Tool to watch: GFA Policy Matrix Asia

After successful editions covering the EU and Americas, non-profit Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) has released its GFA Policy Matrix: Asia. The resource is designed to map sustainability and social matters related legislation in the fashion industry across the region and focuses on eight major manufacturing countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and Vietnam.

In view of policy and legislation information that can be dispersed, the new GFA PolicyMatrix: Asia aims to provide an accessible overview of policy developments in the area, with plans to expand its scope in the future to more countries.

“The launch of the GFA Policy Matrix Asia marks an important step in strengthening our strategic work across the region. As we continue implementing the Circular Fashion Partnerships on the ground, we gain critical insights into what enables circular systems to succeed. This resource complements that experience by mapping textile-related sustainability policies in key manufacturing regions of Asia, where legislation is evolving rapidly,” commented GFA CEO Federica Marchionni in a statement.

Structure of the GFA Policy Matrix Asia

The Policy Matrix is structured around the five key priorities outlined in the Fashion CEO Agenda: respectful and secure work environments, better wage systems, resource stewardship, smart material choices and circular systems. Under each priority, it is based on the status of the policy initiatives, with those enacted and in force mentioned first, followed by ongoing initiatives, those undergoing revisions, non-policy and upcoming initiatives.

Each entry for a specific policy effort is supported by a summary of its main objectives and main provisions. It also lists key policymakers and stakeholders (if available) to highlight the actors involved in its development as well as insights into the key players shaping the regulatory landscape. A clearly visible status box provides information on completion, updates and amendments at a glance.

A section with additional information lists relevant resources such as links to handbooks and other useful information, including stakeholder positions, media coverage and reports.

What do the five key priorities cover?

Respectful and secure work environments

Knowing where to look when handling a particular issue is half the work done. Thus, an overview of the main themes for each priority is helpful; some may overlap. The section on respectful and secure work environments, for example, touches on themes like due diligence, occupational hazards, working conditions, worker health and safety, sick pay, hazardous chemicals, discrimination, human rights violations, forced labour and slavery, human trafficking, grievance mechanisms, female workforces, gender equality, gender-based violence, financial inclusion, financial empowerment, job retention, job security, social protection, Covid-19 implications on workers, supply chain visibility, transparency and purchasing practices.

In this area, the matrix highlights a transition toward modernised labour codes and mandatory due diligence. Notable updates include India’s New Labour Code (2025), which consolidates 29 fragmented laws to improve worker protections, and Indonesia’s upcoming Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence bill.

Better wage systems

The section on better wage systems includes themes like due diligence, fair wage systems, payment systems, minimum wage, living wage, transparent wage data, purchasing practices, wage setting, collective bargaining, unions, wage theft, grievance mechanisms, wage protection schemes, labour protection, social protection schemes, enforceable brand agreements, informal economy, sub-contractors, slavery and human trafficking.

Wage protections are being reinforced through statutory frameworks like Cambodia's 2018 Law on Minimum Wage, which set new rates for the garment sector effective January 2025, and India’s Code on Wages (2019).

Resource stewardship

The resource stewardship section covers themes like water, water availability, water stress, water scarcity, energy, fossil fuel consumption, carbon taxation, energy transition, renewable energy, science-based targets, chemical use, chemical pollution, hazardous chemicals – textile leather processing/ dying processes, biodiversity, natural resource use, virgin material extraction, land restoration, sustainable land management, regenerative agriculture, deforestation, land use, transparency, recapturing waste streams and traceability tools.

The section focuses on decoupling value creation from environmental degradation through stricter pollution controls and climate commitments. The report documents significant legislative actions such as Indonesia’s Regulation No. 12 (2025) on wastewater standards and Turkey’s first comprehensive Climate Law (2025), which establishes a national Emissions Trading System. Furthermore, several countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, and China, have submitted updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) for 2025 to accelerate economy-wide decarbonisation.

Smart material choices

Smart material choices is also an important priority, covering themes like fibre growing and harvesting, mono-cropping, regenerative agriculture, natural fibres, biodegradable, organic productions, land use, soil health, chemical use, synthetic fibres, fossil fuel-based fibres, microfibres, microplastics, recycled materials, biomaterials, animal welfare and fur trade.

Thus, this priority emphasises responsible sourcing and consumer safety through technical standards and labelling. Recent developments include Turkey’s 2025 Labeling Requirements for animal-origin components and India’s upcoming mandatory labelling rules for apparel, which will require full fibre composition disclosure. These initiatives aim to prevent misleading claims and align regional production with global sustainability and transparency standards, such as digital product passports.

Circular systems

Last but not least, the section on circular systems touches on textile recycling, textile reuse, linear system, product lifecycle, durability, recyclability, mono materiality, circular systems, circular business models, product disassembly, post-consumer textiles, material streams, upcycling, overstock, deadstock, textile sorting, extended producer responsibility (epr), movement of waste, scaling technologies.

Regarding this section, the report tracks the shift from linear to closed-loop models where waste is eliminated and materials are continuously circulated. Key policy efforts include China’s Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Recycling of Waste Textiles (2022) and Vietnam’s National Action Plan for Circular Economy (2025). These frameworks prioritise the integration of informal waste sectors into the formal economy and promote the “4Rs” (reduce, reuse, recycle, recover) to manage industrial textile scraps.

Finally, the matrix identifies several upcoming initiatives set to shape the industry through 2027 and beyond. These include India’s Tex-Eco Initiative and National Fibre Scheme (2026-2031), which focus on green markets and raw material self-reliance, as well as Cambodia’s first dedicated Occupational Safety and Health Law. By consolidating these disparate policy developments, the GFA provides a roadmap for stakeholders to navigate the rapid regulatory shifts occurring within Asia's influential textile and garment production hubs.

Conclusion

In view of a rise of textile-specific strategies in the region and targeted sustainability regulations as well as circular economy initiatives, the GFA Policy Matrix Asia is a useful tool that should help industry stakeholders navigate a rapidly evolving policy landscape, especially considering increasing recognition of textiles as a strategic sector for social and environmental transitions.