Fair Wear Foundation
Also known as: FWF, Fair Wear, Fair Wear Foundation
Dutch non-profit (1999, Amsterdam) supporting garment brands in improving working conditions in sewing factories — code of labour practices, audits, complaint system.
Description
The Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) was founded in Amsterdam in 1999 and is a non-profit multi-stakeholder initiative of brands, trade unions and NGOs. It is not a classic product certification but a brand membership model: brands commit to continuously improve working conditions in their sewing factories and are assessed annually in a public Brand Performance Check.
The basis is the Fair Wear Code of Labour Practices with eight points: (1) free choice of employment, (2) no discrimination, (3) no child labour, (4) freedom of association and collective bargaining, (5) living wage, (6) reasonable working hours, (7) safe and healthy working conditions, (8) legally binding employment. Fair Wear conducts factory audits, operates local complaint hotlines in countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and India and requires members to implement action plans when violations are found. Well-known member brands include Vaude, Nudie Jeans, Jack Wolfskin, Odlo, Schöffel and Melawear. Fair Wear is not intended as a product label but may appear on hang tags.
Properties
| Issued by | Fair Wear Foundation (Amsterdam, NL), since 1999 |
|---|---|
| Scope | Working conditions in sewing factories (8-point code) |
| Assessment model | Brand membership + annual Brand Performance Check |
| Complaint system | Local hotlines in producing countries |
Related product categories
Sources & references
1- Fair Wear Foundation offiziell fairwear.org https://www.fairwear.org/
