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Cascale
Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale one of the textile industry's leading alliance for sustainable production. As members of Cascale and leaders in sustainability, we have a continued commitment to improving our environmental performance and share the vision of the Cascale to creating a more sustainable, equitable, and just world for all.
Overview
Cascale is an one the most important global organization for sustainability, comprised of over 300 stakeholders from several sectors such as retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations, and nonprofits. Their objective is to foster collaborative efforts towards establishing fair and sustainable business practices within the consumer goods industry. Originally known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale has evolved to encompass a broader spectrum of consumer goods, including apparel, footwear, home furnishing, sport, outdoor goods, bags and luggage.
At the heart of their initiatives is the Higg Index, a tool initially developed for standardizing sustainability metrics. However, Cascale has shifted its focus towards driving collective action among industry players to effect meaningful transformation across the board. As an independent entity, Cascale serves as a unifying force, bringing together diverse stakeholders such as brands, retailers, manufacturers, NGOs, academia, and industry associations. Together, they aim to tackle pressing issues like climate change, labor rights, and environmental conservation to pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable future.
The Higg Index
The Higg Index is a suite of five tools that assess and measure the social and environmental performance of the value chain and the environmental impacts of products. Cascale developed these tools to help organizations make systematic change by identifying, understanding, and measuring areas of improvement. These tools include the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM), Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (FSLM), Higg Brand & Retail Module (BRM), Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI), and Higg Product Module (PM). Launched in 2011, the Higg Index is one of the most widely used standardized measurement framework within the apparel and footwear industry. Today, more than 24,000 organizations around the world use the Higg Index tools.
Recover™ assesses the environmental performance of its products and processes through the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) and the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI). All of Recover’s facilities submit self-assessments of the FEM and FSLM on a yearly basis – both of which undergo external verification.
Recover’s role in Cascale
As a Corporate Member, Recover™ participates in several meetings with other members to drive industry improvements. Recover™ has also adopted the Higg Index tools: Recover™ recycled fiber is included as a material in Higg MSI and all Recover™ facilities implement the Higg FEM and Higg FSLM assessments.
Discover more on the Cascale's website.