Ethical Clothing Australia is conducting a study in collaboration with sustainability consultants to determine its next stage of growth.
WSP Environment & Energy and Net Balance will help measure the feasibility of a voluntary Ethical Quality Mark (EQM) for the Textile Clothing and Footwear (TCF) industries.
The research, by way of an online survey targeted at stakeholders in the TCF industries, will pan industry views on the subject and the weigh the potential of a establishing a voluntary EQM. An initial email to stakeholders from the project team explaining the online survey said questions cover what should be done, why it should be done and who should do it. The study will also consider the range of associated standards and certifications, which may be relevant to the development of an EQM.
The project, funded by the TCF Innovation Council, follows the a review of the Textile Clothing and Footwear (TCF), conducted by the Federal Government in 2008. The review acknowledged growing consumer awareness and demand for products that have been designed and manufactured in accordance with ethical standards related to labour conditions and environmental sustainability.
WSP Digital senior sustainability associate John Gertsakis said the project is still in the early stages and it is still to be seen whether the addition of EQM accreditation would fill a necessary niche in the market or not.
“While ECA accreditation already exists and is focused on labour rights requirements, the EQM mark, if deemed necessary and appropriate, may also include attention to environmental factors and product safety requirements,” he said.
“Any future EQM may also be applied to TCF products in addition to clothing, for example, commercial textiles used for upholstery. And a key part of the study also asks questions about how an EQM might impact (positively and negatively) on all players, especially companies.”
Further details such as how companies are to become accredited, via online or otherwise, will be determined if the EQM accreditation gets the industry green light.
WSP Digital will hold a free stakeholder consultation workshop in Sydney this Friday, April 15 at the WSP Environment & Energy building, Level 1, 41 McLaren Street, North Sydney, from 1:30 – 4:30pm. The workshop will provide companies, retailers, brands and designers to contribute to the discussion on EQM.
Deadline for survey responses is Friday, April 22 and the survey can be accessed via the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EQMSS.