At Zeefier, we believe every garment tells a story, and consumers should have access to how those stories are told. Today’s consumers should not just know where a garment was made, but also which materials it contains and the journey each raw material took to reach the shelf. This is evidently the baseline expectation for increasingly conscientious shoppers. Transparency augments accountability, prompting manufacturers and intermediaries within the textile supply chain to transition to ethical practices under the watchful scrutiny of consumers, retailers, and stockholders alike. After decades of accumulating textile waste and depleting natural resources, the industry is finally shifting toward a more responsible future. In this article, we will explore the growing demand for a transparent supply chain, the role of certificates and regulations in enforcing ethical standards, and how Zeefier is contributing to an industry with greater accountability.
The demand for a more candid supply chain is intended to expose the industry’s hidden flaws. Shoppers now want to know exactly where their clothes come from and how they were made—and when brands fail to deliver, they risk losing customers and damaging their reputation. This pressure forces hidden practices into the light and raises standards across the board. Yet while shopper demand kick-starts the shift toward transparency, regulations and policies are still needed to maintain standards and monitor ethical practices.
That’s why Zeefier goes beyond compliance to champion full transparency. From ethically extracting seaweed pigments to partnerships with responsible manufacturers, we make every step of our process accessible to consumers. By supporting brands that prioritize traceability, shoppers not only reward ethical practices but also drive the market toward sustainability, and that collective demand will only grow stronger when it’s led by example.
The EU already has several regulations in place aimed at making textile supply chains more transparent. The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation mandates that every textile include a Digital Product Passport, outlining its material sources, any chemicals used, and how to dispose of it responsibly. Existing rules like REACH (chemical safety) and the revised Textile Labelling Regulation (fiber-content disclosure) set out basic transparency and safety standards (Hoffman). For consumers, this will mean they can make truly informed, sustainable purchasing choices with confidence, while industry players are driven to uphold higher standards of traceability, material innovation, and competitive accountability.
To turn these regulations into real change, the EU must speed up its enforcement of these measures. Currently, dye houses only need to use 50% natural dyes to label their products as “natural”. Mandating clearer “green claim” rules and third-party certification benchmarks (like GOTS or OEKO-TEX) will allow consumers to trust that “sustainable” truly means transparent and responsible. Additionally, the European Commission is exploring the Product Environmental Footprint methodology to provide standardized metrics on a product’s energy efficiency, durability, reparability, and recyclability. Initiatives such as Make the Label Count work to ensure that textile sustainability claims in the EU are transparent, accurate, and complete, empowering producers and consumers to make truly informed choices about the clothing they buy.
These informed decisions are an imperative first step toward change in the industry. At Zeefier, we try to effectively inform people about how our process works. While many people are still unfamiliar with the wide-ranging benefits of seaweed, whether it be in food, cosmetics, or dyeing, Zeefier strives to demonstrate how seaweed can be a valuable regenerative resource moving forward. In every one of our products, we are open and transparent about where we source our seaweed, how our proprietary methods safely extract pigments, and which companies we choose to collaborate with. Collaboration between sustainably conscious members of the industry is how textiles can begin to fulfill transparent supply chains.
With emerging technologies and traceability platforms that are working to help brands stay on top of their supply chains, larger scale companies can also ensure responsible production. Companies like TextileGenesis from France, Switzerland’s Scantrust, and Amsterdam-based TexTracer leverage blockchain and RFID tracing technologies to give brands end-to-end visibility across their textile supply chains. By recording every step, from raw-material sourcing to final garment delivery, these platforms consult with companies to ensure ethical practices and build consumer trust. Technologies such as these assist in the extensive research and organization needed to manage an ethical supply chain.
Much like food and pharmaceutical industries adhere to strict, standardized labeling, fashion and textile industries should be required to comply with similar standards. Just like you trust the “Nutrition Facts” on your cereal box or the “Active Ingredients” on your medicine, every garment should come with its own “Supply-Chain Facts”. A panel clearly listing raw materials, dye sources, chemical treatments, carbon footprint, and end-of-life options (Cernansky). By adopting a standardized, QR-scannable label, brands can ensure the clarity about your clothes that you already expect from food and pharma, turning every purchase into an informed and ethical decision for consumers.
Zeefier shows that transparency is not just what is listed on a label but should be built on a genuine commitment to sustainability. For supply chain transparency to be impactful, the entire industry must share a willingness to change. From brands conforming to ethical standards to consumers supporting those brands, a sustainable future relies on the industry as a whole to make a necessary transition towards better practices. Let’s make transparency the new standard in fashion.
Author: Hans Sprinkman
Photo: Lisette van Noort
Citations
Hoffmann, Sonja, et al. “Eight Key Aspects to Know about the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.” White & Case LLP, 25 Feb. 2025, https://www.whitecase.com/insight-alert/eight-key-aspects-know-about-eu-ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation. Accessed 2 July 2025.
Cernansky, Rachel. “The EU’s Policy Wheels Are in Motion, and Fashion Has a Lot of Catching Up to Do.” Vogue Business, 14 Mar. 2024, https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/sustainability/eu-policy-wheels-are-in-motion-fashion-has-a-lot-of-catching-up-to-do?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 2 July 2025.
