Carmen Artigas, Regenerative Fashion Design Consultant based in Mexico City writes that The Higg Index has emerged as a greenwashing tool for synthetic fiber manufacturers to promote their products. The Higg Index methodology has been created in such a way that some of the major environmental categories that are disadvantageous to synthetic sectors eg. micro-plastic pollution, were completely avoided as impact categories. 

On the other hand, the [beneficial] inherent factors associated with natural fibres in production, use, and disposal were also not counted.” – Dileep Kumar of the International Sericultural Commission

In 2019, with $11 million in Series A investment from Buckhill Capital LP the “Higg was spun out of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition as a public-benefit company”. Meaning that it is: “a specific type of Delaware General Corporation owned by shareholders…profit is the point – as is returning money to the shareholders.” In addition, as a Delaware public benefit, Higg is required to report its progress toward its benefit purpose only to its shareholders, not to the general public. In short, there is no independent oversight as to whether Higg Co. is indeed working for global benefit rather than for its shareholders’ profits.

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