California Apparel News

The consumer demand for greater transparency into the apparel that shoppers buy has driven suppliers and brands within the industry to examine how they can relay a clearer picture of their operations to keep customers satisfied. While the message from consumers is clear—they want to know the details of how their apparel is made—some brands hide behind carefully constructed greenwashing campaigns rather than grant customers the insight they crave.

Fashion is known for its seasonal trends in garments, but the industry also experiences buzz around solutions for issues that plague the business. Transparency is taking a front seat this year as consumers seek to uncover the sources of their clothing from farm to retail floor—with honest reporting from brands and suppliers.

California Apparel News asked fashion sustainability leaders: Why is transparency along all segments of the apparel supply chain more important in 2025 compared to years past?

Daren Abney

Executive Director

U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol

 Transparency within the supply chain will be even more critical as we look ahead to 2025 due to a combination of factors including consumer expectations, environmental pressures and regulatory changes.

Consumers are increasingly aware of and concerned about the ethical and environmental implications of their purchases. They look for brands that are transparent about the sourcing and manufacturing of their products. At the same time, many brands are actively working to become more environmentally friendly. Maintaining transparency throughout all segments of the supply chain makes it easier for brands and retailers to identify and improve their environmental impact.

New European policies will also increase pressure on brands and retailers to demonstrate responsible sourcing. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Green Claims Directive are all still in development and will call for unprecedented levels of supply-chain transparency.

Data-led solution platforms like the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol play a vital role in maintaining transparency and traceability. The Trust Protocol tracks cotton from farms to the final product, producing a live transparency map and gathering quantifiable, verifiable field-level data for sustainably grown cotton. This combination provides brands and retailers assurances that they need to demonstrate progress toward environmental targets and compliance with upcoming mandatory reporting regulations, ensuring that brands are contributing to a more sustainable and transparent world.

    Kerry Bannigan

    Managing Director

    PVBLIC Foundation

 In 2025, transparency in the apparel supply chain is vital for sustainable and equitable development. The global challenges of climate change, labor exploitation and resource depletion demand accountability at every stage of production and distribution. Technological advancements now enable improved tracking of materials, which makes transparency a practical and achievable goal. Governments and international coalitions increasingly mandate disclosure practices reinforcing the shared commitment to sustainability and human rights. A collective responsibility of enabling systemic change with transparency safeguards workers’ rights, reduces environmental harm and fosters innovation.

Meredith Boyd

Chief Product Officer

UNIFI, makers of REPREVE

 Transparency in the apparel supply chain is more critical in 2025 than ever due to the increasing complexity of globalized sourcing. With more stakeholders involved, the risk of miscommunication grows, making traceability essential to maintaining trust. REPREVE addresses this challenge by embedding FiberPrint tracer technology into every strand of yarn, ensuring we can verify the recycled nature of the raw materials in the products. This traceability is certified through U-Trust verification, allowing REPREVE to offer robust traceability.

In addition to fostering confidence in global sourcing, transparency supports sustainability initiatives. Consumers and brands demand greater accountability for textile waste, driving increasing interest in REPREVE Takeback. This innovative process recycles post-industrial and post-consumer textile waste into new materials, enabling a circular economy. By partnering with brands to reclaim and repurpose waste, REPREVE extends the life cycle of materials, reducing the environmental impact and adding measurable value across the supply chain.

As sustainability and ethical practices take center stage, transparency empowers stakeholders to meet these rising expectations while building trust and credibility. In 2025, it’s no longer optional—it’s a necessity.

    Marco Bruno

    Head of ESG Compliance & Health and Safety

    Oerlikon Luxury

 Transparency throughout the apparel supply chain has become crucial, particularly in the luxury sector, where modern consumers seek a balance between quality, exclusivity and environmental responsibility. Growing environmental awareness has transformed the way high-end brands approach production, making traceability and sustainability indispensable. This evolution is not limited to material selection but also includes production processes, a direction we are pursuing with growing determination.

Following our entry into Oerlikon, we began transitioning to stainless steel, a material that ensures recyclability and a lower environmental impact compared to brass. Surface treatments play a central role in this effort. By employing Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) technology, we have significantly reduced the environmental impact of our products while maintaining the aesthetic excellence demanded by the luxury sector.

This ongoing research not only enhances the sustainability of our solutions but also strengthens consumer confidence. Consumers reward brands that offer transparency and innovation without compromising on quality or design.

Katrina Caspelich

Chief Marketing Officer

Remake

 Transparency in the apparel supply chain is more critical than ever in 2025 because global crises, like climate change and social inequality, are worsening. Without clear information, harmful practices stay hidden, keeping workers underpaid and the environment at risk. Consumers and governments now demand proof that brands are acting responsibly, and laws are emerging to enforce accountability. Transparency helps build trust, holds brands accountable and drives meaningful change. At Remake, we believe shining a light on supply chains is essential to creating a fashion industry that values people and the planet.

    Paola Corna

    CFO, Sustainability & HR manager

    ACM

 Transparency throughout the apparel supply chain has become paramount in 2025 as sustainability evolves from a goal to a fundamental requirement. In recent years, the industry has embraced a global push toward more conscious practices, driven in part by European regulations that encourage clear and verifiable disclosures.

We believe transparency is about authenticity, not striving for perfection but demonstrating how raw materials are selected, processed and disposed of. For over 30 years our sustainability journey has been marked by initiatives such as a full water recirculation plant, with our commitment further solidified by milestones like achieving voluntary ISO 14001 certification, a mark of responsible environmental management. Showcasing our production processes is not just an ethical choice; it is a testament to the trust we place in our partners. With creativity and passion, we remain dedicated to crafting made-in-Italy accessories that combine style and quality while respecting the planet and those who inhabit it.

Claudia de Witte

Textiles Sustainability Leader

Eastman

 Transparency and third-party certification are the keys to driving the industry toward greater sustainability. For Naia’s sustainable sourcing policy, Eastman holds FSC Chain of Custody certification, and all of our suppliers hold intentionally recognized certifications as well. And we earned a Dark Green Shirt in CanopyStyle ranking since 2022. All Naia from Eastman products are produced in a safe, closed-loop manufacturing process where solvents are recycled back into the system for reuse.

    Andreas Dorner

    General Manager

    RE&UP

 Transparency is the foundation of trust: To believe in change and thus actively contribute to it, the end consumer must be able to see its solid foundation. For example, our patent-pending proprietary process enables us to transform poly/cotton blends into high-quality, durable and traceable Next-Gen raw materials that are competitive in cost as well as on par in terms of performance and quality with existing recycled and virgin fibers. Transparency and traceability are key to making such an important transformation in the textile recycling paradigm effective.

At the regulatory level, as of Jan. 1, 2025, all EU countries must mandatorily adopt separate collection of textile waste. Knowing that this waste can actually be processed to produce Next-Gen raw materials can be an extra motivation for people to properly recycle their textile products. RE&UP’s position as an integrated vertical supplier, with 100 percent traceable fibers, allows the company to play a pivotal role in helping brands and retailers embrace full traceability, putting a great effort in educating consumers about its significance, ensuring they understand its impact not only in their purchasing decisions but also on the broader environmental and ethical implications.

Andrea Ferris

Co-founder and CEO

CiCLO

 Transparency has become critical for apparel brands in 2025, driven by regulatory pressures, consumer expectations and technological capabilities. Emerging legislation in Europe and regions of the U.S. is compelling brands to reevaluate materials used, production processes and even textile disposal while looking for them to substantiate sustainability claims. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection also employs advanced testing methods to detect product fraud and verify compliance, making greenwashing increasingly tricky and risky.

Using the best available test methods to deliver reliable, verified results has become the standard for driving conversations around adoption. This is important to us as a supplier of CiCLO technology. We furnish in-depth third -party lab data that proves CiCLO polyester can biodegrade in wastewater sludge, soil and seawater as well as OEKO-TEX ECO PASSPORT certification of chemical safety. We also require participation in our comprehensive traceability program to ensure responsible and legally compliant marketing claims are tied to authenticated CiCLO fibers.

Consumer dynamics are shifting significantly, particularly among younger generations like Gen Z. This generation is willing to pay premium prices for products that align with their environmental values and demand brands prove their commitment. As a result, brands can no longer rely on superficial sustainability claims—they must demonstrate authentic, proven and measurable commitments throughout their supply chains and to stakeholders. Transparency is no longer just about reporting—it’s about reimagining material life cycles, enabling scalability and setting a new benchmark for environmental responsibility.

    Karri Ann Frerichs

    Founder and Chief Executive Officer

    Circular Fashion LA, SPC

 Supply-chain transparency is important now in 2025 more than ever because as current and upcoming administrations focus on bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., consumers and retailers need to understand how U.S. labor can compete with low-wage developing nations. If prices feel too good to be true, then they usually are, and unfortunately that’s most often achieved at the expense of unfair labor conditions. If consumers are given the choice between $10 smartphones and $3 dresses versus more expensive American-made products, then they should at least understand the conditions and practices that lead to those unreal prices.

The truth is, there is no other way but to exploit a vulnerable labor force and to overconsume natural resources for the sake of mass production to liquidate inventories to achieve those prices. Consumers need to realize what the true costs of these ridiculously low prices are, and, without supply-chain transparency, we will all suffer the costs of those practices in the end.

Jen Hodo

Business Development Manager

Birla Cellulose USA

 Transparency across the apparel supply chain is more critical in 2025 than ever as consumers and regulators demand greater authenticity and accountability. Forced-labor concerns and sustainability expectations have made traceability a pivotal factor in sourcing decisions, and fashion stakeholders are increasingly scrutinizing information sources amid the rise of creative storytelling disguised as facts. This erosion of trust has created an urgent need for brands to not just tell their sustainability story but to show it, providing concrete, verifiable evidence to build and maintain integrity and accountability.

Our GreenTrack blockchain platform provides brands and suppliers with the tools to map the global chain of custody for products made with Birla Cellulose fibers. By disclosing real-time data on material origins, certifications and other key ESG metrics, brands can empower consumers to verify claims and make informed decisions. This level of transparency not only combats greenwashing but also builds trust among stakeholders, addressing the growing demand for credible and actionable information. Without these data, speculation arises: Is it unknown—or unsavory? Neither possibility inspires confidence.

    Dr. Cindy J Lin 

    Chief Executive Officer

    Hey Social Good and Former U.S. EPA Scientist and Policymaker

 Transparency is the new sustainability term in 2025 and beyond. As new policies around fashion sustainability become a reality, brands and suppliers must figure out how to best respond to new accountability metrics and reporting requirements. As an example, the now adopted (9/28/2024) California Responsible Textile Recovery Act 2024 (SB 707) focuses on establishing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for apparel, textiles and textile items as a means to reduce textile landfill waste, environmental harm and rising waste-disposal costs.

This law and its required shared responsibility among all producers involved along the product supply chain means entities must account for transparent reporting of apparel sourcing, production, transportation and end-of-life tracking. Transparency will be tantamount for any EPRs to better grasp their activities and control potential expenses so as to not trigger mandatory penalty fines due to non-compliance. Similar accountability policies and regulations are in play in Washington, New York and Massachusetts, including even more stringent accountability policies in the EU.

In addition to national and global policies for transparent accountability, the uncertainty of resource availability (e.g., cotton, water.) will also drive needed transparency for entities. Due to increasing unpredictable weather conditions, the supply-demand gap and market volatility for textile sourcing will increase. In 2023, an El Nino–induced dry spell in India resulted in decreased cotton-crop production and higher cotton pricing. These types of uncertainties means all entities along the supply chain must track transparently to ensure for future stability of apparel production and sales growth.

Steve McCullough

Event Director

Functional Fabric Fair

 Transparency across all segments of the apparel supply chain will become more critical than ever in 2025 for designers and product developers seeking to source responsible materials due to the consumer demand for higher accountability from brands. With increased access to information and heightened awareness of environmental and social issues, today’s marketplace rewards companies that prioritize ethical practices and sustainability. Transparency not only builds trust but also advances innovation, enabling the industry to tackle global challenges like climate change, waste, water and chemical concerns head-on.

Functional Fabric Fair’s commitment to transparency and sustainability will continue with the return of our Day 0 Sustainability Workshop at all three of our 2025 events (Spring, Summer, Fall). Day 0 is a direct response to attendee and exhibitor feedback, offering an invaluable full-day conference and workshop the day before the exhibitor floor opens for industry leaders, experts as well as students to explore sustainable solutions, share knowledge and collaborate on shaping a transparent and responsible future for the apparel industry.

    Philippe Mignot

    Project Manager

    NextPrinting

 Transparency in the fashion supply chain is increasingly crucial, and NextPrinting was created to meet this need. The industry has long relied on processes that consume large amounts of water, energy and chemicals, causing significant impacts on the environment and people. NextPrinting offers a sustainable alternative with digital textile-printing solutions that drastically reduce these consumptions without compromising quality or creativity. For us, transparency is not just a value but a practice. Every project is developed in collaboration with our partners, sharing data on materials, processes and environmental impacts. This approach enables brands to clearly communicate the journey of their garments to consumers, strengthening trust and credibility. NextPrinting solutions have been enthusiastically received because they address a real need for change, transforming environmental challenges into creative opportunities. We believe the future of fashion is rooted in transparent, sustainable and collaborative processes, and we are committed every day to making this vision a reality.

Pamela Morris James

Founder

Paloma St James

 2024 was a tumultuous year for sustainability as progress toward SDG 2030 goals stagnated and ESG frameworks crumbled. These setbacks have made transparency in the apparel supply chain a non-negotiable priority in 2025.

Unlike other industries with strict safety and material standards and regulations, the fashion industry continues to exploit geographical disparities, often prioritizing profit over ethics.

The fashion industry holds immense power to drive change. To create meaningful change, the industry must unite to build a sustainable workforce that values stakeholders over shareholders.

Transparency is the foundation for this transformation. It fosters consumer trust and allows brands to demonstrate accountability in an era driven by conscious purchasing decisions. Transparent practices ensure fair wages, ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship, providing a pathway to a supply chain that is both equitable and sustainable not just for the planet but for the millions of individuals it supports.

2025 must be the year of action, a defining moment where incremental progress gives way to sweeping accountability and systemic change. By regulating and aligning the industry with global standards, we can lead a movement that reshapes fashion into a force for good. The time for transparency is now, and its impact will reverberate far beyond our industry.

    Victoria Nelson Harris

    Senior Textile Segment Specialist

    Mimaki

 In 2025, transparency across the apparel supply chain has become crucial due to consumer demand for ethical and sustainable practices, advancements in technology and evolving regulatory standards. From a technology perspective, digital textile printing and cloud-based software have made it easier to track real-time production data, enabling greater visibility into resource consumption such as ink and energy. These advancements help manufacturers share environmental impact metrics, meeting growing expectations for accountability.

For materials and consumables, transparency is essential to ensure the use of sustainable, traceable inputs such as recycled or certified organic textiles. Both consumers and brands increasingly demand verifiable sourcing information to minimize environmental impact and uphold fair labor practices in fiber production. Additionally, digital textile-ink manufacturers are now certifying their inks not only with Oeko-Tex but also with Bluesign, which enhances accountability and raises standards throughout the entire ink-production supply chain for both environmental, safety and labor impacts.

From the end consumer’s viewpoint, there’s an expectation for brands to disclose how their apparel is made—from raw materials to finished goods. This aligns with a global shift toward conscious consumption, with customers favoring businesses that prioritize ethical production and sustainability.

At the industry level, transparency builds trust and collaboration among stakeholders while reducing risks like greenwashing and supply-chain disruptions. It drives innovation in sustainable practices, including waterless printing, on-demand digital production, local manufacturing, and recycling of materials and consumables. These efforts collectively support the development of a circular and transparent apparel industry.

Lewis Perkins

President

Apparel Impact Institute

 While the UNFCCC’s fashion charter aims to reach net-zero no later than 2050, many brands have ambitious 2030 targets. At the halfway point of the decisive decade, 2025 is a moment for all stakeholders to step up and prove that their climate commitments are backed by action.

2025 will test the global marketplace’s commitments to climate targets, and the fashion industry will be no exception. Supply chains generate 80 percent of emissions from consumer industries like apparel, yet brands are falling short of their decarbonization commitments—and stakeholders are demanding answers. Transparency is no longer optional—it’s the linchpin to accountability, financing and long-term progress.

While making public commitments is the first step on the journey to net-zero, accountability and action must follow. In 2025, we must move beyond pledges and low-hanging-fruit tactics to invest in real, measurable CO₂ reduction projects with our suppliers. That means critically transforming our industry’s business operations and supply chains—taking a hard look at the value chain, supporting suppliers in their decarbonization efforts and leveraging financial tools that make progress actionable.

We have mobilized industry and philanthropy to pool resources, facilitating $250 million in catalytic capital through the Fashion Climate Fund. This initiative brings together suppliers, brands, financial institutions and philanthropies to scale proven decarbonization solutions. Three years in, with five to go, we are on track to deploy roughly $100 million of the goal amount by 2030—but reaching the full target requires more committed stakeholders to step up their financial contributions.

    Adele Stafford

    Executive Vice President of Growth Initiatives

    Worldly

 Transparency along all segments of the apparel supply chain is more important in 2025 than ever. As we step into uncharted regulatory territories that will impact global trade and social and environmental sustainability, a renewed focus on transparency isn’t just about compliance or meeting expectations—it’s about accountability and driving meaningful progress to protect people and the planet.

To make this possible, it’s essential to include suppliers in decision-making. Suppliers are not just trivial participants in the supply chain; they understand — and live through — the true impact of production decisions and can guide brands in strategic planning. By fostering collaboration and open communication with suppliers, brands can establish trust and build stronger relationships with suppliers that will benefit both groups as well as factory workers and the local communities where manufacturing occurs.

Transparency isn’t just about gathering data and one-sided, top-down mandates; it’s about establishing communication and trust, and using those data to create shared value that informs an open and honest dialogue about challenges along the supply chain and how businesses can better work with one another to advance the social and environmental sustainability agenda. We’re already seeing how businesses that don’t prioritize sustainability risk losing brand reputation and being pushed out of the marketplace.

When brands and suppliers work together, it leads to more sustainable practices, stronger relationships and tangible improvements across the entire value chain. Transparency, combined with trust and inclusive decision-making, pave the way for a more resilient, responsible and equitable apparel industry.

Steve Stewart

Chief Brand and Innovation Officer

The LYCRA Company

 Transparency is becoming even more relevant in the apparel industry, driven by consumer demand as well as regulatory requirements. Consumers are increasingly seeking not only quality products but also those that are made in an environmentally responsible manner, which makes transparency a key factor in driving product choice and brand loyalty. Today, brands must adopt more-sustainable materials and inputs to stay competitive. In addition, regulations such as the EcoDesign for Sustainable Products will require transparency on everything from material inputs to processing and product performance.

At The LYCRA Company, we will soon launch bio-derived LYCRA fiber made with QIRA, a renewable spandex originating from dent corn. Our customers value the transparency and traceability of the feedstock, starting with the farms in Iowa where the corn is grown to the final fiber product.

Brands that can demonstrate transparency in their supply chains build trust and loyalty, making them better positioned for long-term success. The growing emphasis on transparency will certainly have an impact on helping to reshape the future of the apparel industry.

    Jimmy Summers

    Chief Sustainability Officer

    Cone Denim

 Transparency requirements and the definition of transparency have evolved rapidly within the industry over the last several years. The coming European Union directives and other global regulations with implementation gearing up in 2025 require that we know more about our products than where they come from. The information that brands, retailers and their suppliers will have to know includes greenhouse-gas emissions, energy efficiency, water usage and stewardship, waste disposal, source and impact of raw materials, social-compliance information related to workers, impacts on local communities, biodiversity data and more. All of this information must be shared and validated through a complex supply chain in order to be used for compliance purposes. Supply-chain transparency has quickly moved from being something companies should have to something companies must have in place. Cone Denim is prepared to provide these data through platforms like the Higg Facility Environmental Module and Social and Labor Module to reduce the burden of data gathering for our facilities and our customers.

Andrea Venier

Managing Director

Officina39

 Let us begin with a small note on traceability and transparency: Traceability is the ability to understand the journey a product takes before reaching consumers. Transparency goes a step further, involving the disclosure of all supply-chain data by a brand. Every stage of the supply chain must be traceable, and the resulting information should be accessible to all stakeholders, including end consumers, allowing them to understand every aspect of a garment’s life cycle.

Transparency has become a key value in building consumer confidence by providing accurate information and enhancing product safety.

Consumers are increasingly curious about every stage of the production cycle of what they wear, asking questions about each item before purchasing.

Transparency also brings efficiency to resource and supply-chain management through simplified, automated processes and better control over resource use. Additionally, communication between business partners improves with a more detailed and comprehensive exchange of information.

However, in our view, transparency requires a fundamental element: trust. Trust is built through consistent, serious work, day after day. It cannot be achieved with shortcuts or software alone. Trust must be embedded in a company’s DNA.

    Eloise Vivolo

    Chief Operations Manager

    Vivolo

 The need for transparency is not new but the result of a progressive evolution that has transformed many industries in recent years, including fashion. Year by year, and particularly in 2025, its importance has reached unprecedented levels, driven by growing consumer demand, increasingly stringent regulations and a collective responsibility toward environmental and social sustainability. European Union policies, such as the Green Deal and the Sustainable Products Initiative, emphasize the urgency of traceable and compliant supply chains, pushing companies to account for every stage of production, from raw-material sourcing to the product’s end of life.

At Vivolo, transparency is part of our DNA. With certifications such as GRS, FSC and Oeko-Tex, we ensure that every material and process meets rigorous sustainability standards. Our vertically integrated supply chain enables unparalleled traceability, offering our stakeholders security and confidence in our ethical and environmental commitments.

However, transparency goes beyond compliance; it represents a holistic vision where innovation, ethics and craftsmanship meet. With the Zero Footprint project, we continuously explore sustainable materials and processes. In addition, we are proud to announce that we are finalizing our first sustainability report, a voluntary initiative to promote openness and accountability. Transparency is a bridge to the future, a means to inspire trust, stimulate innovation and honor our responsibility to the planet and the people who inhabit it.

Sherry Wood

Director of Merchandising and Design

Laguna Fabrics

 Consumers and brands are more informed about issues like labor, environmental harm and unethical sourcing practices. Brands are demanding proof of Laguna’s sustainability commitments showing sustainable sourcing, waste reduction and carbon-neutral operations, which are documented by our participation in the Higg Index organization. Transparency is essential for enabling our brands to promote recycling, reuse and responsible disposal of garments, which are key pillars of a circular economy.

Technological advancements made supply-chain transparency more feasible, allowing brands to track products from raw materials to finished goods. Laguna’s reputation for being transparent builds stronger trust and loyalty with our brands. A transparent U.S.-made supply chain becomes a unique selling point, setting us apart from other competitors. At Laguna, we want to position ourselves as leaders in this space that brands can depend on for not just sustainable fabrics but as a fully integrated sustainable company.

*Responses have been edited for clarity and space.