The state of New York is considering a law that would hold fashion brands accountable for the sustainability of their products and workers’ rights. If passed, it would be the first legislation of its kind in the U.S.

The Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act, backed by a number of environmental and human rights advocacy groups, was sponsored by State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi and State Assemblywoman Dr. Anna Kelles, and would require all New York apparel and footwear retailers with global revenues of at least $100 million to disclose plans to “identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address” the adverse social and environmental effects of their production process, according to CBS News.

“We have an opportunity to really lead the way, and it is not hyperbolic to say that our state and our country and our world’s future depends on all of us taking bold action in all the ways that we can,” Biaggi said at a recent virtual press conference, according to CBS.

If passed and signed into law, the act would apply to brands like Nike, Armani and other companies with more than $100 million in annual global revenue that do business in New York state. Companies that don’t comply could be fined up to 2% of annual revenue. Money from the fines would go toward environmental benefit projects, according to the legislation.

The bill requires companies to map out at least 50% of their supply chain process across each tier of production, identify negative social and environmental effects of the process and set targets to reduce those effects. The brands would then be required to meet their targets and report annual compliance.

Brands would also have to report the wages paid by their suppliers and how that pay compares to local minimum wages and living wages.

The New Standard Institute, an advocacy group backing the bill, notes that the apparel and footwear industries account for 4% to 8.6% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and that the fashion industry is set to make up more than a quarter of the world’s carbon budget.

Improving sustainability in apparel (as well as the promotional products industry as a whole) is an issue that has been top of mind, and many major suppliers have been stepping up their efforts on those fronts. “Quality, sustainably made product is a positive for our industry and is here to stay,” Jeremy Lott, president and CEO of Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863) said last year.

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