Nike and Patagonia are heading up a 30-member group whose goal is to lead the apparel industry in developing improved sustainability strategies and tools to measure and evaluate sustainability performance. Other members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition include Gap, H&M, Levi Strauss and Marks & Spencer. The SAC hopes to expand its membership next year, after current members gauge their potential for working together. The group intends to develop a tool to assist companies in measuring their environmental and social impact, similar to the Outdoor Industry Association's Eco Index or Nike's Apparel Environmental Design Tool. The index, which will let companies assess energy, water and chemical use, will also evaluate product life cycles and provide resources to improve performance in all key metrics.
