NYC’s Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act

New York policymakers aim to pass the “Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act” to combat the growing fast fashion industry.

As fast fashion continues to grow as an industry worldwide, the reasons for its expansion become increasingly clear. With a clear lack of industry regulations in the 1990s, clothing companies were given free rein to manufacture their garments in whatever way they pleased – and in many cases, to maximize profits, manufacturing had to be carried out with cheaper materials. This led to the widespread use of inexpensive materials such as polyester and elastane, which have short lifespans. Hence, their utilization becomes limited after a period of time, contributing to a cycle of mass production and overconsumption to meet the ever-increasing consumer demand which can be seen today. In the modern age, with micro trends rapidly overtaking society, fast fashion has become even faster, with clothing brand giants such as Shein becoming frontrunners in what can be called fashion’s ‘race to the bottom’. 

The United States is currently responsible for generating approximately 16 million tonnes of textile waste annually, and New Yorkers alone are responsible for 200,000 tonnes of this. To combat this, policymakers in New York have consulted environmental advocates to promote the new ‘Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act (Fashion Act)’, which if passed, would require companies to disclose the environmental and social impact of the manufacturing processes within their supply chains, and then create objectives to improve them. An integral part of this would require companies to increase the number of recyclable materials they use – this would not only lead to a more positive impact on the environment, as clothes will degrade at a slower rate which would result in a reduced volume of materials being sent to landfills but would simultaneously mean consumers would be receiving clothing of better quality. 

While this Act is a definite step in the right direction, it remains to be seen whether it will truly have the impact that is so crucial in a world in which trends are prioritized over ethical practices.