Chapter 1

Preface

By Noor Naqschbandi and Linda Schraml

Dear Partnership members, dear readers,

2022 was a year marked by multiple crises, by turbulence in the political, economic and social arenas, and by challenges and change. Such difficulties are only exacerbated when you factor in increasing statutory requirements linked to sustainability and the implementation of due diligence obligations on human rights, society and the environment. All of this has a direct impact on most of you in your work.

Since its foundation, the aim and role of the Textiles Partnership has been to support and assist its members on their path to greater sustainability. Systematic alignment with the risk-based due diligence approach turns the focus on people and the environment. With the Textiles Partnership, our aim is to continue to advance the shift towards an industry that is socially and environmentally sustainable. To achieve this, it has been necessary to reassess processes and structures within the Textiles Partnership and realign these where necessary.

The new strategy has proved successful and we can be proud of that. It has raised the profile of the Textiles Partnership and has specifically strengthened our joint efforts in those areas we consider having particular importance and impact, namely in the implementation of due diligence, in relation to greater supply chain transparency and in our commitment to the four focus topics: living wages and purchasing practices, circular economy and climate protection, gender equality, and grievance mechanisms and remedy.

What is required now is to bring this new strategy to life. And as so often, this can only be done together and in partnership with others. So, we are urging you to play an active part in the Partnership’s work and to participate in projects, in strategy committees, in our working and members’ meetings. Take the opportunity to contact the Partnership Secretariat with your ideas and needs. Because of one thing we are sure: in the Textiles Partnership you will find motivated and like-minded people who are keen to develop solutions and best practices.

This annual report shows that 2022 was another year of considerable achievements. Here are just a few examples: the Textiles Partnership welcomed 12 new members; the project on recyclable product clones entered its second phase – this time shirts and jackets were tested for recyclability; 33 members of the Textiles Partnership sent a signal to end violence and harassment in the workplace and called on the German Government to ratify ILO Convention No. 190; through numerous projects and cooperation arrangements, including in Pakistan and Turkey, we are supporting the introduction of grievance and remedy mechanisms; and in India, we are support smallholder farmers to convert from conventional to organic cotton production. You can read about all this and more in this annual report.

We have also set our sights high for 2023. Our aim is to launch new projects in textile producing countries. We want to provide an ambitious lead and go beyond minimum statutory requirements. We want to demonstrate that this is possible and decide with our partners on the best way to do it. In turbulent times like these, it is vital that we remain committed to our goals, promote our profile as a strong multi-stakeholder initiative and continue our work as pioneers for sustainability.

Make the Textiles Partnership your partnership, so that collectively its membership is more than the sum of its parts. The more actively you are involved, the more impact we can have and the greater the added value for everyone.

On behalf of the Partnership Secretariat

Noor Naqschbandi and Linda Schraml

Table of contents
Chapter 2
Greeting Kofler

Chapter 2

Greeting

Parliamentary State Secretary Dr Bärbel Kofler

Dr Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Copyright: BPA/Steffen Kugler

Dear Partnership members, dear readers,

Since the creation of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, the environment in which it operates has changed significantly. The multiple crises we are facing today are posing enormous structural challenges to the global economy and international value chains. At the same time, companies are increasingly being required to meet their international due diligence obligations. Consumers are now paying greater attention to how their garments are produced and would like to see ethically produced clothing. With the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the European Commission’s proposal for an EU law, human rights and environmental standards are being strengthened along global supply chains. Companies will need to adapt to these changing conditions.

This is where multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Textiles Partnership have an important role to play. They can support companies in the ambitious implementation of mandatory measures. However, the Textiles Partnership goes far beyond the minimum legal requirements and supplements legislation in areas where a law alone cannot bring about structural change. The Textiles Partnership is an important platform that enables its members to discuss current challenges and address them together.

I am delighted that you, as a member of the Textiles Partnership, are moving with the times and helping to proactively shape the Partnership. The shift in the focus of the Textiles Partnership towards joint action with four focus topics offers enormous potential. It is good to know that the different stakeholder groups are committed to cooperating even more closely in future, pooling their resources and expertise, and sharing their networks. Through joint projects, you will have an even greater impact on the ground in producer countries and will be able to tackle challenges that you cannot overcome alone.

The new focus topics will also help the Textiles Partnership to make an important contribution to implementing the priority areas of German development policy. For German Federal Minister Svenja Schulze, a feminist development policy is especially important. The textile industry in particular offers many entry points to address this issue, as most of the workers are women. The Textiles Partnership gives us an opportunity to pay more attention to the special needs of women in the textile sector and to focus on addressing problems and discrimination. Women are often exposed to gender-based violence and earn significantly less than their male colleagues.

We are also in agreement with regard to the focus topic of living wages and purchasing practices: the Textiles Partnership can target those areas where legal provisions fall short. However, in many places the minimum wage as prescribed by law does not even allow textile workers to cover their basic needs. We need to join forces to raise wages and rectify this problem together.

As the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, we are happy to continue to support the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles in carrying out its important work. At this point, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude for the commitment you have shown in recent years and can only urge you all to make use of the Textiles Partnership and to play an active role in shaping it. Only by working together and engaging in open and honest communication can we move forward and create a viable, socially just and sustainable textile sector.

I look forward to continuing our cooperation.

Dr Bärbel Kofler

Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Chapter 1
Preface
Chapter 3
Realignment

Chapter 3

Textiles Partnership 2023

Due diligence, transparency and focus topics

Realignment

In recent years, the textile and garment sector and its environment have undergone significant change. Statutory regulation is also increasing, mandating companies to show greater commitment to sustainability and compliance with social and environmental due diligence requirements, including the Supply Chain Act in Germany. In addition, the EU launched a number of regulatory measures under the umbrella of the EU Green Deal. These have the potential to bring about major changes and new requirements for companies, consumers and producer countries alike.

Moreover, COVID-19 was still having an impact in 2022 and human rights violations continued in various countries such as China and Myanmar. Moreover, came Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the associated rise in energy costs and inflation. In the face of multiple crises, 2022 was a challenging year that brought great uncertainty and high levels of stress – for the economy, for politics and for people worldwide.

In 2022, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles set out its course for the years ahead, responding not only to the shifting framework but also taking measures to boost its own efficiency. From now on, Textiles Partnership activities will focus on three core elements.

Core element 1 involves companies making individual commitments to implementing due diligence and to transparent reporting on the implementation status. A prerequisite for this is knowledge of one’s own supply network, which is addressed in core element 2. Core element 3 looks at ways to effectively address four focus topics, so that capacity and resources can be pooled, and greater impact achieved.

 

‘This realignment has a clear objective: our aim is to contribute to the shift towards a more sustainable and responsible textile and garment sector and to support our members in the best way possible. It remains important for us to be accountable for the implementation of due diligence. But we avoid double reporting because we now also recognise other formats. All member companies are now required to publish their suppliers – this is how we promote industry-wide transparency. It will be easier to measure our progress thanks to the four focus topics and we’re moving more rapidly towards launching projects at the local level.’

Linda Schraml, head of the Partnership Secretariat

Here we provide an overview of the most significant changes. You can find more information in the news article about our realignment:

News

Due diligence, transparency and focus topics

In its meeting on 28 September 2022, the Steering Committee adopted a new concept for the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles. In the future, the Partnership’s work will focus on three basic elements.

Implementing due diligence

Reporting on the implementation of due diligence remains important core element 1. Member companies can continue to use the Partnership’s own review process, with data entry in TexPerT, and the assessment meeting. One new feature here is that other formats are now also recognised as evidence. Currently, these formats are reporting to BAFA in line with the German Supply Chain Act and audits for Green Button 2.0.

Supply chain transparency

All member companies provide the Partnership Secretariat annually with a list of their suppliers, in particular their sewing and RMG factories (Tier 1). All suppliers are aggregated into a list and published via the Open Supply Hub (formerly Open Apparel Registry). Participation in the aggregated PST list, which was voluntary until now, will now be mandatory. This is how the Textiles Partnership and its members are promoting transparency in the industry.

Addressing focus topics

Living wages and purchasing practices, circular economy and climate protection, gender equality, grievance mechanisms and remedy – these four focus topics reflect the challenges faced by the textile sector. At the same time, there is great leverage for improvement through joint action in the Textiles Partnership and with partner organisations.

A common framework based on international guidelines and recommendations exists for all four focus topics. This sets out the objectives pursued by the Textiles Partnership. Supplementing these are the ‘individual commitments’ made by member companies. Using standardised indicators, each member can measure its individual progress with the focus topics, while the Textiles Partnership measures progress in aggregate. And members implement joint projects in producing countries on all focus topics. These projects make a measurable contribution to the focus topics as well as towards individual indicators.

Chapter 2
Greeting Kofler
Chapter 4
Facts and figures
Chapter 3
Realignment
Chapter 4.1
Members

Chapter 4.1

Members

Facts and figures

In 2022, we gained 12 new members. At the end of December 2022, the Textiles Partnership had 128 members.

Welcome! These are the 12 new members of the Textiles Partnership:

In 2022, five members quit the PST or where excluded: Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband, Kampagne für saubere Kleidung, Hopp KG, Global Tactics Textilmanufaktur e.K., Orsay GmbH.

Chapter 4
Facts and figures
Chapter 4.2
Support material

Chapter 4.2

Support material

Facts and figures

Guidelines, factsheets & tools

2022, the Textiles Partnership published 15 new or updated guidelines and other support materials. Most of the documents can be downloaded from the PST website. Some publications are exclusively reserved for PST members (*).

Chapter 4.1
Members
Chapter 4.3
Events

Chapter 4.3

Workshops & webinars

Facts and figures

High on the agenda: Supply Chain Act and climate mitigation

Events surrounding the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and climate issues attracted particular interest in 2022. The most heavily attended event – with around 250 participants – was the webinar on Reporting Obligations under the German Supply Chain Act, organised in collaboration with amfori in December. In addition, many members took advantage of the events at the working and members´ meeting. For example, around 80 people followed the input of Torsten Safarik, President of the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), on implementing the Supply Chain Act, and the panel on ‘Mitigating climate risks in the textile and garment industry: How to achieve the 2030 goals of the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.’ Between 60 and 80 participants took part in the three webinars on calculating and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and on findings and lessons learned from fibre-specific life cycle analyses.

Topic-specific working groups

In addition, there were 44 meetings – mostly virtual – of the various project groups, expert groups and strategy committees. In these groups, members collaborate on circular economy, climate change mitigation, wastewater, forced labour, living wages, man-made fibres, natural fibres, grievance mechanisms and gender-based violence. The groups put an emphasis on exchange and peer learning.

Here are a few examples: in a webinar on LGBTIQ+, Hugo Boss presented its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to the expert group on gender-based violence. A peer learning group set up by the expert group on the circular economy addressed sustainable packaging and alternative business models. And in the expert group on forced labour, human rights violations in various countries and regulatory trends at the US and European level continued to dominate discussions in 2022.

ISPO Munich

The Textiles Partnership participated in the Sustainability Hub as part of ISPO, the international sports and outdoor trade fair, held in Munich from 28-30 November. In addition to the Textiles Partnership, 44 other brands, service providers and organisations had a presence, including Textile Exchange and the Fair Wear Foundation, VAUDE and Sympatex. Around 60 visitors took part in a guided tour of the Sustainability Hub on each of the three days of the trade fair.

News

Participation in the Sustainability Hub

Sustainability was one of the leading themes at the major sports and outdoor trade fair ISPO in Munich from 28-30 November. The Textiles Partnership also exhibited at the Sustainability Hub.

News

Let´s Play, Fair!

This was the motto of this year’s Working Meeting of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles in Berlin. However, the participants only leaned back in a deck chair during the breaks, because the event is not called “Working Meeting” for nothing.

News

Partnership 2023 – Let’s get started!

Around 150 participants came to Hamburg for the 8th Members’ Meeting of the Textiles Partnership. They exchanged views, discussed and developed ideas for joint projects.

Chapter 4.2
Support material
Chapter 5
Contribution: Reiner Hoffmann

Chapter 5

Decent Work Worldwide

Guest contribution by Reiner Hoffmann

Reiner Hoffmann was President of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) from 2014 to 2022; he has been a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels since 2020. In September 2022, he was appointed as SDG Ambassador by German Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze. In February 2023, he was elected Chair of the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE).

Joining forces to do good work worldwide

I was delighted when German Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze appointed me as SDG ambassador for good work worldwide in September 2022. Decent work, fair wages and good working conditions are a prerequisite for a life in dignity, for a life in prosperity. Only through a socially acceptable world of work can good work succeed worldwide. For this we need a sustainable transformation of global supply chains.

In 2014, I was present at the founding of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles in my capacity as President of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB). Today, over eight years later, I can say that the Textiles Partnership and its members have accomplished a great deal over the years. Moving forward together to achieve ambitious goals was certainly not always an easy task and it still is not easy given the multiple crises we face today, compounded by the problem of fragile supply chains. This became abundantly clear during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nevertheless, companies, associations, NGOs, standards organisations, trade unions and the German Federal Government are all united by a common goal that they should not lose sight of, namely a socially just, environmentally friendly and corruption-free textile supply chain.

In 2022, the Textiles Partnership proved that it can keep pace with the changes in the textile and garment industry. With its new focus, it has put in place measures that will enable it not only to support companies in the ambitious implementation of legal requirements, but also to go much further and continue to do pioneering work.

I welcome the four focus topics identified by the Textiles Partnership as part of its strategic realignment.

Living wages are of paramount importance from a trade union perspective. The issue highlights the importance of freedom of association and organisation in producer countries and factories. Trade unions have a major role to play in wage negotiations. Strong unions and capable employers’ associations are fundamental to ensuring a living wage.

Gender equality is vital, particularly in a sector where most of the workers are women. Women and other vulnerable groups suffer more than others from poor working and living conditions. Targeted efforts to empower women economically as entrepreneurs, managers and employees, combined with a labour market policy that promotes gender equality, are essential measures for performing good work worldwide.

Circular economy and climate protection Companies need to think about the viability of their business models and rethink their products from scratch. This is already happening, for instance in the pilot project Recycling Product Clones. I am sure that the Partnership will continue to take ambitious steps forward – also in the context of the EU textile strategy.

Remedies and complaints mechanisms are essential for good work worldwide. They play a significant role in ensuring that human rights are protected, that social and environmental standards are met, and that remedial action is taken in the event of violations. In this respect, much has happened in the last few years, but Partnership members need to get involved, particularly in those areas where affected individuals still lack access to effective mechanisms. 

In multi-stakeholder initiatives, it is vital for all stakeholders to work together as equals. Regardless of the different perspectives and interests of the stakeholder groups in the Textiles Partnership, the focus is on the achievement of goals. Often, what makes cooperation so challenging is also what adds value to multi-stakeholder initiatives: alternative workplace realities and seeing things through a different lens forces all of you to constantly re-evaluate your own standpoint and strike out on new paths that you would not have taken on your own.

Now that the new concept has been approved, it is important to take action. After all, setting ambitious goals is not enough. It is also – and above all – about implementation.

The laws we pass here in Europe are one thing. What is important, however, is to reach the people along the entire value chain. Globalisation has created wealth – but the wealth is unevenly distributed. Basic labour standards need to be met in the countries from which we buy our goods. This is the only way to achieve social justice. Our efforts must have an impact on the ground.

The Textiles Partnership follows the ‘first mover’ principle. If we show that it works, it will have a positive impact on others as well. We need to scale up the progress we have made. In this spirit, I would like to wish the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and its members all the best and every success in the future.

Reiner Hoffmann 

Chapter 4.3
Events
Chapter 6
What we work on

Chapter 6.1

Living wages & purchasing practices

Focus topics

In the textile and garment industry’s producing countries, even if supplier companies comply with regulations on minimum wages, they often do not pay living wages. The Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and its members aim for living wages to be paid right along the supply chain in line with recognised benchmarks. Since 2023, living wages and responsible purchasing practices have been one of four focus topics in the Textiles Partnership.

Living Wage Lab

The Living Wage Lab first offered participating Partnership members the opportunity to agree on what a living wage is and how to achieve it. According to the ACT initiative, with which the Textiles Partnership cooperates, a living wage is the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet the basic needs of himself/herself and his/her family, including some discretionary income. This should be earned during legal working hour limits (i.e., without overtime).

In addition, the Living Wage Lab presented and shared with participants its knowledge resources, tools for wage data collection and wage gap calculation, as well as training courses and training opportunities.

The companies nominated individual suppliers to work with them to collect wage data and analyse wages paid to workers at production facilities. This data also reveals the wage gap, i.e. the difference between the wage currently paid in real terms and the living wage proposed by recognised benchmarks. The companies then worked with the producers to develop ideas and strategies for short and long-term measures to increase wages.

The companies in the Living Wage Lab were supported by Thrive Collaborative and other strategic partners, including the Fair Wear Foundation, ACT and the Fair Labor Association.

In order to further this differentiated approach to issues and exchange of information on country-specific risks and opportunities, participants formed smaller subgroups and organised country meetings.

The Living Wage Lab expired in March 2023. The Partnership Secretariat is now collating the promising ideas and approaches to share them with other stakeholders. Project participants are planning a follow-on phase, which will build on previous activities.

Further information on the new focus topic on living wages and purchasing practices can be found on the PST website.

‘One of the most important milestones in our cooperation was establishing the working group on responsible purchasing practices. Intensive dialogue on this with other companies is of particular value to us. The development of purchasing practices is not only a statutory requirement in Germany, it is also a first point of reference for eliminating human rights violations in the supply chain. The fact that the working group has an international dimension is particularly helpful, since it enables many companies to pool their different experiences.’

Dr. Gurgen Petrossian, Senior Consultant Sustainability at s.Oliver Group

These members participated in the Living Wage Lab

Companies:
Aldi Süd, Bierbaum Proenen, Chaps Merchandising, Deuter, Greiff, Hugo Boss, Kettelhack, Ortovox, Otto Group, Vaude, Waschbär, KiK

Civil society actors:
DGB, Südwind, Inkota Netzwerk

Further cooperation partners:
Thrive Collaborative (Service provider, project management support)

Meeting of the Living Wage Lab at the Working Meeting 2022

Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices (CFRPP)

In 2022, the Steering Committee established a Memorandum of Understanding to recognise the Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices (CFRPP) as the official reference framework for responsible purchasing practices in the Textiles Partnership. In other multi-stakeholder initiatives, too, the CFRPP is now driving action on purchasing practices.

The CFRPP was also cited several times at the OECD Garment Forum in February 2023 as an important new framework.

News

Purchasing Practices

In future, the “Common Framework for Responsible Purchasing Practices” will serve as a basis to support members in systematically improving their purchasing practices.

News

BMZ Conference on Living Wages: From Ambition to Implementation

On Tuesday, 27 September 2022, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) hosted the virtual conference “From ambition to implementation: Scaling successful approaches to living wages in textile supply chains” to strengthen international cooperation on the way towards living wages.

Chapter 6
What we work on
Chapter 6.2
Circular economy

Chapter 6.2

Circular economy

Focus topic

In March 2022, the European Commission presented the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles. The EU’s textile strategy is an initiative under the umbrella of the EU Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. The strategy’s objectives are to make textiles more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable by 2030 as well as to tackle fast fashion, reduce textile waste and prevent the destruction of unsold textiles. All this should also contribute to making the textile sector more resilient to crises and shocks in the supply of energy and raw materials.

Areas requiring specific regulation include:

  • An ecodesign regulation for sustainable textile products to set out binding product-specific ecodesign requirements. This includes, for example, requiring manufacturers to provide information on the recyclability of their textiles and other environmental aspects in a digital product passport.
  • The introduction of binding criteria on environmentally sustainable public purchasing.
  • The destruction of saleable goods should be prevented through mandatory transparent disclosure of this practice, including a ban.

This means demands on textile production are changing in ways that will also impact members of the Textiles Partnership significantly in the years ahead.

Since 2020, an expert group has been working within the Textiles Partnership on various aspects of the circular economy. In 2022, during phase II of the Product Clones project, Partnership companies Blutsgeschwister, Hakro, Seidensticker and s.Oliver collaborated with the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences to address sustainable design and the recyclability of materials used.  The specific focus here was on two categories of products: shirt/blouse and jacket/coat. The project set out to identify barriers to the recyclability of these particular products and to design textiles in a more sustainable way.

In addition, the expert group on the circular economy organised a series of webinars and workshops on alternative business models, including renting and leasing models, recycling and take-back systems, retro-logistics and repair services. The aim was to share best practices among member companies and inspire them with the knowledge that the circular economy in business is feasible and that implementable solutions really are worthwhile. The presentations are available for Partnership members in the members’ portal.

The realignment in 2022 gave rise to a new focus topic on the circular economy and climate protection, established with a view to working in greater depth on this area and implementing specific projects.

‘Forced by legal regulations introduced by the EU, the textile and garment industry are having to rethink excess wastage and poor use of resources at a time when raw materials are in short supply. What sounds logical is not easy to implement, however. The development and practical implementation of material identification and material flow management are lacking, along with environmentally and economically sound recycling processes, durable products with recyclate content and much more besides. However, these tasks can be addressed more easily in cooperation with partners from business, municipalities and research.

For this reason, we very much welcome the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles and its tireless project work. As the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences we joined the Partnership, which enables us to be even more effective as problem-solvers within the industry. The Product Clones II project is one such example. Here, we were allowed to address in depth the recyclability of two product categories and in so doing develop cross-company approaches, without losing sight of the character of the products or companies. As a university, we are currently looking increasingly at the quality of old textiles. We want to know how much substance is left in used fibres at the end of a product’s life and whether these fibres are still suitable for recycling. The Product Clones project also gave us some answers to these questions.’

Prof Maike Rabe, Head of the Research Institute for Textiles and Clothing (FTB) at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences

News

Start of the 2nd project phase

Now that the first phase has been successfully completed, the aim is to include further product categories.

News

The “perfect” solution for circular economy?

How do companies approach circular economy? What are the biggest challenges? In a workshop at the PST working meeting, around 30 members exchanged views on this.

News

Standardisation roadmap on circular economy

A standardisation roadmap is to provide an overview of the status quo of standardisation in the field of circular economy, describe requirements and challenges for seven focal topics and identify and formulate the concrete needs for action for future norms and standards.

News

Presentation of results in the product cloning project

Designing products to be sustainable and recyclable? That is possible, as a project of the Recycling Working Group shows. Nine alliance companies nominated ten of their products and had them analysed by the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. The results have now been presented.

Chapter 6.1
Wages & purchasing practices
Chapter 6.3
Climate

Chapter 6.3

Climate action

Assessment and reduction

In its 6th Status Report of March 2023, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that we will exceed global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius within the next decade. Current measures and implementation plans are inadequate both in terms of speed and scope. IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee offered the following commentary on the current situation: ‘We are walking when we should be sprinting.’ It is therefore high time for the textile sector to also integrate relevant reduction measures into all tiers of the supply chain.

OECD guidance for the garment and footwear sector lists greenhouse gas emissions as one of the sector risks. As such, this is part of the risk analysis carried out as part of the Review Process in the PST. This requires member companies to analyse whether there is a (potential) risk of high greenhouse gas emissions in their supply chain and to set out appropriate mitigation measures should this be the case. However, these measures have so far been limited primarily to the direct business of fashion brands and retailers. ‘Scope 1’ includes headquarters, sales and the respective branches. This often involves companies switching to electricity from renewable sources or installing photovoltaic systems.

Significantly more complex are conversion measures in the lower supply chain tiers (Scope 3). The production of garments and textiles – and finishing in particular – involves considerable demand for energy and heat. In producer countries in Asia, energy and heat are often generated from fossil fuels. So production facilities are often not able to solve their conversion to renewable energies simply by switching supplier. In many cases, this is because the provision of electricity, heat and energy cannot be guaranteed or costs are significantly higher – a disadvantage for producers. Purchasing companies should therefore work with their suppliers to identify feasible solutions locally and promote and support appropriate adaptation measures.

Focus topic on the circular economy and climate protection

With the new focus topic on the circular economy and climate protection, the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles is seeking specifically to address the use of resources. Partnership initiatives are designed to help members jointly promote the local impact of circular and resource-saving textile production, including lower greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2022, Partnership members laid the foundations for this by developing a reference framework, indicators and project ideas. Their shared objective was to accelerate the transformation process at production site level, set incentives for adaptation measures and work with producers to define targets and take specific steps towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The key task for 2023 is now to implement projects and roll them out on a large scale.

Further information on the

News

Assessment of available tools for measuring GHG emissions

To help companies find the right tool for balancing their greenhouse gas emissions, the Expert Group on Climate Protection has produced a 60-page overview document in cooperation with the Öko-Institute.

News

The importance of climate change for the textile industry

Four online events provide an overview of the significance of climate change for the textile industry, the accounting of greenhouse gas emissions and suitable reduction measures.

Chapter 6.2
Circular economy
Chapter 6.4
Gender equality

Chapter 6.4

Gender equality

End gender-based violence and discrimination, promote inclusion

Winding up the expert group on gender-based violence and a new focus topic

Gender equality is an important issue for the Textiles Partnership. Members work together to end discrimination and violence. In 2022, the focus of the expert group on gender-based violence was again on exchange and learning from one another. 

The approach also included webinars. In March, ALDI Nord shared its lessons learned from its own gender policy and action plan. Webinar participants were given tips, building blocks and best practices to develop their own gender policy. And in October, Partnership member Hugo Boss presented its diversity and inclusion strategy and details of its cooperation with ILGA World.

Focus topic on gender equality

The work of the expert group in 2022 also focused on the Partnership’s realignment. In a participatory process, expert group members developed individual requirements and KPIs for the focus topic on gender equality. The aim of the focus topic is to pool the efforts of members, achieve greater impact at the local level in producer countries and measure this against the KPIs. 

Members also formulated a vision on gender equality: a dignified, safe and healthy workplace, which eliminates all forms of discrimination and violence against all workers, particularly women and other vulnerable groups who are discriminated against on the basis of their gender, gender identity, ethnicity, migration status, disability or other socially constructed characteristics. The Textiles Partnership and its members are working towards this vision – in part by implementing joint projects. 

Although the emphasis in recent years has been on dialogue and shared learning, the time has now come for a sharper focus on implementation and effectiveness. Many NGOs, companies, international organisations and sector initiatives such as the Textiles Partnership have laid important foundations, performed pioneering work, tested innovative approaches and developed support measures in recent years. Unfortunately, there have so far been few signs of concrete improvements or sustainable impact at the local level. This makes the new focus of the Textiles Partnership all the more important. 

Further information on the focus topic on gender equality can be found on the PST website. 

‘The problem of discrimination remains one of the most difficult human rights risks to identify in the textile industry, which is why discussion of this within the working group was of great value to us. The insights and viewpoints shared with other members of the group help us to keep our policy on discrimination and gender equality up to date and to strengthen appropriate preventive measures in our audit system.’

Dr Gurgen Petrossian, Senior Consultant Sustainability at s.Oliver Group

International Women’s Day 2022: letter to the German Government

At the International Women’s Day on March 8, 33 members of the Textiles Partnership addressed a letter to German Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze and Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil. In it, they call upon the German Government to ratify without delay Convention No. 190 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work. The Convention gives particular emphasis to gender-based violence and harassment, and formulates specific requirements that companies must meet. In December 2022, the German Government duly agreed on ratification – marking a success for the PST members too.

News

Ending violence and harassment in the workplace

33 members wrote a letter to the federal government urging it to ratify ILO Convention 190 rapidly.

Guidelines on inclusion in textile supply chains

The guidelines on inclusion in textile supply chains supports companies in promoting the employment of people with disabilities in a non-discriminatory way and implementing this in practice. The Textiles Partnership developed the guidelines in collaboration with the International Association of Natural Textiles (iVN e.V.) and the GIZ global sector programme on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.

At a launch event in April 2022, Partnership members had an opportunity to talk to pioneering companies as well as the guideline’s authors and experts from GIZ’s global programme on inclusion.

News

Recommendations for companies and suppliers

The guideline “Inclusion in Textile Supply Chains” aims to support companies in promoting the employment of people with disabilities in a non-discriminatory and practical manner.

Gender Data Indicator Guidance

The expert group continued to work intensively on gender data and in March 2022 published the Gender Data Indicator Guidance, which was developed along with other industry initiatives. ETI, FWF, BSR, SEDEX and the Textiles Partnership have jointly promoted the guidance with a brief explanatory video.

News

New guidelines on gender data indicators

Although women make up the majority of workers in the textile industry, they are often overlooked in statistics. The systematic disadvantage and discrimination are not only detrimental to them personally, but also have negative consequences for the entire economy.

Dindigul Agreement

In April 2022, the first legally binding, trade union-negotiated convention on gender-based violence in Asia was signed – the Dindigul Agreement. Then in June 2022, the expert group organised talks involving the signatory union Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU) and the support organisations Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) and Global Labour Justice (GLJ). During this direct exchange, members learned how the agreement came into being, where implementation priorities lie and what the different roles and responsibilities of the signatories are.

On the next page you read an interview with Thivya Rakini from TTCU and Nandita Shivakumar from AFWA on the status of the implementation of the Dindigul Agreement.

News

India: First legally binding agreement on GBVH

The “Dindigul Agreement to End Gender-Based Violence and Harassment” (GBVH) is the first legally binding agreement in the Asian textile industry to end sexual violence and harassment of women workers.

Chapter 6.3
Climate
Chapter 6.5
Dindigul Agreement

Chapter 6.5

Advancing Gender Justice in Asian Fast Fashion Supply Chains

One year of implementation of the Dindigul Agreement

Conversation with Thivya Rakini, President of the Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU) and Nandita Shivakumar from Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA).

Thivya Rakini

Nandita Shivakumar

The Dindigul Agreement has been signed in April last year. It has received quite a large media coverage and was termed a landmark agreement. What is special and different about this initiative, Thivya?

Thivya: The Dindigul Agreement is the first enforceable brand agreement in Asia, wherein brands (H&M, GAP, PVH) and one supplier factory (Eastman Exports) committed in a legally binding manner to address gender and caste-based violence and freedom of association in a garment production complex.

The agreement draws language from the ILO C-190, includes an innovative program known as “Safe Circles”, with regular trainings for all workers, supervisors and managers; a peer education program and shop floor monitors to detect and report gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH). It provides strong anti-retaliation protections against workers and shopfloor monitors for reporting grievances; strengthens India’s mandatory workplace GBVH committees (Internal Complaints Committee) by ensuring they are worker-led and have expert independent capacity; and creates independent grievance mechanisms with business consequences.

In short, the agreement provides a comprehensive set of tools that delivers power and support to women workers to monitor, prevent and remediate GBVH collectively and with management.

What is your view, Nandita. How is this agreement different from other projects and programs on women’s rights in the textile industry?

Nandita: As Thivya said, the Dindigul Agreement is quite different from existing programs in addressing gender rights in the garment industry. To add to what Thivya said, one of the most important features to me is that the agreement was drafted through a consultative process with women workers – so it reflects their experiences with GBVH and focuses on building their capacity and leadership in addressing GBVH.

Equally important to me is that it reflects the ILO labour standards (C-190, C-87, C-98) and addresses violence and harassment at the intersection of caste, gender, migration status. And finally, it recognizes that one-off trainings or grievance redressal tools like mobile apps alone cannot address GBVH. Workers require a comprehensive set of tools including strong anti-retaliation protections, freedom of association, independent and accessible grievance redressal mechanisms, regular training, and a process for social dialogue to be able to prevent and remediate GBVH.

The agreement has been in force now for a year. After one year of implementation can you already discern some positive impact on the factory floor, Thivya? What steps has Eastman Exports taken already and what has changed for women on the factory floor?

Thivya: Through the agreement, a process of social dialogue has been initiated between Eastman and TTCU, and we have been able to remediate 100+ grievances of workers within a year. These includes cases of gender-based violence, as well as other issues – like health and safety, access to social security, freedom of mobility, caste-discrimination at the workplace, etc. As the agreement stipulates regular meetings between TTCU and Eastman’s management – most of these grievances have been resolved within a 14-day frame. Also, I personally visit the factory at least twice a week, so that workers have direct access to the union, to raise grievances whenever they need.

We have completed basic trainings for all workers, management and contractors on the Dindigul Agreement and on GBVH. The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) has been reorganized and strengthened, and the independent grievance redressal mechanism with assessors and the shop floor monitor system, has also started functioning. We have worked with Eastman to ensure that this apparel production complex provides freedom of mobility for all women workers staying at worker hostels. We believe Eastman is the only factory ensuring this in Dindigul.

We are currently working with Eastman on redeveloping management policies so that caste and gender-based violence are systematically addressed.

Despite numerous programs, initiatives and repeated calls for action, gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) remains widespread in global supply chains of the fashion industry and little progress has been made so far. What are the barriers and obstacles to progress in India, in your view, Nandita?

Nandita: GBVH is an issue not just in India – but across garment production countries, and it is rooted in risks associated with brand purchasing practices, the concentration of a majority woman workforce in the lower tiers of supply chain production, poor working conditions, and lack of freedom of association in supplier factories. The downward pressure on prices by brands and increasingly unpredictable seasonal variation in production, require garment suppliers to employ a precarious, low-wage workforce. These terms of employment itself make women workers more vulnerable to GBVH.

This is why AFWA has been calling for a multifaceted approach to address GBVH. Brands must engage in human rights due diligence that identify gendered spectrums of violence and risk factors for GBVH using the C190 framework and take actions to mitigate adverse impacts; protect and promote women workers’ associational agency; and uphold binding accountability for C190 obligations by entering enforceable agreements across fast fashion supply chains.

There has been a lot of discussion about internal complaint committees (ICCs) which are mandatory in India. There are complaints about too many committees on different topics and that in reality they are not functioning. Why are they often not functioning and what does it need to make them work, Thivya? What is their role in the agreement?

Thivya: The ICCs are a result of a long struggle by the Indian women’s movement, and are definitely an important tool to address GBVH. However, they function poorly in most garment factories for multiple reasons.

Let me provide a few examples. Without a union in the factory, workers are scared to report grievances to the ICC as they fear retaliation from management. Worker members in the committee are themselves scared to investigate grievances raised by other workers fairly, as they fear management retaliation. Also, in many factories the independent member of the ICC is hired and paid by management – this affects their independence. And in some cases, workers don’t even know that the ICC exists and that they can raise grievances to it.

The Dindigul Agreement tries to address these issues. Firstly, it ensures that all workers and the management are aware of the roles and responsibilities of the ICC and its members. Secondly, it ensures that there are strong anti-retaliation protections, for workers who raise grievances and for ICC worker members who investigate grievances. It ensures that the ICC is primarily worker-led, with the majority of members being women and elected by the union. Thirdly, it creates expert capacity to investigate GBVH – as under the Agreement ICCs can delegate to a roster of independent expert assessors to investigate allegations of GBVH.

Finally, committee-recommended remedies are survivor focused. Upon receiving a complaint, ICCs and assessors are required to ensure worker safety and privacy. In case the ICC finds GBVH has occurred, Eastman must follow the committee-recommended remedies.

What are your expectations towards brand signatories? What is their role in the agreement, Nandita?

Nandita: Brands are responsible for the overall monitoring and enforcement of the agreement along with the labor signatories. Brand signatories are part of the Oversight Committee, which supervises the outcomes of the agreement, and receives reports from the Agreement’s independent grievance mechanism in case of Eastman’s non-compliance. If Eastman fails to comply with the Agreement, the brand signatories must take steps to impose business consequences; and if they fail to do so, labor signatories can take legal action, as the agreement with brands is subject to binding arbitration.

How do you see the future of the agreement? If you were to look back in 5 years’ time, what do you wish to have achieved by then, Thivya?

Thivya: We have seen many grievance redressal mechanisms in Tamil Nadu’s garment factories over the last two decades including grievance redressal apps, hotline numbers, GBVH trainings etc. They have all failed, as workers do not feel confident to raise their grievances through it. They fear retaliation from management or believe that their complaints will not be heard and addressed. Also, many efforts have failed as they do not engage with women workers as agents of change. This is what the union-led Dindigul Agreement has tried to change.

We hope in the next 5 years, this agreement is expanded to more factories in Tamil Nadu and beyond. We hope that more suppliers and brands are open to enforceable brand agreements. We hope in this way we will be able to empower more women workers to have a constructive voice at work, and we will be able to facilitate ongoing dialogue and collaboration between workers and management to address GBVH. We believe it to be the best safety net for workers and businesses to ensure what happened to Jeyasre will never be repeated.

Finally, what would be your message to Partnership member brands potentially interested in joining the agreement, Thivya and Nandita?

Thivya: We hope more brands will become signatories of the Dindigul Agreement. The Dindigul Agreement is the highest standard of commitment that any brand can take towards GBVH prevention and remediation in their supply chain. By being part of it, you are demonstrating that, as a brand, you prioritize the safety and security of women at your supplier factories and you ensure they have access to the best system to prevent and remediate GBVH, and any other forms of egregious violations. We hope that more brands understand this, and become part of the agreement. 

Nandita: I completely agree with Thivya. We really hope more brands become signatories of the Dindigul Agreement. Brands must see enforceable brand agreements (EBAs) like the Dindigul Agreement as the roadmap to meet their legal obligations to achieve violence-free workplaces. By being a part of this agreement, they are sending a clear message that they will ensure safe and dignified workplaces for women workers in their supply chain.

News

India: First legally binding agreement on GBVH

With the “Dindigul Agreement to End Gender-Based Violence and Harassment” (GBVH), there is for the first time in the Asian textile industry a legally binding agreement to end sexual violence and harassment of female workers.

News

First legally binding agreement on gender-based violence in Asia

The aim is to achieve concrete improvements for women and to create working conditions in which they do not have to fear gender-based violence and discrimination. To this end, the participants want to extend the Dindigul Agreement to other suppliers in the Tamil Nadu region and possibly beyond.

Focus topic gender equality

Find further information on our focus topic gender equality

Chapter 6.4
Gender equality
Chapter 6.6
Grievances & remedy

Chapter 6.6

Grievances and remedy

Our projects in Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam and India

Strengthen access to effective grievance mechanisms

Workers in the textile and garment industry, who may be adversely impacted in their work, should have access to effective grievance mechanisms as well as remedy and compensation. This is an objective of the Textiles Partnership and its members. In this they are guided by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (link) and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector (link). The Textiles Partnership is working on this at various levels.

Internal grievance structures in Pakistan

In 2022, a support programme helped a total of 16 suppliers to establish internal grievance structures. The project was primarily funded by GIZ’s bilateral TextILES programme. Partnership member Fairtrade Germany implemented the measures in Pakistan based on findings and lessons learned from their Fairtrade textile programme in India. PST member companies Primark, Takko, Kettelhack, Hugo Boss and tex idea together nominated nine suppliers for the programme.

First, a Pakistani team of four trainers underwent instruction at a training-of-trainers seminar. In the months that followed, they then conducted various training courses involving both management and workers. Very soon they hit upon a particularly successful approach: by training groups of workers as multipliers, the acquired knowledge was gradually passed down to the entire workforce in line with a mutually agreed time schedule.

„The project is well organized and has deep insight of the subject. As a management, this will help us to address issues of workers on floor and improve our working conditions. This will increase our workforce trust on company values, enhance productivity and ultimately result in low turnover and happy workplace.”

Manager HR & Compliance of a participation supplier

Kick-off event in Karachi

Kick-off in Lahore

Complaint Committee Training in Faisalabad

Complaint Committee Training in Lahore

Exchange Meeting in Lahore

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Orientation of Workers

Post Assessment

Post Assessment

Post Assessment

Training

Training of Master Trainers at Karachi based factories

Training of Master Trainers at Punjab based factories

Training of Master Trainers at Punjab based factories

Training of Master Trainers at Punjab based factories

News

Strengthen internal factory grievance mechanisms

The aim of the module is to support suppliers in establishing and/or developing functioning internal grievance structures. The project also aims to enable management and workers to solve incidents and grievances together through dialogue.

Setting up internal complaints committees at Indian spinning mills

In the second phase of the Partnership Initiative Tamil Nadu, participants supported a total of 40 spinning mills between November 2021 and March 2023 with setting up internal complaints committees (ICC) as required by law. General concerns can be raised through a Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC), while an Internal Complaints Committee deals with grievances relating to the sexual harassment of women in the workplace. A total of 2087 complaints/incidents (1444 in the ICC, 643 in the GRC) were thus resolved.

The aim of the project was to systemically improve working conditions in the textiles and garment industry, especially for women and girls. It was implemented by FEMNET e.V. and the Indian NGO Social Awareness and Voluntary Education (SAVE), with support from Tchibo, Otto Group, Hugo Boss and KiK.

Further information on the Partnership Initiative Tamil Nadu can be found on the PST website.

Management Training, Copyright: SAVE

Management Training, Copyright: SAVE

Management Training, Copyright: SAVE

Copyright: FEMNET e.V.

Copyright: FEMNET e.V.

Partnership members can use the Fair Wear Foundation’s complaints mechanism

If grievances cannot be addressed and resolved at the local level, an important role can be played by the complaints mechanisms of purchasing companies or sector and multi-stakeholder initiatives. These serve as a kind of safety net.

Under the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, companies have been required since January 2023 to have a grievance procedure in place. This must facilitate confidential reporting of human rights and environmental violations that may arise in connection with the economic activities of a company, as well as its direct and indirect suppliers. Alternatively, companies can participate in a cross-company approach.

Since April 2021, the Textiles Partnership has been cooperating closely with the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), which implements such a cross-company mechanism. As a result of this cooperation, Partnership companies now also have the opportunity to implement the FWF mechanism in their supply chain. The first phase of this project came to an end in October 2022 and is now being rolled out to other countries, companies and production sites.

Further information on the Partnership Initiative on Grievance Mechanisms can be found on the Textiles Partnership website.

Grievance mechanisms for Syrian workers in Turkey

With the help of Primark, C&A, H&M and KiK, the Textiles Partnership supported the Worker Support Center (WSC) of the Turkish NGO MUDEM – Refugee Support Association. The WSC serves as a local contact point and complaints mechanism for Syrian textile workers in the Turkish textile industry. Here they will have the opportunity to draw attention to abuses in the workplace and to obtain legal support.

‘MUDEM has been doing tremendously important work for years, especially for Syrian refugees employed in the Turkish textile industry. We are pleased to have been able to help ensure continuation of this support. As a result, Syrian workers in Turkey continue to have access to legal support.’

Thomas Ahlers, Manager Corporate Responsibility at Primark

‘We in the Textiles Partnership attach great importance to promoting local civil society contact points for grievances. These act in the interests of workers, they know their concerns and challenges. Local proximity and language facilitate access and use. Primark, Orsay and C&A show that collaborations like these between purchasing companies and local organisations really work and deserve ongoing support.’

Lara Hutt from the Partnership Secretariat

News

Continuation of the Worker Support Center

Orsay, Primark and C&A are campaigning to ensure that Syrian textile workers in Turkey can continue to use the complaints mechanism of the Turkish non-governmental organisation MUDEM-Refugee Support Center and report abuses in the workplace.

Better address grievances from shared factories

The Textiles Partnership deliberately decided against adopting an own grievance mechanism. Instead, the PST supports existing approaches of like-minded organisations to enhance and scale up relevant mechanisms. It also promotes close cooperation between different organisations, which from 2023 onwards will specifically focus their efforts on the task of identifying potential synergies and initiating appropriate harmonisation processes.

The Accountability and Remedy Project of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) says this on the subject: ‘Developers and operators of non-State-based grievance mechanisms cooperate proactively and constructively with each other, and with relevant partners and institutions, to enhance outreach and to promote coherent and effective systems of accountability and access to remedy for business-related human rights harms, including in a cross-border context.’

Fair Wear, amfori and the Textiles Partnership have already taken the first step: in September 2022, the three organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding on dealing with grievances in shared factories affecting several member companies. In line with the recommendations of the OHCHR, this cooperation should help to test coordinated cooperation between grievance mechanism providers, identify synergies and harmonise the handling of grievances across the sector.

News

Cooperation of amfori, Fair Wear and Partnership for Sustainable Textiles

amfori, Fair Wear and the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles (PST) strengthen their collaboration to jointly address workers grievances from shared factories of their various member brands. 

Exchange at the OECD Garment Forum and PST working meeting

At the OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector in February 2022, Fair Wear, amfori and the Textiles Partnership addressed collaborative approaches to access to remedy and discussed opportunities and challenges with representatives of governments, trade unions, companies and industry initiatives.

Partnership members also dealt with the topic at the PST working meeting in May 2022. The discussion focused on how to make grievance mechanisms more effective and how to facilitate access to workers.

News

“Complaints are not the end of the world, but important”

How can complaints mechanisms be made more effective and easier to access for workers? This question was discussed by around 30 Partnership members at a workshop.

Chapter 6.5
Dindigul Agreement
Chapter 6.7
Wastewater management

Chapter 6.7

Wastewater Management

Partnership Initiative

The aim of the Partnership Initiative was to improve wastewater management, in particular by collecting reliable wastewater data for brands and retailers. Launched in July 2020, the initial focus was on a discussion of requirements. Participants then developed materials for communication and support. Among other things, this resulted in a guideline that informs brand employees about the principles of wastewater management. It also presents measures designed to integrate ambitious requirements through purchasing practices.

During work within the Partnership Initiative, it became apparent that wastewater data at production facilities was often outdated, incomplete or of too little significance for any meaningful evaluation. There is therefore a significant need for action to make data from wastewater analyses publicly available and verifiable in order to comply with minimum requirements. A key aspect of this is how and how often data are collected (method and quality) and that they are combined with additional information about wastewater facilities. This is the only way to create transparency and thereafter decide upon improvement measures.

Members participating in the Partnership Initiative

Brands

adidas, Brands Fashion, BMZ, F3 Fashion Cube, KiK, Takko, Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC)

Standard setting organisations

OEKO-TEX®, Bluesign Technologies          

Initiatives and associations

Bundesverband der Deutschen Sportartikel Industrie (BSI), Gesamtverband Textil und Mode, 

Advisory members

Umweltbundesamt (UBA)

Further partners        

Universität Stuttgart, FABRIC (GIZ Projekt), German Fashion

Chapter 6.6
Grievances & remedy
Chapter 6.8
Organic Cotton

Chapter 6.8

Organic Cotton

Pilot project and Partnership Initiative

Pilot project on organic cotton

The aim of the organic cotton pilot project in the South Odisha region is to increase the amount of organic cotton on the world market. Project participants are aiming to achieve this by helping smallholder farmers to convert from conventional to organic cotton farming by providing training courses and suitable seeds. All measures are intended to lead to a sustainable improvement in the economic situation of local smallholders and environmental conditions in the region. In addition to the three Partnership members Fairtrade Germany, Tchibo GmbH, Dibella b. v., participants in the project are the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Indian cooperative Chetna and the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA). The project was launched in June 2020 and ends in March 2023.

Since its inception, the pilot project on organic cotton has supported more than 900 smallholder farmers in converting from conventional to organic cotton production. For these smallholders, there were several reasons to grow organic cotton: it brings improvements in soil fertility and their own health, and it assures purchase quantities and support from project partners. In addition to a minimum price, they also guarantee an organic cotton premium and a Fairtrade premium payment. This improves the economic resilience of producers.

It was also important to optimise fibre quality. This was achieved using new seed varieties, which are noteworthy in particular in terms of their quality (grain length) and suitability for the textile industry. Only rainwater was used for irrigation. In addition, those involved in the project were able to prevent any possibility of contamination with genetically modified cotton from cultivation to ginning.

Major challenges arose during the project period: the COVID-19 pandemic, unexpectedly high monsoon rainfall during the first project year and unexpectedly strong price fluctuations in the second project year.

Copyright: Fairtrade – Didier Gentilhomme

Partnership Initiative on Organic Cotton

The Partnership Initiative on Organic Cotton in India was launched in September 2021, based on the findings of the pilot project and increasing global demand for organic cotton. The aim is to help build a fair, environmentally friendly and economically viable supply chain for organic cotton and to facilitate access to organic cotton for member companies. The Partnership Initiative supports 11,500 cotton producers with conversion from conventional to organic cotton farming. To this end, it provides targeted measures geared to awareness raising, capacity development, networking and purchasing.

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Gujarat are the Indian states where measures are being implemented. The Partnership Initiative is supported by the Dutch organisation Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), which has a local office in India.

In 2022, the Partnership Initiative concluded contracts with three Indian cooperatives. Around half of participating member companies reached agreement with the cooperatives on binding purchase quantities and premium payments for the first harvest year. In addition, producers are provided with access to non-genetically-modified organic seeds. To complement the agricultural training and capacity-building programmes for cotton producers already underway, project participants began developing training modules on labour rights. Partnership Initiative members now exchange information in quarterly formats. This also included two webinars on in-conversion cotton. The Partnership Initiative is evaluated annually by independent third parties.

Twelve members of the Textiles Partnership took part in the Partnership Initiative: ALDI Einkauf SE & Co. oHG, ALDI Süd KG, Brands Fashion GmbH, C&A Mode GmbH & Co. KG, Esprit Europe Services GmbH, Formesse GmbH & Co. KG, Global Standard gemeinnützige GmbH (GOTS), HAKRO GmbH, H&M Group, s.Oliver Bernd Freier GmbH & Co. KG, Tchibo GmbH and Fairtrade Deutschland e.V.. The Partnership Initiative will run until the end of August 2025. It is still possible for Partnership members to join the ongoing Partnership Initiative.

In-conversion farmer(s) in India, Copyright: OCA

In-conversion farmer(s) in India, Copyright: OCA

In-conversion farmer(s) in India, Copyright: OCA

In-conversion farmer(s) in India, Copyright: OCA

In-conversion farmer(s) in India, Copyright: OCA

In-conversion farmer(s) in India, Copyright: OCA

In-conversion farmer(s) in India, Copyright: OCA

“2022 marked the start of our work on the ground for the Partnership Initiative Organic Cotton. More than 10,000 farmers in India took the first step to transition from conventional to organic farming with the support from OCA’s Implementing Partners. The Partnership Initiative helps these farmers through sourcing commitments and better prices for in-conversion cotton provided by the participating brand partners, as well as additional funding available for capacity building, seeds and bio-inputs during the demanding first three years of converting to certified organic farming. In turn, thousands of hectares of farmland will be regenerated through organic practices, eliminating the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, building long-term soil health, and increasing on-farm biodiversity for generations to come.

The first cotton from the Partnership Initiative has now entered the supply chains of participating brands and retailers. At the same time, we are reaching the completion of our training curriculum focused specifically on decent working conditions in cotton farming. We are looking forward to integrating this training in our work for the following seasons.

Last but not least, we are also happy to have welcomed more partner brands to the Initiative, with Formesse joining in 2022 and Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd joining at the beginning of 2023.

Stay tuned as 2023 will bring more exciting developments!”

Bart Vollaard, Executive Director, Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA)

Further information

On the PST website you find further information on the pilot project and the Partnership Initiative.

News

More organic cotton on the world market

The current market study by Textile Exchange shows that more and more cotton farmers are switching from conventional to organic cultivation. With two projects in India, the members of the Textiles Partnership are also promoting more organic cotton on the world market.

Chapter 6.7
Wastewater management
Chapter 6.9
Man-made fibres

Chapter 6.9

Man-made fibres

Expert group

Demand for man-made fibres has dominated the global fibre market for several years. These include synthetic fibres such as polyester, which is now the most widely used fibre. In addition, regenerated cellulose fibres such as viscose also belong to man-made fibres.

The increasing demand for synthetic and cellulosic fibres takes up large amounts of resources. Negative environmental impacts occur in the extraction of raw materials, through energy and water consumption, as well as through the emission of greenhouse gases and the use of chemicals in the production of the fibres. There are various approaches to counteract this: obtaining sustainable raw materials, producing sustainable fibres, producing and using more recycled fibres. Especially from a circular economy perspective, the recycling of man-made fibres represents a huge potential to recover materials and minimise the use of virgin materials.

The expert group (EG) on man-made fibres started in 2018 with the aim of defining what sustainable man-made fibres are and what minimum requirements should apply. This should make it easier for companies to select and purchase more sustainable materials and fibre alternatives.

The group started work in 2021 on a roadmap with the aim of defining minimum criteria for man-made fibres. The first building block in the roadmap is factsheets on cellulosic and synthetic fibres. The PST member German Institute for Textile + Fibre Research (DITF) prepared the factsheets. For this purpose, DITF examined the fibres from different perspectives (bio-based, recycled and conventional) in order to establish decision-making criteria for a better evaluation of the fibres. The impact on the environment and the quality of the fibres are particularly relevant here. In 2022, the DITF presented the results and factsheets in the expert group.

Chapter 6.8
Organic Cotton
Chapter 7
Highlights 2022

Chapter 7

Highlights of our members

And what else happened in 2022?

We asked the members: What was your highlight in 2022 in the Textiles Partnership or in individual working groups and projects? What did you particularly benefit from or gain added value for your work?

Working group on the elimination of forced labour

‘The s.Oliver Group is a member of the working group on forced labour. The group discussed in detail current difficulties with eliminating forced labour in the supply chain. We at s.Oliver Group appreciate the opportunity to share with other companies our experience of and insights into the risks in deeper supply chains. Forced labour remains one of the most serious human rights violations, one which is not always visible due to different national regulations. Without this exchange, it can be difficult for companies to identify workable best practices.’

Dr. Gurgen Petrossian, Senior Consultant Sustainability Global Sustainability, s.Oliver

A milestone in the fight against harassment and violence in the world of work

‘On the initiative of the expert group on gender-based violence and harassment, 33 members of the Textiles Partnership signed a joint letter to Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze, and Federal Labour Minister, Hubertus Heil, on 8 March 2022. In it they called upon the German Government to ratify without delay Convention No. 190 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work. We are therefore very pleased that Germany began the ratification process in December 2022. This is also a victory for us and sends out an important signal in favour of good working conditions and gender equality worldwide. It establishes a clear framework for action to end discrimination and violence in the workplace.’

Christina Stockfisch, policy officer for European and International equal opportunities policy on the Federal Management Board of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB)

Partnership Initiative Organic Cotton

‘We are delighted that Formesse is part of the Partnership Initiative on Organic Cotton in India. It has long been a concern of ours to establish a fair, environmentally friendly and economically viable supply chain for our cotton. Until recently, our efforts failed because we were unable to guarantee a reliable supply of the high-quality sustainable cotton we need. Now, thanks to our direct exchanges with all those involved, our approach is not only highly transparent and attractive, but also hitting all targets in terms of our cotton yarn requirements. We eagerly await the first delivery and look forward to developing long-term partnerships.’

Matthias Jaschke, Managing Director, Formesse

Responsible Purchasing Practices

‘One of the most significant milestones in our cooperation has been to set up the working group on responsible purchasing practices. Intensive dialogue with other companies on this is of particular value. The development of purchasing practices is not only a statutory requirement in Germany, but also a first point of reference for eliminating human rights violations in the supply chain. It is particularly important that the working group has an international dimension, since it enables many companies to pool their different experiences.’

Dr. Gurgen Petrossian, Senior Consultant Sustainability Global Sustainability, s.Oliver

Chapter 6.9
Man-made fibres