Cem Altan
Sustainability in the apparel and textile industry has long focused on factories audits, certifications, and compliance systems. Yet one uncomfortable reality remains: no factory can operate sustainably if the way it is bought from is unsustainable.
Photo: Cem Altan, Immediate Past President of International Apparel Federation (IAF)
This is precisely why the Sustainable Terms of Trade Initiative (STTI) was founded by the International Apparel Federation together with industry partners.
STTI addresses a structural blind spot in our industry: purchasing practices.
Late order changes, last-minute cancellations, price pressure, unfair payment terms, and unilateral risk transfer are not isolated incidents; they are systemic behaviors that undermine social and environmental progress across supply chains.
STTI introduces a powerful but simple concept: Commercial Compliance.
In other words, sustainability is not only about whether manufacturers comply with standards, but also whether buyers’ commercial behavior avoids causing preventable harm to suppliers’ ability to operate responsibly and profitably.
Through practical tools such as:
• model contract clauses,
• purchasing practice assessment frameworks, and
• safe mechanisms for the manufacturer’s voice,
STTI helps rebalance relationships between brands and manufacturers not through confrontation, but through shared language, transparency, and accountability.
What makes STTI different is that it does not add another audit or certification. Instead, it tackles root causes. It enables brands to align their sustainability ambitions with their buying behavior, and it gives manufacturers a legitimate platform to articulate structural challenges.
If we are serious about living wages, decarbonization, and resilient supply chains, responsible purchasing practices are not optional; they are foundational. STTI is an invitation to the industry to move from good intentions to fair behavior.
