Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
In 2023, the average overall score across 250 of the world’s largest fashion brands in the Fashion Transparency Index was 26%
In the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, two brands scored 0% for transparency
52% of major brands disclosed their first-tier supplier lists in 2023
In 2023, 99% of major brands did not disclose the number of workers in their supply chain being paid a living wage
Only 1% of brands in 2023 publicly disclosed data on the number of workers in their supply chain paid a living wage
In 2022, 96% of major fashion brands did not disclose the number of workers in their supply chain paid a living wage
In 2023, 51% of brands published targets on sustainable materials
Only 34% of major brands in 2023 defined what constitutes a 'sustainable' material
30% of brands in 2023 disclosed their carbon footprint at the raw material level
In 2020, 75% of consumers Surveyed agreed that fashion brands should do more to protect the lives of the people who make their clothes
In 2020, 69% of consumers surveyed would like to know how their clothes are manufactured
70% of consumers aged 16–75 surveyed in 2020 agreed that the government should hold fashion brands accountable for their impact
In 2023, only 12% of brands disclosed how many products they produce annually
99% of brands in 2023 did not disclose a commitment to degrowth or reducing the number of new items produced
In 2023, 45% of brands disclosed the gender breakdown of their Board of Directors
Consumption & Consumer Behavior
- In 2020, 75% of consumers Surveyed agreed that fashion brands should do more to protect the lives of the people who make their clothes
- In 2020, 69% of consumers surveyed would like to know how their clothes are manufactured
- 70% of consumers aged 16–75 surveyed in 2020 agreed that the government should hold fashion brands accountable for their impact
- In 2018, 1 in 3 consumers surveyed said they consider social and environmental impacts when buying clothes
- 37% of consumers in the 2018 survey said it is important that the brands they buy from pay a fair living wage
- In 2020, only 14% of consumers surveyed said they strongly trust information from clothing brands on sustainability
- 72% of consumers in 2020 agreed that brands should protect the environment at every stage of making their clothes
- 39% of consumers in 2018 stated they would share a campaign about ethical fashion on social media
- In 2018, 41% of consumers said they would sign a petition to encourage transparency in the fashion industry
- 68% of consumers in 2020 agreed that fashion brands should provide information about their supply chain commitments
- In 2018, 72% of women surveyed said it is important for brands to share where clothes are made compared to 64% of men
- In the 2020 survey, 78% of consumers agreed brands should be transparent about their environmental impact
- 21% of UK consumers surveyed in 2018 bought clothing made from recycled materials
- In 2018, 6% of consumers surveyed had purchased clothing from a sustainable or ethical specific brand
- 33% of consumers in 2020 said they had repaired damaged clothes in the last 12 months
- 13% of consumers in 2020 said they had bought second-hand clothing in the last 12 months specifically to reduce impact
- 59% of consumers in 2020 said they have never attended a clothing swap event
- In 2018, 59% of respondents said they want to know what fashion brands are doing to ensure worker safety
- 80% of consumers in the 2020 survey agreed that fashion brands should disclose their suppliers
- In 2020, 62% of consumers agreed that buying clothes from sustainable brands is important to them
Interpretation
Vocal in surveys but modest at the checkout, consumers overwhelmingly demand transparency, supplier disclosure and government accountability to protect workers and the environment, yet low trust and weak sustainable buying, repair and swap habits expose a credibility gap brands must urgently close.
Environmental Impact & Materials
- In 2023, 51% of brands published targets on sustainable materials
- Only 34% of major brands in 2023 defined what constitutes a 'sustainable' material
- 30% of brands in 2023 disclosed their carbon footprint at the raw material level
- In 2023, 94% of brands failed to disclose the amount of water used in the production of their fibres
- 24% of brands in 2023 disclosed their annual water footprint for their own operations
- Only 7% of brands in 2023 disclosed the results of wastewater testing by their suppliers
- In 2023, 88% of major brands did not disclose their annual textile waste volumes
- 28% of brands in 2022 disclosed their progress towards reducing the use of virgin plastics
- In 2022, 29% of brands published a time-bound target to eliminate hazardous chemicals
- 76% of brands in 2022 did not disclose their carbon footprint in the supply chain (Scope 3)
- Only 11% of brands in 2021 published their wastewater testing results
- In 2021, 26% of brands published a biodiversity strategy exposed to their operations
- 14% of brands in 2020 published their commitment to deforestation-free supply chains
- In 2023, 23% of brands disclosed the percentage of their products designed for circularity
- 21% of brands in 2023 offered take-back schemes for used clothing
- Only 5% of brands in 2023 explained what happens to the clothes received through take-back schemes
- In 2023, 49% of brands published science-based targets on climate change
- 95% of brands in 2023 did not disclose their investment in decarbonization within their supply chains
- In 2022, 24% of brands disclosed their use of recycled materials
- 85% of brands in 2023 did not disclose their commitment to phase out microfibers
Interpretation
The industry likes to wear green on the label but not on the ledger: in 2023, 51% of brands published targets while only 34% defined what “sustainable” materials are; 49% set science-based climate targets yet 76% did not disclose Scope 3 emissions and 95% hid supply-chain decarbonisation investments; 94% failed to disclose fibre water use and only 7% shared suppliers’ wastewater tests while 24% reported their own water footprint; 88% did not disclose textile waste volumes, just 23% reported products designed for circularity, 21% offered take-back schemes and only 5% explained what happens to returned clothes; and disclosures on recycled materials, hazardous chemicals, biodiversity, deforestation-free commitments and microfiber phase-outs all stubbornly sit below one third.
Policy, Governance & Inequality
- In 2023, only 12% of brands disclosed how many products they produce annually
- 99% of brands in 2023 did not disclose a commitment to degrowth or reducing the number of new items produced
- In 2023, 45% of brands disclosed the gender breakdown of their Board of Directors
- Only 13% of brands in 2023 published a policy on payment terms for their suppliers (e.g. paying within 60 days)
- In 2023, 85% of brands did not disclose their policy on penalties for late delivery by suppliers
- 27% of brands in 2023 published the annual gender pay gap within their own head office operations
- In 2022, 11% of brands disclosed their supplier payment terms policy
- 92% of brands in 2022 did not disclose if they pay their suppliers before their products are shipped
- In 2021, 18% of brands disclosed the racial or ethnic breakdown of their company Board
- In 2020, 98% of brands did not publish data on the ethnicity of their employees
- 61% of brands in 2023 published a policy on bribery and corruption for their suppliers
- In 2023, 91% of major brands did not disclose the breakdown of job roles by gender
- 3% of brands in 2020 disclosed data on the gender pay gap in their supply chain
- In 2022, 32% of brands had a publicly available responsible purchasing practices policy
- In 2023, 94% of brands did not disclose the percentage of orders paid on time to suppliers
- 6% of brands in 2022 disclosed that they have a worker representative on their Board of Directors
- In 2021, 95% of brands did not disclose the percentage of board members from a Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic background
- 14% of brands in 2022 disclosed the gender breakdown of senior management in their supply chain facilities
- In 2023, 63% of brands published contact details for a sustainability department or lead
- 89% of brands in 2023 did not disclose the ratio of CEO pay to average worker pay in their operations
Interpretation
Fashion brands are stitching a cloak of secrecy: despite some reporting on anti‑corruption measures and publishing sustainability contacts, the vast majority hide how much they produce, refuse to commit to making fewer new items, and largely withhold basic supplier, pay and diversity data, signaling an industry that prioritizes volume and image over worker rights and real accountability.
Transparency & Traceability
- In 2023, the average overall score across 250 of the world’s largest fashion brands in the Fashion Transparency Index was 26%
- In the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index, two brands scored 0% for transparency
- 52% of major brands disclosed their first-tier supplier lists in 2023
- Only 29% of major brands disclosed their processing facilities (Tier 2) in 2023
- Disclosure of raw material suppliers (Tier 3) by major brands remained low at 12% in 2023
- For the first time in 2023, more than half (52%) of major brands disclosed their Tier 1 supplier lists
- In 2022, only 48% of brands disclosed their first-tier manufacturers
- The average Fashion Transparency Index score in 2022 was 24%
- 32% of brands disclosed their processing facilities in 2022
- 11% of brands disclosed their raw material suppliers in 2022
- In 2021, 47% of brands published a list of their first-tier manufacturers
- The average transparency score for brands in the 2021 Index was 23%
- In 2020, only 40% of brands were publishing their Tier 1 supplier lists
- 7% of brands disclosed raw material suppliers in 2020
- 70 of the 250 brands reviewed in 2023 scored between 0-10% transparency
- 5 brands scored 80% or higher in the 2023 Fashion Transparency Index
- 54% of brands in the 2023 Index are publishing a policy on animal welfare
- 37% of brands in 2023 disclosed the breakdown of gender in their supply chain
- 85% of brands in 2023 did not disclose their annual production volumes
- Only 4% of brands in 2023 disclosed if their workers have access to trade unions in their supply chain
Interpretation
Tiny steps, big blind spots: average scores crept from 23% in 2021 to 24% in 2022 and 26% in 2023 and 52% of major brands now publish Tier 1 supplier lists, yet two brands scored 0%, 70 of 250 scored between 0 and 10%, only five scored 80% or higher, Tier 2 and Tier 3 disclosures were just 29% and 12% respectively, 54% publish an animal welfare policy, 37% disclose gender breakdowns, 85% withhold annual production volumes, and a mere 4% reveal whether workers have access to trade unions.
Wages & Labor Rights
- In 2023, 99% of major brands did not disclose the number of workers in their supply chain being paid a living wage
- Only 1% of brands in 2023 publicly disclosed data on the number of workers in their supply chain paid a living wage
- In 2022, 96% of major fashion brands did not disclose the number of workers in their supply chain paid a living wage
- 27% of brands in 2023 disclosed their approach to living wages for supply chain workers
- 13% of brands in 2023 published a time-bound, measurable roadmap for fair living wages
- In 2023, 89% of brands did not disclose the percentage of their supply chain workers covered by collective bargaining agreements
- 43% of brands in 2023 disclosed a list of trade unions they engage with in their supply chain
- Only 3 brands (1%) in 2023 disclosed data on the prevalence of violations regarding freedom of association
- In 2022, 87% of brands did not reveal the percentage of their workers covered by collective bargaining agreements
- 94% of brands in 2022 did not disclose the number of workers in their supply chains paid a living wage
- In 2020, only 5 out of 250 brands (2%) published data on the prevalence of modern slavery violations in their supply chains
- 82% of brands in 2021 did not disclose data on the prevalence of gender-based labor violations
- 54% of brands in 2021 published a policy on forced labor
- In 2023, 44% of brands disclosed their whistleblowing procedure for workers
- 28% of brands in 2023 disclosed the number of grievances raised by workers in their supply chains
- 25% of brands in 2023 disclosed the number of grievances resolved for workers in their supply chains
- During the Covid-19 pandemic (2020), only 3% of brands publicly disclosed data on orders cancelled
- In 2020, only 6% of brands disclosed policy on payment terms to suppliers
- 58% of brands in 2023 published a Code of Conduct that applies to their suppliers
- 96% of major brands in 2023 do not publish the number of workers in their supply chain who have been fired for joining a union
Interpretation
Despite glossy statements and sporadic policies, the overwhelming silence on living wages, union rights, modern slavery and grievance data shows most major fashion brands treat worker transparency as a runway accessory rather than a real commitment.
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