Key considerations
Key considerations that should be made for clothing purchasing include:
- compliance with local law
- employment standards throughout the supply chain: no forced or child labour, occupational health and safety standard, working hours and wages which meet legally mandated and industry standard, workplace free from harassment, abuse and discrimination, and freedom of association and right to bargain collectively
- active work to improve and environmental and social conditions in local communities
- written environmental sustainability policy, plan and program which address energy, waste, emissions, water, and local economic and community development
- organic practices or minimized use of pesticides in the production of raw materials
- shortened and transparent supply chain
- locally produced, where possible
- durable, long lasting clothing
- made with recycled materials
Guide for student societies
By considering the impacts of your student society’s procurement choices and educating others, you are helping foster a culture of sustainability at Dalhousie.
- When making purchases, consider:
- Can it be rented instead?
- Proper sizing
- Durability
- Efficiency
- Locality
- Sustainability impacts of product
- Responsibility
- Reusability
- Size
- Materials used
Fair Labour Association (FLA) and Worker Rights Consortium (WRC)
Dalhousie is a member of the Fair Labour Association. Ongoing research and program modifications are being undertaken to guide strategies for University textiles purchases. FLA & WRC are non-profit labour rights monitoring organizations. When purchasing, ask if the factories producing the textiles comply with FLA and/or WRC Codes of Conduct.
Fair Labour Association (FLA)
- Affiliated companies held accountable for holding up the FLA Code of Conduct
- Verifies working conditions of affiliate factories
Worker Rights Consortium (WRC)
- Assists universities in enforcing the WRC Code of Conduct
- Verifies working conditions of affiliate factories
Questions to ask when purchasing
- Are vendors and factories compliant with international labour standards that protect workers rights by prohibiting child/forced labour, protecting health and safety, and ensuring wages and hours meet legal industry standards?
- Ask vendors for their code of conduct.
- Are vendors and factories FLA and/or WRC compliant?
- Do packaging options reduce waste?
- Are leading industry practices being followed to conserve resources and reduce carbon emissions?