The Scandinavian Textile Initiative For Climate Action (STICA)

Climate Action Week
for Fashion & Apparel

The Scandinavian Textile Initiative For Climate Action (STICA)

Climate Action Week for Fashion & Apparel

Status Update: Will the New York and California Fashion Act bills pass?

During STICA’s 2024 Climate Action Week, Maxine Bédat and her colleagues from the NRDC and the New York State Assembly updated us on the arguments for and status of the New York Fashion Act. Since then more has happened. Similar bills have been introduced in California and Massachusetts. In this conversation, Michael asks Maxine to provide an update on the status of the bills, including how they address climate action specifically, if and how the bills align or differ, why she thinks they will be effective, and why there are no major industry organizations and only a few global brands officially supporting these bills.  

This is not counter to industry. This is a pro-industry bill. It sets the basic guardrails so the industry can thrive in the future.

What doesn’t make sense to me is that the industry created these standards - and now they’re opposing them when asked to follow through.

If you're not in favor of this bill and not actively promoting it, that is the position of the industry today. That’s a shocking and sad state of affairs.

Contributor

Maxine Bédat, Director, New Standard Institute
Maxine Bédat is the founder and director of New Standard Institute, a think and do tank using data to drive accountability in industry. She is also the author of the book, UNRAVELED: The Life and Death of a Garment, a Financial Times Book of the Year and translated into several languages. Prior to NSI, Maxine co-founded and was the CEO of Zady, a fashion brand and lifestyle destination creating a transparent and sustainable future for the apparel industry. Bédat has been recognized by Fast Company in its Most Creative in Business, Business of Fashion’s BoF 500, the definitive index of people shaping the global fashion industry, and Oprah’s Super Soul 100, for leaders elevating humanity. Bédat began her career in international law working at the Rwandan Criminal Tribunal and Allen & Overy, and received a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School.