Sustainable Apparel Coalition

Definition

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is an industry-wide group of leading apparel, footwear, and textile brands, retailers, and NGOs aimed at promoting sustainable practices in the fashion sector. By providing tools and resources to measure and improve environmental and social impacts, the SAC helps companies brand themselves as responsible players in the marketplace, strengthens global sustainability efforts, and serves as a reference point for innovative business practices that drive growth.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The SAC was founded in 2011 to address the significant environmental and social impacts of the apparel industry.
2. One of the key initiatives of the SAC is the Higg Index, which provides brands with a framework to evaluate their sustainability performance.
3. Members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition collaborate to share best practices and work towards common sustainability goals across the industry.
4. The coalition has grown to include over 200 organizations, representing a significant portion of the global apparel and footwear market.
5. By participating in the SAC, companies can enhance their brand positioning and appeal to environmentally-conscious consumers.

Review Questions

• How does the Sustainable Apparel Coalition help brands improve their sustainability branding and positioning?
  • The Sustainable Apparel Coalition provides tools like the Higg Index that enable brands to measure their sustainability performance accurately. By using these tools, companies can identify areas for improvement and communicate their progress transparently. This ability to showcase commitment to sustainable practices enhances their brand image, builds consumer trust, and attracts environmentally-conscious shoppers.
• What role does the Sustainable Apparel Coalition play in global sustainability initiatives within the fashion industry?
  • The Sustainable Apparel Coalition plays a crucial role by uniting various stakeholders within the apparel sector to work towards common sustainability objectives. By collaborating with NGOs, brands, and retailers, it creates industry-wide standards for measuring sustainability impacts. This coordinated effort not only enhances accountability but also drives systemic change across the global fashion industry, contributing significantly to broader sustainability initiatives.
• Evaluate how the initiatives of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition can serve as a case study for sustainable business innovation and growth.
  • The initiatives of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition provide an exemplary case study of how collective action can drive sustainable business innovation. By leveraging tools like the Higg Index, companies can identify new opportunities for efficiency and innovation in product design and supply chain management. This focus on sustainability not only opens up new markets but also enhances competitiveness, showing that aligning business practices with environmental responsibility can lead to substantial growth and profitability.

Related terms

Higg Index: A tool developed by the SAC that allows brands and manufacturers to measure and score their sustainability performance across the supply chain.

Circular Fashion: An approach to fashion that emphasizes designing products with their entire lifecycle in mind, aiming to reduce waste and encourage recycling.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):

A business model in which companies integrate social and environmental concerns into their operations and interactions with stakeholders.