U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a Downers Grove Democrat, and Republican Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, announced their bipartisan bill asking clothing manufacturers to voluntarily include labels on their products that show consumers information on the greenhouse gas emissions released during the manufacturing and distribution process.
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove Friday announced bipartisan legislation to better inform consumers about the environmental impact of clothes they purchase.
The Illinois Democrat, whose 6th district includes much of the West and Southwest suburbs in Cook and DuPage counties, co-sponsored the Voluntary Sustainable Apparel Labeling Act with Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar. The bill proposes manufacturers work with the Environmental Protection Agency to voluntarily affix a label on products or on packaging that contains information revealing the product’s carbon footprint.
“Consumers are increasingly interested in understanding the climate impacts of their purchasing decisions,” said Casten in a prepared statement. “The bipartisan Voluntary Sustainable Apparel Labeling Act empowers individuals to make environmentally-conscious decisions with their hard-earned dollars, fostering a more sustainable future for all.”
The label will include information on the greenhouse gas emissions released during the production, manufacturing, distribution, consumer use, end-of-life reuse, and recycling of an item of apparel, according to the representatives.
The voluntary label would allow manufacturers to show their efforts to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Additionally, it would provide more information to consumers seeking to shop more sustainably.
According to the proposed legislation, companies that sell apparel, “will be allowed, but not mandated” to attach an apparel sustainability label to the item or its packaging.
According to Salazar, fashion contributes millions of dollars to Miami’s economy annually.
The proposed legislation “builds an information bridge between consumer and producer, encouraging more sustainable clothes shopping to help protect our planet,” she said in a prepared statement.