Greenpeace International released the results of it’s 2016 “Detox Catwalk” campaign last week. Launched in 2011, the campaign evaluates how effectively 19 major apparel companies are eliminating toxic chemicals from their supply chains.
Surprisingly, fast-fashion companies Benetton, H&M, and Inditex (Zara’s parent company) were the sole three on track to meet the campaign’s goal of zero discharge by 2020, beating out more reputable brands – some of which are revered for sustainability – including Burberry, Levi’s, Puma, and G-Star.
Meanwhile Esprit, Nike and Victoria’s Secret received bottom rankings for failing most or all of the criteria – largely in regards to transparency and the elimination of harmful PFCs. So, while the campaign has prompted some corporate progress and policy change in pollution-prone manufacturing countries like China, 85% of participants are still not fulfilling their commitments, indicating the apparel industry as a whole isn’t doing nearly enough to clean up its act.
You can read more about this year’s results over at the Detox Catwalk site. What do you guys think? Are PFCs and other toxic chemicals something you think about when buying clothes?
