New softgoods data from Cascale's Better Buying 2025 survey shows gains in buyer-supplier partnerships, plus areas for improvement
AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, AND OAKLAND, CA / ACCESS Newswire / January 30, 2026 / Cascale today released the Better Buying Responsible Purchasing Practices Snapshot Survey 2025 Report (formerly the Better Buying Partnership Index), offering a data-driven view of how suppliers experience buyers' purchasing practices across the apparel supply chain. The report draws on findings from the fifth annual Better Buying Partnership Index (BBPI) rating cycle and amplifies anonymized supplier feedback to highlight what is working and where improvement is still needed.
The report focuses exclusively on softgoods, reflecting 974 supplier ratings collected from 51 countries and regions between October 1 and November 7, 2025. China, Bangladesh, and India accounted for the largest share of softgoods ratings, with 920 softgoods responses included in the analysis.
"This report shows that responsible purchasing practices are improving, but also that progress depends on listening closely to suppliers and acting on what they tell us," said Katie Hess, Head of Product at Cascale's Better Buying. "Suppliers are clear about what enables strong partnerships: predictable planning, fair terms, and consistent communication. When buyers embed these practices, they create more resilient supply chains and better outcomes for workers, businesses, and the environment."
Key Findings
Overall partnership performance improved year over year. The share of buyers rated as True Partners increased by five percent compared to 2024, signaling steady progress in responsible purchasing practices.
Suppliers report stronger planning and operational practices. The largest gains in True Partner ratings were linked to buyers providing sufficient time for processes, improving operational efficiency, and offering better visibility to support business planning.
Fairness and integrity score highly. Nearly 74 percent of suppliers rated buyers as True Partners on fair financial practices, and more than 93 percent reported business dealings free of corruption and bribery.
Audit duplication and working conditions remain priority areas. While scores improved, suppliers continue to point to opportunities for buyers to further reduce duplicative audits and strengthen shared accountability for workplace and environmental performance.
Supplier voices reinforce the value of collaboration. Open-ended responses emphasized the importance of clear and proactive communication, accurate forecasting, disciplined operational processes, and mutual trust as drivers of successful partnerships.
Suppliers highlighted practical examples of good purchasing practices, including transparent day-to-day communication, reliable forecasts, stable lead times, and openness to innovation and feedback. Many also pointed to the role buyers can play in supporting supplier capability building, from sharing market insights to aligning on environmental targets.
Supplier Reflections
Based on anonymized, open-ended responses from the 2025 survey, suppliers consistently highlighted the following themes as critical to strong, mutually beneficial buyer-supplier relationships.
Transparent, day-to-day communication and clear points of contact reduce friction, improve execution, and build trust.
Reliable forecasts and long-term visibility were repeatedly cited as essential for capacity planning, efficiency, and innovation.
Timely purchase orders, stable lead times, and simplified processes are key enablers of smoother production and reduced risk.
Mutual respect, ethical conduct, and fair treatment were identified as foundational to long-term, resilient partnerships.
Suppliers valued buyers that invest in shared learning, market insights, and long-term capability development.
Cascale encourages brands and retailers to use the findings as a practical benchmark to assess their own purchasing practices and identify areas for targeted improvement.
The Better Buying Snapshot Survey is part of Cascale's broader commitment to advancing responsible purchasing practices as a foundational lever for decent work, environmental performance, and long-term supply chain resilience. Cascale will continue to support brands and manufacturers in using Better Buying data alongside other tools and programs to drive measurable, collaborative progress.
ABOUT CASCALE
Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people.
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SOURCE: Cascale
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/responsible-purchasing-practices-improving-in-consumer-goods-sup-1131979
