Demonstrating Traceability and Transparency in the Clothing and Footwear Sector
Three years ago, the European Union and UN Member States tasked the UNECE with proving that traceability and transparency could be achieved in the clothing and footwear industry. Today, after implementing over 20 pilot projects and receiving 110 pledges from leading brands, manufacturers, non-governmental organizations, industry associations, and sustainability initiatives across nearly 30 countries, UNECE has successfully demonstrated the positive impacts of tracing cotton, leather, synthetic, cellulose, and wool-based products globally, from production to usage and beyond.
On 19 June 2024, the insights gained over the past three years under the Sustainability Pledge initiative were discussed at the “Vision & Visibility: Scaling Transparency” event at Triennale Milano. This gathering brought together over 200 partners for a day filled with open sessions and workshops.
The garment and footwear industry contributes significantly to environmental degradation and global warming. It is also notorious for poor working conditions that often violate human rights, and many workers, especially women, youth, homeworkers and migrants, work in inadequate conditions.
Despite these challenges, the demand for clothing and footwear continues to grow annually.
To meet these challenges, the sector must lead environmental and social transformation to improve people’s lives and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5, 8, 13, 15 and 17.
In cooperation with more than 800 experts, policymakers, businesses, academia and NGOs, UNECE has developed a comprehensive set of policy recommendations, guidelines and standards to help industry players authenticate their sustainable development claims. It enables all actors in the sector, including consumers, to increase transparency and traceability of the entire value chain – from field to factory to shop – through a free, open-source system. These systems have been tested in pilot projects, demonstrating the supporting role of innovation and advanced technologies such as blockchain and DNA tracking.