AUSTRALIA’S peak wool broker body has joined the Make the Label coalition as an advocate for fair sustainability claims on garments.

The National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia said Make the Label Count has 55 members working globally to ensure sustainability claims for textiles in the EU are fair, credible, and science-based.

The coalition has called for an urgent revision of the European Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint methodology to avoid negative impacts on the environment as well as millions of natural fibre producer livelihoods.

NCWSBA president Rowan Woods said he is proud to announce that NCWSBA has joined the Make the Label Count coalition.

“This partnership underscores our commitment to ensuring all fibres are measured on a level playing field and driving meaningful environmental progress in the textile and fashion sector.”

He said the MTLC coalition was established in 2021 to address significant flaws in the EU’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology for apparel and footwear, designed to measure a product’s environmental impact.

“Whilst laudable in its intent, PEF currently omits key indicators critical to assessing the fashion industry’s environmental damage, including microplastic release, plastic waste, and circularity. By failing to account for these impacts, the current PEF methodology unfairly favours synthetic, fossil fuel-based fibres over renewable, biodegradable natural fibres,” Mr Woods said.

Coalition spokesperson Dalena White said until these omissions are addressed, the PEF should not be recommended for substantiating environmental claims of an apparel product.

“Current flaws in the methodology enable greenwashing, promote fast fashion, and disadvantage circular fibre options like natural fibres.”

For more information about the Make the Label Count campaign, visit www.makethelabelcount.org.