American clothing brand Gap is a large company that has prioritised sustainable water management in their supply chains. In an industry that is heavily water intensive, these actions show the sustainable business opportunities companies can implement to protect freshwater consumption and the global hydrological cycle. Gap is:
- Setting targets to mitigate the impact of chemicals from their production on local water sources
- Involving all stakeholders in the implementation of effective environmental standards, transparency, and strategic innovations
- Driving a Women + Water initiative in collaboration with USAID across their supply chain operations, providing clean water and sanitation to people in the communities where Gap products are made
- Leading a Washwell™ initiative to support the reduction of water use in garment dyeing and finishing by at least 20% compared to conventional methods
The USAID Women + Water initiative has had a return on investment in productivity on the factory floor and for women’s wellbeing through ensuring communities have access to clean water for themselves and their families. Gap has also addressed risks through their water management by developing alternative ways of securing water, avoiding potential future scenarios of critical water shortages.
But this isn’t the end for Gap and other large companies when it comes to water issues–scaling these initiatives across their entire supply chains while reducing overall production of new garments is key to conserving water. This is also where innovation comes in: fashion companies can develop new, circular business models (based on clothing rentals, upcycling, styling services, repair services, and more) to continue to drive revenue, decrease production, and stay ahead of regulation while avoiding costs associated with material production.