Setting the Course for Sustainable Impact

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Real Change Happens When We Move as One

The apparel alliance is a partnership between four organizations who have joined forces.

The apparel alliance aligns its goals, solutions, tools and reporting, as well as events and training to create a connected, end-to-end path to action for the entire apparel and footwear industry as we work together to achieve a minimum goal of 45% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030.

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Know Us

The apparel alliance is made up of four member organizations who encompass all stages of the apparel and footwear value chain. To learn about the core competencies of each member organization, click through the boxes on the right:

apparel impact institute (aii)

Identify, fund, and scale impact programs.

apparel impact institute (aii)

  • aii identifies, funds, and scales proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the industry.

  • aii plays the critical role as a source for impact solutions for brands, manufacturers, and philanthropic donors, validating and aggregating proven environment initiatives. It’s current focus areas are energy, water, and chemistry.

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is its impact management to deliver impact projects, funding initiatives, strategic partnerships, reports, and new impact areas in alignment with the priority climate interventions.
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Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)

Data and insights that inform progress and impact.

Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)

  • SAC’s mission is to transform business for exponential impact through groundbreaking tools, collaborative partnerships, and trusted leadership for industry sustainability.

  • SAC helps companies lead through collective action, alignment of targets, and transparency of progress. Through the Higg Index, a suite of online tools for the measurement of social and environmental sustainability across the industry, the SAC is growing a single standard for measurement of impact across consumer goods industries. 

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is the broad engagement of the industry’s global value chain for sustainability measurement and performance.
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Textile Exchange (TE)

Increase adoption of preferred fibers and materials.

Textile Exchange

  • Textile Exchange guides leaders towards positive climate impact by starting at the source of textile production — raw materials and fibers.

  • By inspiring and equipping people to accelerate the adoption of preferred fibers and materials through clear and actionable guidance, Textile Exchange is driving positive impact across the global textile industry.

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is in accelerating the adoption of responsible fibers and materials, through its industry tools, guides, responsible standards, and promotion of transparency and traceability.
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The ZDHC Foundation (ZDHC)

Scale and manage clean facilities and environments.

The ZDHC Foundation (ZDHC)

  • ZDHC enables brands and retailers in the textile, apparel, and footwear industries to implement sustainable chemical management best practices across the value chain. 

  • Through collaborative engagement, standard setting, and implementation, ZDHC is advancing the industry towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals. The ZDHC Foundation oversees implementation of the Roadmap to Zero Programme and is a global multi-stakeholder initiative of more than 160 contributors within the fashion and footwear industry.

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is sustainable chemical management and related impact areas to deliver programs, tools, and data needed to support transparency, performance, and impact in the apparel and footwear industry.
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apparel impact institute (aii)

  • aii identifies, funds, and scales proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the industry.

  • aii plays the critical role as a source for impact solutions for brands, manufacturers, and philanthropic donors, validating and aggregating proven environment initiatives. It’s current focus areas are energy, water, and chemistry.

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is its impact management to deliver impact projects, funding initiatives, strategic partnerships, reports, and new impact areas in alignment with the priority climate interventions.
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Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)

  • SAC’s mission is to transform business for exponential impact through groundbreaking tools, collaborative partnerships, and trusted leadership for industry sustainability.

  • SAC helps companies lead through collective action, alignment of targets, and transparency of progress. Through the Higg Index, a suite of online tools for the measurement of social and environmental sustainability across the industry, the SAC is growing a single standard for measurement of impact across consumer goods industries. 

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is the broad engagement of the industry’s global value chain for sustainability measurement and performance.
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Textile Exchange

  • Textile Exchange guides leaders towards positive climate impact by starting at the source of textile production — raw materials and fibers.

  • By inspiring and equipping people to accelerate the adoption of preferred fibers and materials through clear and actionable guidance, Textile Exchange is driving positive impact across the global textile industry.

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is in accelerating the adoption of responsible fibers and materials, through its industry tools, guides, responsible standards, and promotion of transparency and traceability.
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The ZDHC Foundation (ZDHC)

  • ZDHC enables brands and retailers in the textile, apparel, and footwear industries to implement sustainable chemical management best practices across the value chain. 

  • Through collaborative engagement, standard setting, and implementation, ZDHC is advancing the industry towards zero discharge of hazardous chemicals. The ZDHC Foundation oversees implementation of the Roadmap to Zero Programme and is a global multi-stakeholder initiative of more than 160 contributors within the fashion and footwear industry.

  • Their core competency within the apparel alliance is sustainable chemical management and related impact areas to deliver programs, tools, and data needed to support transparency, performance, and impact in the apparel and footwear industry.
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apparel alliance Resource Areas

Together, the apparel alliance has created a contiguous sustainability framework for the entire industry, spanning across four primary resource areas: Programs & Tools, Global Implementation, Impact Management & Funding, and Administration & Infrastructure.

We're Coordinating Resources for the Industry to Move Faster, Together

Programs
& Tools

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The apparel alliance member organisations assess their programs, tools, and partnerships to find and foster complementarity and efficiency. An example of this would be a partnership between ZDHC and SAC, where their partnership allows for greater complementarity between ZDHC’s MRSL and the Supplier to Zero Programme alongside the SAC’s Higg FEM assessment. The main areas of emphasis within the program and tools include: 

- Engagement and Communications 
- Tools and Standards 
- Subject Matter Governance

Global Implementation 

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The four member organisations of the apparel alliance cooperate deeply with one another on the adoption of programs and tools that facilitate the acceleration of their global impact, especially at the facility level. Therefore, the main areas of emphasis within the global implementation include:

- Regional Access 
- Implementation 
- Education and training

Impact Management & Funding

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All member organisations of the apparel alliance are currently working to develop a collective impact model for global implementation, one that works towards the focus areas of impact as identified by the apparel alliance. A global impact model would empower the alliance to foster cooperation at the facility level and make impact management a more efficient and meaningful endeavour within the apparel and footwear industry. The main areas of emphasis within the impact management and funding include:

- Impact Projects and Funding 
- Business Development
- Industry Impact Reporting

Administration & Infrastructure

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As the member organisations of the apparel alliance continue to grow globally, administration and infrastructure resources assist in facilitating cooperation and increasing efficiency among all of alliance’s member organisations. Through this, the alliance is able to address the needs of its growing member organisations and provide operational services such as, financial management and human resources. Therefore, the main areas of emphasis within the administration and infrastructure include:

- Finance and Legal
- Operations
- Human Resources

Our Progress

Align core competencies

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TE and SAC conference

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TE and SAC joined roadmap

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SAC and ZDHC agreement

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AII and ZDHC

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Framework for collective impact

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What's next

Our Progress

Aligning Core Competencies

Textile Exchange & SAC Conference

Textile Exchange & SAC Launch Joint Roadmap

SAC & ZDHC Agreement

AII & ZDHC

By identifying six interventions in materials and production, the report offers a map to prioritize decarbonization efforts within the industry.

Framework for Collective Impact

Coming soon

Standardized Goals & Measurements

Coming soon

Impact Management Hub

Coming soon

Impact Navigation Model

Coming soon

Centralized Training & Resources

Coming soon

Collaborative Funding Model 

How We'll Shift the Industry Towards a Carbon-Positive Future

We have aligned the apparel alliance on directing the industry towards seven interventions identified in the most recent, “Roadmap to Net Zero Report,” from the World Resources Institute and Apparel Impact Institute. 

Critical to reducing our carbon emissions, these interventions include:
1. Maximizing material efficiency
2. Scaling sustainable materials and practices
3. Accelerating the development of innovative materials
4. Maximizing energy efficiency
5. Eliminating coal in manufacturing
6. Shifting to 100% renewable electricity
7. Advancing circular business models

Download the report to understand your role and opportunities on the path to net-zero. 

Download