Good Clothes, Fair Pay : Fashion Revolution

What is a European Citizens' Initiative?

Good Clothes Fair Pay is a European Citizens’ Initiative to call on the European Commission to introduce legislation requiring that brands and retailers in the garment sector conduct specific due diligence in their supply chain to ensure workers are paid living wages.

The ECI – the European Citizens’ Initiative – is a unique instrument enabling citizens to call directly on the European Commission to propose legislation in an area of EU competence. The campaign must collect at least 1 million signatures from EU citizens. Anyone who is an EU citizen (EU passport or ID holder) can sign, no matter where they live.

If we reach our goal of 1 million signatures, then the European Commission must meet with us, respond to our successful ECI with an official communication, and may ask for a debate in the European Parliament.

What if I'm not an EU citizen?

Anyone who is an EU citizen (EU passport or ID holder) can sign, no matter where they live. If you are not an EU citizen, you can still support this campaign by sharing our content on social media and telling your family, friends and colleagues. Here’s how to get involved:

Click here to send a tweet
Download and share our campaign materials on social media
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates
Print a poster and put it up in your local area
Donate to our campaign fund

What will the legislation require?

We need legislation that requires due diligence on living wages to ensure accountability and action among all companies, not just those that are reputation-sensitive or values-driven. This would ensure all businesses take action on living wages and level the playing field across the industry. Our proposal not only applies to EU countries but to companies who sell their products in the EU, independently of where their products are made.

The scope covers brands and retailers who want to trade in the EU, independently of whether they are based in the EU or elsewhere. It calls on brands and retailers to put in place, implement, monitor, and publicly disclose a time-bound and target-bound plan to close the gap between actual and living wages.

It puts a particular emphasis on requiring brands to identify risk groups that are particularly hard hit by low wages, such as women and migrant workers. Our proposal includes measures such as the companies’ pricing, costing and overall purchasing practices, ensuring that workers do not have to rely on excessive overtime to meet their basic needs.

This legislation would be the first living wage legislation at the EU level for garment workers worldwide. You can read the full legal proposal here.

Why should the EU take action?

Better laws and regulations in Europe can make sure that companies all over the world do their part in ensuring that the workers in their supply chains are paid fairly.

The momentum required to support fairer supply chains at EU level has never been greater. The European Commission has committed to introducing mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence legislation compelling companies to take action in their supply chains. The ECI also builds on and aligns with other policy instruments such as the proposed EU Minimum Wage Directive, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, the ILO MNE Declaration and the forthcoming EU strategy for sustainable textiles.

This will be the single biggest EU campaign on living wages in the garment sector to date. If successful, the legislation will be a groundbreaking step in building a fairer fashion system where brands are held accountable for the people who make their clothes. We believe that proactive policy like this is crucial for safeguarding millions of workers in the fashion supply chain, and that the EU can lead the way for positive change.

The EU is the largest clothes and textiles importer in the world, with over 69 billion euros’ worth of clothes imported by the EU in 2020. As the world’s largest single market, it has the responsibility to ensure that the clothes it sells are made in safe conditions and that the people who make them are paid fairly.

If global garment supply chains cross borders, we need legislation that crosses borders too. We need clear, transnational legislation at the EU level rather than a confusing patchwork in the 28 Member States to ensure more legal certainty, coherence and consistency.

How is a living wage calculated?

The right to a living wage is a fundamental human right recognised by the United Nations.

Earning a living wage allows workers to provide for themselves and their dependant’s basic needs – including food, housing, education and healthcare as well as some discretionary income for unexpected events. It should be earned in a standard workweek of no more than 48 hours and should be earned before bonuses, allowances or overtime, and after taxes.

Trade unions, labour rights groups and academics have developed credible methodologies to calculate a living wage in the countries or regions where our clothes are made.

Will living wages increase the price of clothes?

Wage costs make up a tiny fraction of the cost of our clothes. It’s a misconception that if garment workers are paid a living wage, consumers will see the prices of their clothes significantly increase. In fact, a report by Oxfam found that if brands paid garment workers living wages in the supply chain, it would increase the final cost of a piece of clothing by just 1%.

Brands often have billionaire owners and massive profits. It should be the brand’s responsibility to absorb the cost increase and pay garment workers a living wage – rather than pass on this cost to consumers. This legislation is part of a vision for a radically different business model for the fashion industry, where brands reduce their environmental impacts, reduce the amount of clothes they make and ensure the people who make our clothes are treated fairly and paid living wages.

Who supports this campaign?

Good Clothes, Fair Pay is led by Fashion Revolution and our global network alongside Fair Wear and ASN Bank. Clean Clothes Campaign, World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO), Fairtrade International and Solidaridad are our key campaign partners. Other supporting organisations include Remake, Anti-Slavery International, AWAJ Foundation, Empowerment Collective, IndustriALL, Asia Floor Wage, Common Objective, Fair Action, The Circle, Global Living Wage Coalition, Wage Indicator, Care International, The Industry We Want, Changing Markets and many more.

Our citizens’ committee consists of industry experts from across Europe: Irina van der Sluijs, Daniel Vaughan-Whitehead, Dr Stephanie Schrage, Tanja Gotthardsen, Ben Vanpeperstraete, Maeve Galvin, Martina Marekov Kuipers, Jos Huber, Milena Prisco, Maria van der Heide, Maria Prandi, Ineke Zeldenrust, Kirsten Kossen, Isabel Ripa and Mario Iveković.

If you would like to support this campaign, whether you’re an influencer, journalist, artist or activist, contact us to get involved!

Good Clothes, Fair Pay

Why do we need legislation on living wages?

Millions of people work in textile, clothing and footwear production around the world. The vast majority are not paid enough to fulfil their basic needs.

Frequently asked questions