On the heels of the Met Gala, one of the fashion industry’s biggest events, activists in New York are lobbying Congress to consider a fashion bill aimed at limiting the environmental impact of fashion waste.
Advocates are urging lawmakers to show their passion for fashion by passing a fashion bill that would require companies to plan their supply chains and work to reduce their long-term environmental impact.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Anna Keres, who represents the 125th District. Keres, a Democrat, argues that the bill would reduce the harms of what she calls “fast fashion.”
“If they don’t comply, the state has the power to impose fines of up to 2 percent of gross revenues — any business with gross revenues over $100 million,” Keres said. “This is a reasonable, common-sense, good-hearted government bill, and it must be enacted this year.”
Keres said a growing industry producing fashion-forward, typically low-quality clothing and shoes is increasing costs for New Yorkers.
“[In]”In 2020 alone, the United States is spending $95 billion responding to climate disasters, and that’s unacceptable,” Keres said. “That $95 billion is [b]”That $100 million could have been spent on housing, affordable housing, transportation infrastructure, great jobs, encouraging manufacturers to come back to the United States. There’s a lot we could do if we acted responsibly right now.”
Ken Pokalski, vice president of the New York Business Council, said while the bill targets large corporations, it could also affect small businesses.
“The smaller the company, the fewer technical and financial resources it has, and the harder it is to comply with these kinds of regulations,” Pokalski said. “So even though they’re regulations for large companies, I think they’re going to affect small and medium-sized businesses, too.”
Among the crowd of actresses, public officials and fashion enthusiasts at a recent lobbying day was Francesca Thornton, 13, an eighth-grader at Robert C. Parker School in Winnantskill. Thornton said she was writing a passion paper for a class about consumerism.
“People my age really listen,” Thornton says, “so when I start doing things that my friends aren’t doing, they start saying, ‘Oh, check this out.’ So it’s like a ripple effect.”
Vanessa Fajans-Turner is executive director of Environmental Advocates NY. She said the U.S. ranks second in the world behind China in terms of fashion waste, at 17 million tons per year. And because New York is the global center of fashion and design, Fajans-Turner said this bill could level the playing field for everyone.
“This bill rewards businesses that are doing the right thing by expanding market access and waiving penalties. This bill is designed to incentivize and standardize what many New York small businesses are already doing,” Fajans-Turner said.
She added that shoppers can reduce their impact on the environment by consuming less and giving items a second life.
“The other thing we can do is repair. We don’t think about replacing or repairing clothes that are torn or have a broken zipper,” Fajans-Turner said.
Companies like Patagonia support the bill. In a letter to Gov. Kathy Hockle and other lawmakers, Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert called for “further regulation and accountability for the $2.5 trillion apparel industry.” Gellert said all companies should take steps to improve the environment.
Gov. Kathy Hockle’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The legislative session is scheduled to end on June 6th.
