Higg Index

The Higg FEM is a self-assessment and sustainability certification tool for the textile and apparel industry.
Founded: 2012
Sector: Textile

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Objective

The Higg Index assesses brands, companies, and their facilities across different sustainability stages, measuring environmental, social, and labor impacts. It allows continuous improvement in various areas, thereby confirming the quality and commitment demonstrated over time.

The Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM) is a sustainability assessment tool that standardizes how facilities measure and evaluate their environmental performance year after year.

Higg FEM provides brands, retailers, and manufacturers with insights into the environmental sustainability performance of individual facilities, enabling improvements that reduce negative sustainability impacts.

Developed as part of a collaborative effort among fashion industry leaders, NGOs, and sustainability experts, Higg FEM promotes transparency and continuous improvement in production operations. It is part of the broader Higg Index toolkit, created by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), which provides companies with a standardized way to assess environmental and social performance across the entire value chain.

Higg FEM evaluates:

Environmental management systems
Energy usage
Greenhouse gas emissions
Water usage
Wastewater management
Air emissions (where applicable)
Waste management
Chemical usage and management

Higg FEM is applicable to a wide range of production facilities in the fashion and textile industry, including garment factories, weaving mills, dyeing facilities, and other processing sites. The tool is used by both large international brands and small-to-medium enterprises seeking to improve environmental performance and meet growing consumer demands for transparency and sustainability.