CFW introduces ‘Responsible Meter’ in partnership with HSBC – SL

• This concept of ‘Responsibility in Fashion’ is the first-of-its-kind by a fashion week around the world 

Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) introduced a first-of-its-kind audit system, the ‘Responsible Meter’ at a press briefing recently. The Responsible Meter is a designer garment evaluation tool. It is a 10-point scoring system which considers environmental, societal, and organisational wellbeing when creating designer garments. 

The 10-points are based on CFW’s three main pillars for Responsible Fashion – Garment Enhancement Guarantee, Disposal Plan, and Return After Use Policy. The program will evolve with time and practice, as it is a progressive system.

The audit was introduced by CFW together with HSBC as a part of a new concept titled ‘Responsibility in Fashion’ to drive sustainable change in the global fashion industry. The audit system is a result of progressive feedback, research, and professional input from the design fraternity and has now been formalised with over 25 Sri Lankan designers. Together with CFW, these designers are the first group that is pioneering this new direction and they take the lead towards transforming how the global fashion industry operates. 

“This was in the works for the last couple of years and we really wanted to be the first fashion week in Asia, if not the world, to introduce a system of accountability which encouraged and celebrated responsibility in fashion, which is such an urgent need. This system of audit is very different to what is available, it does not take the route of policing and accusing, but of training, of aligning hearts so that this path of change is embraced by all designers and stakeholders to lead towards positive impact” said CFW Founder/Managing Director Ajai Vir Singh.

“This initiative also educates the consumers on the choices we make. It is definitely the next step in responsible fashion and is easily transferable to any fashion platform,” he added. 

The Responsible Meter aims to foster a culture of collaboration between designers and stakeholders. The tool encourages a culture of celebration for every step taken by a designer towards being more responsible and reducing their impact on the environment. This growth culture also educates fashion consumers and creates a more lasting relationship with the designers and the garments they purchase. Fashion consumers can be aware of their consumption patterns and check for the Responsible Meter tag before shopping for designer garments, thereby making every purchasing decision a responsible one. 

“HSBC is proud to partner with CFW and introduce the first-of-its-kind sustainability evaluation tool, ‘Responsible Meter’, which measures each garment’s sustainability credentials and footprint. The HSBC Colombo Fashion Week’s focus this year on circularity in fashion resonates with HSBC’s own net zero ambitions where we want our own operations and supply chain to be net-zero by 2030 or sooner and pledged to reduce financed emissions from our portfolio of customers to net zero by 2050 or sooner” said HSBC – Sri Lanka and Maldives Head of Wholesale Banking Stuart Rogers.

“We will also work with the advisory board towards adoption of the ‘Responsible Meter’ as a standard for the country’s small and medium-scale brand owners and designers as underlined by a recent study we conducted in partnership with IUCN to find ways for the Sri Lankan apparel sector to transition to a low-carbon economy” he added.

CFW has made it easy and accessible for designers and brands to start their ‘Responsible Fashion’ story with transparency and accountability as they strive to reduce their negative impact on our environment. The Responsible Meter is available for any fashion week or fashion/design brand to adopt – it simply requires a short training to familiarise oneself with the process and thinking behind the program.