The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) is rebranding as Cascale in order to address the needs of a broader scope of consumer goods beyond apparel and footwear

The global nonprofit alliance working to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry includes over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics and industry associations and will mark the change at a networking event in London on February 27th.

“Cascale’s vision reflects my mission to inspire responsible businesses that commit to transparency and benefit people and the planet,” said Rick Ridgeway, former vice president of sustainability and public engagement at Patagonia, and Cascale’s co-founder. “Its collaborative spirit and commitment to sustainability has delivered tremendous impact – but we still have work to do, together.”

Walmart and Patagonia founded the SAC in 2009 to convene apparel industry stakeholders on a pre-competitive basis and develop a common approach to measuring sustainability.

In 2010, the SAC launched the Higg Index suite of tools, which are used by businesses and organisations to measure, evaluate, and improve social and environmental impact in the textile, apparel, and footwear industry. Each year, over 24,000 users rely on the Higg Index for improved benchmarking, reduced auditing and proactive action.

As home furnishings, sporting and outdoor goods and bags and luggage companies began joining the SAC and using the Higg Index tools alongside existing corporate and non-corporate SAC members, the organisation identified the need for a more expansive name.

Cascale reflects ithe goal of scaling collective action. As of January 2024, 10% of Cascale’s members serve or operate in product categories adjacent to apparel and footwear.

“We know that synergies exist across industries and regions,” said Andrew Martin, executive vice president at Cascale. “Building on our experience and success in bringing together different actors across global apparel and footwear value chains to create shared tools and solutions, now is the time to expand our reach and engage a wider membership base to drive collective action at scale.”

www.cascale.org