Dear Partnership members, dear readers,

the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles is working for better social and ecological conditions in global textile production for seven years now. Despite the pandemic and the structural challenges in the value chain, important progress was made again last year.

The Textiles Partnership makes an important contribution to highly relevant issues that I would like to advance together with you as priorities of German development policy in the coming years. As Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, I am therefore very pleased to support the PST:

Especially in a sector where the majority of the workforce is female, it is important to focus on the needs of women and girls and to take targeted action against abuses and discrimination. In the expert group on gender-based violence, you already exchange information on possible actions and best practices. The Textiles Partnership offers a platform that makes mutual support and knowledge exchange possible.

Work does not always protect against hunger and poverty – but a living wage does. I therefore very much welcome the fact that Partnership members are joining forces in the Living Wage Lab to develop scalable strategies towards living wages. Ultimately, all stakeholders need to work together to create sustainable, structural change.

The climate crisis hits the poorest countries hardest, including many textile-producing countries. Small adjustments alone will not adequately address this global problem. It requires a fundamental rethink. In the Textiles Partnership, you are intensively dealing with alternative business models and a circular textile economy. That is a first important step!

Together, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles covers almost half of the German textile retail market. This brings with it great responsibility. But also, the opportunity to set important impulses and to show the industry the way towards a sustainable, social and sustainable textile economy.

Much has changed since the Partnership was founded in 2014. With the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, companies have to fulfil due diligence obligations for the first time. The recently published legislative proposal of the European Commission even goes beyond this in its requirements and enables major progress in terms of development policy.

This will give the Textiles Partnership additional significance. On the one hand, multi-stakeholder initiatives – as also described in the European Commission’s proposal – can support the implementation of mandatory requirements. On the other hand, the PST remains a pioneer initiative that goes beyond legal minimum requirements. It can set accents in particular where a law needs to be supplemented.

As an ambitious initiative, the Textiles Partnership is continuously developing. And you all help to shape this development, contribute your expertise, and engage in exchange with each other.

I would therefore like to thank you very much for your important commitment and am pleased about the good cooperation!

Svenja Schulze

Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development