Some weeks ago I discovered on French media the app called Clear Fashion, aiming at reviewing and grading the CSR performance of clothing brands broadly available on the market.
I was so glad to contribute as a beta-tester and provide comments to help improve it before its official launch: our long-term readers surely know how fast fashion is a topic of focus here on OUTSIDE THE BOX, and how changing my own consumption habits has been a key focus of my sustainable lifestyle at home.
The app's purpose is quite obvious: brands are graded based on some specific indicators (humans, environment, animals, health/toxicity - see below) and on the information they transparently share with regard to their CSR engagements.
As app-user, you can look for the brands in the search engine, which will direct you then to their grades. You can also actively participate in the app's further development by point out brands that are curretly not listed; the Clear Fashion team will then review the users' recommendations and look to add new brands and ratings accordingly.
Clear Fashion is sharing its rating methodology to provide readers, users and participating brands with the greatest transparency, objectivity and independence.
Different sources of information are used, from data available online or provided by the brands, including for instance:
- focus on materials
- focus on eco-labels and partnerships that these brands have in place
- focus on sourcing and origins of production (and their impact, for example, on labour's working conditions, human rights, gender equality, HSE-related risks etc...)
The Clear Fashion app is available on the App Store and Google Play. Note however that it is currently only available in France / in French - I would however encourage you all to try it and test it with your favourite brands.
For more details in English, you can refer to this article from FashionNetwork.com.