Friend, Sustainability: it’s not a word we associate a lot with the clothes we wear. The fashion industry is highly polluting, uses an enormous amount of resources, and relies on the exploitation of workers from field to factory. Yet while we may have our favorite sustainable apparel companies that do their bit to be better for the environment, major apparel brands are starting to talk more about sustainability too. So, is sustainability finally going mainstream? The short answer is: no, not quite. The long answer can be found in our new report, “Toxic Textiles: The Environmental and Social Impacts of Our Clothing.” This report dives into some of the pressing social and environmental challenges facing the apparel industry, and then looks at what – if anything! – major American apparel companies like Nike, Gap, and J. Crew, are doing to address them. To illustrate how some of the biggest names in American clothing rank, we created a new scorecard, which looks at if a company is just talking about sustainability or if it has plans and timelines to achieve its goals. It may not surprise you to find out that companies are primarily talking about caring about sustainability and workers’ well-being but often have little to back up their claims. But it may surprise you to learn that fast fashion companies are not the only culprits. Higher priced brands are also guilty. Unfortunately, the amount you pay as a consumer does not guarantee greater corporate responsibility. Some companies will say they care about toxins or worker rights but don’t demonstrate how they’re going to remedy them. For instance, of the nine companies that claim to be reducing water usage, only two - Target and VF (The North Face) - have specific plans and goals to reduce their water usage. Others may use some organic cotton or have a line of fair trade clothes to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. But as our report shows, the apparel supply chain is long, complex, and riddled with sustainability and labor issues -- and having a token sustainability initiative does not make you sustainable. So read our new report and check out our new scorecard. If your favorite company isn’t listed, reach out to them and ask what they’re doing to address sustainability and labor issues in their supply chain! Thank you for all that you do, | 
