Is There a Better Way to Break Up With Your Supplier?
By Flawless Magazine
In fashion’s complex global supply chains, supplier relationships are often defined by transactional urgency. But when brands decide to cut ties—whether due to cost, compliance issues, or strategic pivots—the consequences ripple far beyond balance sheets. A poorly handled exit can devastate vulnerable workers, fracture trust, and tarnish a brand’s reputation.
Experts now argue that the way a brand ends a relationship with a supplier says as much about its values as how it begins one. The conversation is shifting: not just about whether to exit, but how.
Exiting Should Be the Last Resort
The Responsible Business Alliance and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights agree on one thing: cutting ties should not be a knee-jerk response. Instead, brands are encouraged to engage, remediate, and build capacity before considering termination.
Often, issues flagged in audits—like wage violations or unsafe working conditions—stem from systemic problems, not individual malice. Collaborative remediation can yield better outcomes for all parties involved, especially workers who are often caught in the fallout.
When It Must Happen
Still, exits are sometimes necessary—particularly when violations are severe, repeated, or when the supplier refuses to cooperate. In such cases, brands can and should minimize harm.
- Advance notice: Providing suppliers with reasonable lead time allows them to adjust operations and avoid sudden job losses.
- Order fulfillment: Ensuring payment for completed or in-progress orders prevents financial shocks.
- Worker-centered exit plans: Consulting with trade unions or civil society organizations can help anticipate worker impact and create safety nets.
Transparency Is Key
How a brand communicates its exit matters. Silent disappearances or vague justifications fuel speculation and distrust. Clear, honest dialogue—with both the supplier and external stakeholders—builds credibility.
Brands like Patagonia and H&M have begun disclosing supplier exits in their sustainability reports, explaining the rationale and steps taken to reduce negative consequences. It’s a move toward greater accountability in an often opaque practice.
Building Resilient Partnerships
Ultimately, responsible exits begin with responsible onboarding. Strong due diligence, fair purchasing practices, and long-term commitments reduce the need for abrupt exits in the first place.
Fashion’s race to the bottom—on price, speed, and risk—is slowly giving way to a more mature, values-driven model. It’s no longer just about finding the cheapest needle and thread, but about weaving resilient, ethical supply webs.
Flawless Perspective
In an era where supply chain scrutiny is higher than ever, how brands say goodbye can be as important as how they say hello. Exiting a supplier relationship should not be a disappearance act—it should be a deliberate, ethical process that centers people, not just profit.
Because in the world of conscious fashion, even a breakup deserves grace.
