Fashion Sustainability 2025: A Wake-Up Call from Stand.earth’s Scorecard
The latest 2025 Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard from Stand.earth evaluated 42 major apparel brands on their decarbonisation efforts in manufacturing, materials, energy use, and supplier transitions. While it’s encouraging to see some momentum, the overall findings reinforce what we at Triple Tree have been saying: sustainability in fashion isn’t just about setting targets – it’s about enabling real action across the supply chain.
Key highlights from the Scorecard
At the top, the H&M Group achieved the highest grade (B+). Not perfect, but the strongest performer among the 42.
Other brands making progress include EILEEN FISHER, INC. (B-) – noted for strong material shifts and meaningful emissions reductions; and Kering (C+) – with clear renewable energy targets and material standards.
On the flip side: several established names (Abercrombie & Fitch, Aritzia, Columbia Sportswear) earned failing grades (F) due to lack of clear Scope 3 targets; and SHEIN stands out for increasing emissions 170% over two years, with the report stating “if it were a country, would be the 100th biggest emitter globally.”
Overall: 66% of the brands claim they care about reducing emissions—but only 29% are actively supporting supplier renewable energy transitions; and only 33% have actually lowered their pollution according to the data.
Why this matters to brands, especially in the U.S. (and for Triple Tree clients)
At Triple Tree, we work with brands, retailers, and sourcing operations across the U.S. (Boston-area HQ) and globally—so these findings hit at the core of what we deliver: visibility, data, process, and action in the supply chain. Here’s why the Scorecard’s findings matter:
Scope 3 emissions dominate apparel impact: For most brands the biggest carbon footprint isn’t just the retail store or shipping—it’s the upstream manufacturing, materials, and supplier energy use. If a brand only sets a target for its own operations but ignores its supplier base, the true impact remains uncontrolled.
Visibility and digital workflows are essential for decarbonisation: To enable supplier transitions (renewable energy, low-carbon materials, circularity) you need real-time data, auditability, vendor visibility—and that aligns with what Triple Tree offers via our digital supply chain platform suite (TrackIT, QUONDA, ColordesQ).
Brands that lead will gain strategic advantage: In the U.S. market (and globally) consumers, investors and regulatory bodies increasingly scrutinize sustainability credentials. Brands that move from “commitment” to “action” will reduce risk, strengthen partnerships, and future-proof sourcing.
For sourcing offices, factories and brand operations, the cost side matters: Suppliers who invest in renewables, low-carbon materials or circular processes often need financial or contractual support from the brand. The Scorecard emphasized that “setting targets isn’t enough—brands must actively fund and enable the energy transition through supplier financing, long-term contracts and fair pricing.”
What Triple Tree advises for apparel brands to move from scorecard to action
Drawing on our experience in supply-chain digitalization, here are five practical steps for brands who are serious about closing the gap between promise and performance:
Embed supplier energy-transition readiness into your sourcing model
Use a digital vendor-dashboard (like TrackIT) to track not just PO milestones but also factory energy mix, renewable share, fossil-fuel usage.
Create a “renewables readiness” KPI: e.g., % of supplier electricity from renewables, planned coal-phase-out date, capital needed for onsite solar.
Build this into your PO cost or supplier-engagement contract: brands should consider financing or incentive models for supplier transition.
Break down Scope 3 emissions in your modelling & scenario planning
In your cost/lead-time/excel models (especially if you’re supplying apparel brands from Pacific or Latin America), segment emissions into materials, manufacturing, transport, use-phase, end-of-life.
Run scenarios: (a) Business as Usual (no supplier renewables) (b) Moderate Investment (some renewables + low-carbon materials) (c) Transformative (full supplier transition + circular materials + resale/repair).
Estimate the incremental cost, lead-time impact, supplier investment and ROI timeframe—not just for the brand but also for the sourcing network.
Digitize compliance and audit workflows for transparency & accountability
Replace manual, paper-based inspection and audit trails with cloud-enabled platforms (like QUONDA) that record vendor compliance, energy-usage snapshots, emissions baseline.
Ensure traceability of materials (for example via ColordesQ for color/material workflows) so that you can quantify and validate low-carbon material use.
Transparency builds credibility (the Scorecard calls out how many brands have no clarity or public transparency on Scope 3 targets).
Re-work supplier pricing and payment terms to enable transition
Many suppliers cannot invest in renewables without brand support. Brands should consider financing models, shared-investment, or preferential contract terms for factories that meet decarbonisation milestones.
Include long-term contracts or guaranteed volume commitments for suppliers who transition, so they have the economic certainty to invest.
Include fair pricing for low-carbon materials or processes rather than penalising them via cost absorption.
Integrate circularity and low-carbon materials into the product- and cost-models
Material decarbonisation should be modelled alongside lead-times, cost, supply-risk (availability, price volatility). For example, recycled polyester vs virgin polyester, low-carbon cotton, bio-based alternatives.
Build storyboard dashboards: e.g., % of fabric volume from recycled/low-carbon; % of supplier electricity from renewables; % of products designed for resale/repair.
Use digital workflows to validate material provenance and emission-intensity. This aligns with what the Scorecard emphasises: material standards + renewable energy + circularity must act together.
Why this is geographically relevant for U.S. brands and supply chains
U.S. brands sourcing globally are subject to increasing regulatory and investor scrutiny around climate disclosures—visibility into Asia- and Latin-America-based factories is non-negotiable.
Near-shoring and supply-chain diversification are trending (especially post-pandemic) — brands that build supply chains with decarbonisation baked in will be better positioned.
At Triple Tree we have a U.S. base (Boston) and global sourcing architecture—so we understand the cross-border challenges of implementing supplier dashboards, renewable readiness, audit transparency and digital supply-chain management at scale.
As the Scorecard shows, the industry can no longer rely on “we’ll set a target by 2030” rhetoric. Brands that activate now will not just check a box—they will reduce risk, gain competitive advantage, and appeal more to conscious consumers in the U.S. and beyond.
Final Takeaway
The 2025 Stand.earth Scorecard is both an encouragement and a challenge: encouragement because a leader like H&M got a B+ (which means there is progress); challenge because even the best performer is still far from an A or full decarbonisation.
For apparel brands and supply-chain professionals (our clients at Triple Tree), the message is clear:
“Commitments are good. But action across the supply chain is the game-changer.”
Visibility. Digital workflows. Supplier financing. Material innovation. Circularity. These are the levers that separate leaders from laggards.
If your brand is ready to implement digital supply-chain tools that embed sustainability into your sourcing operations, factory network and material flows—let’s talk. We’re here to help you move beyond just being “on the list” to being among the brands that are doing.