What Sustainable Apparel Coalition does

Cascale, formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, is a global 501(c)(6) nonprofit alliance headquartered in Amsterdam with a regional office in Hong Kong. Founded in 2009 when Walmart and Patagonia co-developed the Higg Index as a universal sustainability measurement framework, the organization formally incorporated as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition in 2011 and rebranded to Cascale in 2024 to reflect its expansion beyond apparel into the broader consumer goods industry. Cascale governs the Higg Index suite of sustainability measurement tools, including the Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM), Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM), and Product Tools (Higg PM and Higg MSI), with all tools delivered exclusively through the Worldly technology platform to a base of 40,000+ users across 30 countries. The organization has expanded its measurement scope through the 2024 acquisitions of the Better Buying tools (purchasing practices and decent work) and the Sustainable Furnishings Council tools (furniture sector), and runs the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP) and Cascale Verification and Training Programs as adjacent service lines.

Cascale operates a membership-based business model with tiered offerings for four member types: Manufacturers, Brands & Retailers, Service Providers, and Non-Corporates (governments, academics, NGOs). Revenue is generated through recurring annual membership dues, supplemented by training, verification, and event-related revenue streams; specific pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The coalition unites 300+ member organizations, including enterprise brands and retailers (e.g., Abercrombie & Fitch, REI, About You, La Vie en Rose Group), manufacturers (e.g., Komar, Recover), and industry associations (e.g., ABVTEX). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by the Annual Meeting (2025 and 2026), regional Cascale Forums (e.g., Colombo), and co-hosted brand meetings with partners such as the Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP). With 11-50 employees and two offices, Cascale runs as a lean standards body whose scale is delivered through its member ecosystem and its technology partnership with Worldly.

Name

Sustainable Apparel Coalition

Legal name

Cascale

Website

https://apparelcoalition.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) is a global 501(c)(6) nonprofit alliance governing the Higg Index sustainability measurement framework, uniting 300+ brands, retailers, manufacturers, and NGOs across 30 countries with 40,000+ users.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability standards and assessment tools for the apparel and textile industry

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

Keywords

• Sustainability assessment tools
• Industry coalition membership
• Higg Index framework
• Supply chain transparency
• Apparel industry standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Cascale operates as a global 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Revenue is generated through membership fees from brands, retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and non-corporate affiliates. Members receive access to Higg Index tools (via Worldly platform), training, events, policy insights, and member-only discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (Cascale) operates a global nonprofit industry coalition that develops, stewards, and licenses the Higg Index suite of standardized sustainability assessment tools covering materials, products, facilities, brands, and supply chains for apparel, footwear, and textiles. It sells tiered annual memberships to manufacturers, brands, retailers, service providers, and non-corporate organizations, and delivers its assessment software through the Worldly SaaS platform.

Product overview

Cascale (formerly the Sustainable Apparel Coalition) is a global nonprofit alliance that stewards and governs the Higg Index frameworks, modules, and methodologies. The Higg Index is a suite of sustainability measurement tools comprising the Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM), Higg Facility Environmental Module (Higg FEM), Higg Facility Social & Labor Module (Higg FSLM), and Higg Product Tools (Higg PM and Higg MSI). These tools are exclusively delivered through the Worldly technology platform. Cascale also acquired the Better Buying and Sustainable Furnishings Council tools to expand its impact measurement capabilities. The organization unites over 300 members with over 40,000 Higg Index users across 30 countries to combat climate change and support decent work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cascale Membership Program Tiered annual membership program that gives apparel, footwear, and textile industry organizations access to the Higg Index suite, coalition working groups, and standard-setting governance.
• Higg Index Suite (MSI, PM, FEM/FSM, DLM, BRM) A proprietary family of standardized self-assessment tools — including the Materials Sustainability Index, Product Module, Facility Environment/Social Module, and Design & Launch Module — that quantify environmental and social impact across the apparel and textile value chain. Delivered through the Worldly SaaS platform.
• Better Buying Tools Acquired tools from Better Buying that assess and benchmark purchaser-supplier working relationships and worker-voice outcomes, extending Cascale's coverage of social sustainability in the supply chain.
• Sustainable Furnishings Council Tools Acquired sustainability assessment assets originally stewarded by the Sustainable Furnishings Council, used to evaluate and benchmark home furnishings manufacturers and products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ Higg Index users worldwide measuring environmental and social performance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered key, core and founding.

• Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026Cascale and SLCP co-host U.S. Brand Meetings (e.g., Denver meeting on July 7, 2026) to share updates, facilitate peer exchange, and create space for direct engagement on social and labor convergence.
• Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Cascale acquired Sustainable Furnishings Council tools to expand sector coverage beyond apparel into furniture industry sustainability measurement.
• Better BuyingcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Cascale acquired Better Buying purchasing practices assessment tools to expand its measurement capabilities for supporting decent work outcomes in supply chains.
• WorldlycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Worldly delivers the technology platform through which Higg Index frameworks, modules, and methodologies are implemented globally. This exclusive partnership ensures standardized access to Higg Index tools for 40,000+ users worldwide.
• WalmartfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Walmart and Patagonia co-founded the Higg Index in 2009 as a universal approach to measure sustainability performance and drive collective action in the industry.
• PatagoniafoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Walmart and Patagonia co-founded the Higg Index in 2009 as a universal approach to measure sustainability performance and drive collective action in the industry.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/apprlcoalition
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNoRK_m1YP7IasgahjMeN-Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/apparelcoalition
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2766177
• Instagraminstagram.com/cascale_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sustainable Apparel Coalition