York State Senate will start work on fashion-related proposals this month, including required disclosures on responsible supply chain management and better labor rights for models and creatives. Toxic "forever chemicals" will be banned at the end of this year.

The Federal Trade Commission has cleared the way for an update to its "Green Guides" for environmental marketing claims, while the FABRIC Act, which expands on current California legislation safeguarding garment workers, seeks to get bipartisan support.