NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, October 26, 2017

In an effort to galvanize around collective action in the apparel and footwear industry, a group of industry leaders today launched the Apparel Impact Institute (AII), which is designed to work with brands and manufacturers to select, fund, and scale projects that dramatically improve the sustainability impact of the apparel and footwear industry.

Despite widespread awareness of the environmental hazards within the apparel and footwear industry, few of the pilot projects designed to reduce impacts are operating at the scale needed to meet the critical environmental and social outcomes brands and consumers are seeking. The AII will identify promising projects that are working in limited geography, for example, or are targeting a narrow problem yet show potential for broader application. By applying the appropriate resources, the AII will help bring them to scale more quickly.

Photo courtesy of Pavel Ahmed.