The world’s largest cotton sustainability program, Better Cotton, has joined the Make the Label Count coalition [1] to advocate for more accurate and science-based sustainability metrics in the fashion and textile industries. The coalition, which includes over 50 natural fiber organizations and environmental groups, is calling for an urgent revision of the European Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology.
The current European Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology has been criticized for undervaluing the environmental benefits of natural fibers like cotton while overlooking the significant environmental impacts of synthetic materials. PET methodology suggests that a 100% polyester T-shirt is 42% more sustainable than a 100% cotton T-shirt, failing to account for microplastic emissions, post-consumer plastic waste, and the non-renewable nature of synthetic materials.
Helene Bohyn, Policy & Advocacy Manager at Better Cotton, emphasized the importance of this movement, she said “Make the Label Count is an incredibly important movement. EU regulators are shaping the future of the fashion and textile sectors as we speak. The methodology they adopt will play a hugely important role in telling the story of sustainability progress across our industry and beyond, and will be critical to eradicating greenwashing.”
Elke Hortmeyer co-spokesperson of Make The Label explained “We’ve had major advancements in research and knowledge around the environmental impacts of the textile industry, but these aren’t included in the current methodology.”
The coalition aims to empower consumers to make sustainable choices, support natural fiber producers, and hold brands accountable for their environmental claims. By advocating for a more holistic and scientifically robust approach to measuring the environmental impact of textiles, Better Cotton and its partners hope to ensure that critical issues such as microplastic pollution and renewability are properly addressed.
Source:
[1] Better Cotton Joins Make the Label Count Coalition
https://bettercotton.org/better-cotton-joins-make-the-label-count-coalition/
