WHY TRANSPARENCY AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS GOOD FOR THE FASHION INDUSTRY
By: Srishti Sharma
Brands are relentlessly promoting their affiliation to eco-friendly and sustainable practices but who is keeping track? In these massive efforts to market low-impact, good conscious products or services, it is really left to the consumer to trust that brands are being honest. But who is holding the brand to a certain standard and is that the same standard across the industry? A transparency threshold is fundamental in the fashion industry as we clearly care more as a society about the impact our choices have on the environment.
In a world where fashion and responsibility often seem like an unlikely pair, Deborah King, the visionary founder and CEO of Global Measure is disrupting the industry's norms. AnnKM had the privilege of chatting with her to discuss her journey, inspiration, and the groundbreaking work her company is doing in the realm of sustainable and ethical fashion.
Credit: Monique Hutson at Dom Productions
Growing up in the Caribbean, King faced a choice between travelling to get her clothes sewn or learning to sew herself. Her exposure to the intricate world of fabric manipulation sparked her interest, leading her to keep up this hobby well after moving to Canada at the age of 10.
After a decade of working as an Industrial Engineer, King noticed a critical disconnect in the fashion industry: the cost of raw fabric was surpassing that of completed garments made through fast fashion supply chains. This realization became a turning point in her career. Leaving her job, she dove into a post-graduate program in Sustainable Fashion Production at George Brown. During her experience, she witnessed firsthand the exploitative practices within the supply chain, from pay cuts to worker exploitation.
King's passion for sustainability and ethical fashion drove her to establish Global Measure in 2021. Her focus was on small batch production, recognizing a gap in certifications especially for new brands in Canada. She emphasizes the company's commitment to economic and financial sustainability, aiming to reduce waste and inefficiency in the fashion industry.
“Existing certifications to showcase brand sustainability were expensive, and not specific to the fashion industry, so I decided to focus on removing barriers for small and emerging brands,” King explains. “Now, with bills addressing modern slavery and the Fashion Sustainability Act, we're witnessing positive shifts. Global Measure helps brands navigate these changes strategically, encouraging good practices to meet important key performance indicators (KPIs).”
Credit: Monique Hutson at Dom Productions
Global Measure is not just a certification body; it's a catalyst for change in the fashion industry. The company assists brands by suggesting action plans, objectives, and scores, ensuring they align with sustainable practices. King also emphasizes their efforts to secure funding for small brands to obtain certification for free, democratizing access to responsible practices.
By obtaining Global Measure's Seal of Sustainability, brands can not only showcase their commitment to ethical practices but also gain a host of tangible benefits. The certification serves as a powerful marketing tool, enhancing a brand's reputation and attracting conscious consumers. Beyond the image boost, certified brands gain access to a network of like-minded businesses, fostering collaborations and partnerships.
The fashion supply chain is notorious for its complexities and ethical challenges. Global Measure's Sustainability Certification addresses these intricacies by examining every aspect of a brand's supply chain. From sustainability commitments and leadership responsibilities to resource planning and production conditions, the certification ensures brands align with ethical and sustainable practices.
Credit: Monique Hutson at Dom Productions
“Once certified, your brand receives acknowledgment on Global Measure's website and directory,” King notes. “We use a proprietary Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to assess the relative sustainability of fibres and textiles, providing detailed reports on how brands meet important ESG criteria.”
Global Measure's vision is clear: to empower consumers worldwide to effortlessly embrace authentically sustainable and ethical fashion choices. Their mission, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focuses on empowering, certifying, and promoting ethical and sustainable fashion brands.
King emphasizes, “Through certification and validation, we leverage scientifically backed research to assess fashion supply chains. Our goal is to provide transparent and credible insights, enabling brands to make informed decisions and consumers to make conscious choices for a more sustainable future.”
Global Measure's certification process is thorough and transparent. Certified products can be physically and electronically tagged with a unique identifier, allowing consumers to verify authenticity on the company's website. As consumers increasingly prioritize sustainability, Global Measure stands as a beacon, guiding both brands and consumers toward a more ethical and sustainable fashion future.
We no longer have to second guess the trust we put into brands, we just have tot hope that brands will do their due diligence adhering to a certification process holding them more accountable.