Labeling Ecologically Approved Fabrics

"The process of transforming our industry into something more sustainable -- and more sensitive to our needs -- takes time. It is a long-term commitment to a new way of producing and consuming that requires widespread personal and institutional change." -- Kate Fletcher

There is currently a lack of reliable information for U.S. consumers who want to purchase clothing and other textile related products that are produced in an ethical and sustainable way. Additionally, many producers in the textile supply chain have made great strides to improve their practices, but have not yet found a way to effectively communicate all of these environmental and social improvements to the U.S. customer.

LEAF proposes to administer an eco-labeling program that works in concert with the leading standards of the apparel/textile industries in order to present one unified, centralized labeling program to the U.S. marketplace.

The program also seeks to provide U.S. consumers with trustworthy information with which to make purchasing decisions based on a product's environmental or social attributes.

Openness and transparency are important features of the development of internationally valid and trustworthy eco-labeling systems. As part of the process of becoming an official environmental and social labeling program for the United States marketplace, LEAF is now undergoing its public review and comment period, where a review is considered a "formal process of open participation/consultation among interested parties".*

It is an honor and pleasure to invite your leadership and participation as an industry stakeholder or interested individual to participate in this consensus-based development process!