Term

Definition

Apparel

Clothing, especially outerwear or garments worn by people.

Artisanal mining

Small-scale, traditional mining of metals for accessories and embellishments.

Circular bioeconomy

Economic system based on renewable biological resources.

Clean tech

Innovative technologies reducing environmental impact in production.

Community trade

Fair partnerships with small-scale material producers.

Conscious pricing

Pricing strategy reflecting true environmental and social costs.

Consortium certification

Multi-stakeholder verification of sustainable practices.

Cottage industry

Small-scale, home-based textile production.

Cradle-to-cradle certification

Assessment of product circularity and sustainability.

Cradle-to-gate assessment

Environmental impact analysis from raw material to factory exit.

Decentralized production

Distributed manufacturing model reducing transport.

Environmental profit & loss

Accounting method measuring environmental impact.

Ethical marketing

Transparent and honest promotion practices.

Ethical Supply Chain

A supply chain ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions.

Extended supply chain

Complete network of all parties involved in production.

Fair labor certification

Third-party verification of worker conditions.

Fair Trade

A certification ensuring ethical labor and sustainable production. A trading partnership based on dialogue and respect transparency that seeks greater equity in international trade. Ensuring ethical labor practices in production.

Fashion cooperative

Worker-owned production facility.

Fast Fashion

Rapid cheap production of high-volume clothing often replicating current trends. A trend-based clothing term for cheap produced rapidly by mass-market retailers. Business model of rapidly producing high volumes of clothing at low cost. Affordable, trendy clothing produced quickly to reflect the latest fashion trends. A model of rapid clothing production often critiqued for wastefulness.

Green chemistry metrics

Measurements of environmental impact in chemical processes.

Green logistics

Environmentally conscious transportation methods.

Handloom certification

Verification of traditional weaving methods.

Hukou System

Chinese household registration system affecting labor mobility in garment manufacturing regions (户口制度).

Inclusive Sizing

Offering a wide range of clothing sizes to accommodate diverse body types.

Industrial symbiosis

Sharing resources between different manufacturing facilities.

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)

Comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts throughout product life.

Maquila System

Manufacturing operations in free trade zones primarily in Latin America often in textile industry (Sistema de Maquila).

Monogram

A pattern or motif made by combining the initials of a brand or designer, often used in luxury bags and accessories.

Natural capital accounting

Measuring fashion's impact on natural resources.

Prêt-à-Porter

Ready-to-wear clothing produced in standard sizes, as opposed to custom-made garments.

Process integration

Combining manufacturing steps to reduce resource use.

Resource cascading

Using materials through multiple cycles of downgrading.

Reverse logistics

Managing the return flow of materials for recycling.

Seamstress

A person skilled in sewing, often employed to make or alter garments.

SENAI Textile Training

Brazilian industrial training standards for textile workers (Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial).

Sourcing

The process of finding and procuring materials or products for manufacturing, often involving global supply chains.

Supply chain resilience

Ability to maintain production despite disruptions.

Surplus

Excess fabric or clothing that is sold at discounted prices, often sourced from past collections or overstocked items.

Systemic change

Fundamental transformation of fashion industry practices.

Traceability

Ability to identify and track product history through the supply chain.

Traceability protocol

System for tracking materials through supply chain.

Value retention

Maintaining material worth through multiple use cycles.

Vogue

A leading fashion magazine that highlights trends, designers, and high-fashion culture.

Waste hierarchy

Prioritization of different waste management options.