On Monday night, supporters of New York’s “Fashion Act” gathered in SoHo to rally their support for a bill that would make fashion more socially and environmentally responsible.
Speakers included Maxine Bedat, director of the fashion industry non-profit New Standard Institute, Miranda Massie, director and founder of the Climate Museum, and supermodel and activist Cameron Russell.
The gathering was held at the Climate Museum, the first space dedicated to climate change education activities. The event, which ended with postcard writing and speeches, preceded Wednesday’s bus trip as supporters once again traveled to Albany to endorse the bill.
According to the current bill text, the Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (S4746 and A4333) “requires fashion sellers to be held accountable to standardized environmental and social due diligence policies. and establish a Fashion Restoration Fund.” Key elements include partial supply chain mapping, science-based target reports, and more for companies with revenues greater than $100 million.
Everyone from Stella McCartney to ThredUp supports this law. The Fashion Act was formally introduced in his October 2021, but was reintroduced into the New York State Senate in February under Sen. Brad Hollyman Segal.
But the fashion law is just one of the laws centered around sustainability.
At the federal level, the pro-worker “Fabric Act” (or “Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change Act”). Warren, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is the first co-sponsor of the Fabric Act. Some industry groups, including the American Apparel & Footwear Association, are pushing back against organizations lobbying against legislation such as the Fabrics Act, according to DC-based lobbying database Open Secrets.
