Australian brands under the spotlight over treatment of workers

Perhaps more surprising is the inclusion of Inditex, owner of fast-fashion giant Zara, in the top five.

Knop explains that although fast-fashion brands have “contributed to really destructive cultural change … the reality is some are doing more than others to mitigate worker exploitation”.

She said the report focused on companies with more than $50 million annual turnover because larger employers “stand to cause the most environmental harm, but they stand to have the greatest impact if they improve their practices”.

One positive was the increased number of brands that have transparency over their final-stage factories where garments are actually made. That figure has risen to 80 per cent since the report was first published in 2013.

But given the average total score was 29 across the 120 companies surveyed, Knop said even companies that ranked in the top 20 per cent “still have a long way to go”.

“There are some good news stories, but we want to see companies escalate the pace of change,” she said.

Julie Boulton, a sustainability strategist at the Monash Sustainable Development Institute, said metrics such as the Ethical Fashion Report are “immensely valuable for drawing attention to the issue”. She said a vast number of people still aren’t habitually thinking about where their clothes come from.

“We know we’re producing and consuming [goods] at rates far too high for what the world can cope with,” said Boulton, who co-authored a report on how the fashion industry can transition to a sustainable future.

Research for the Australian Fashion Council estimates the average Australian buys 56 new items of clothing a year. However, a high proportion of that is cheap, with the average item costing just $6.50.

Loading

Tamzin Rollason, a lecturer at RMIT University’s school of fashion and textiles, says while reports such as this drive awareness of ethical fashion, she doubts they are able to change consumer behaviour.

She said more legislation is needed to create a level playing field, so consumers can shop with greater confidence. “That would mean the standards are clearly defined and … consumers don’t have to do a bunch of work every time they want to make a purchase,” she said.

Lucianne Tonti, author of Sundressed and sustainable fashion advocate, said it can be confusing “when brands operating at a fast-fashion pace rank well on reports like this”.

“Internationally, the industry has acknowledged there is a … lack of consensus on what is sustainable and ethical,” she said. “I think in the coming years we will get more clarity and hopefully figure out a way forward. Until then consumers should approach all sustainable claims with discernment.”

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.