Amsterdam – Greenpeace International released its “Detox Catwalk” on October 31, an interactive online platform assessing the progress made by major clothing companies towards a toxic-free future.
The Detox Catwalk reveals sportswear giants Nike, adidas and Li Ning as Greenwashers that have failed to follow through on their commitments to clean up their toxic habits. The Catwalk shows that these companies continue to hide their collective inaction behind paper promises and industry working groups, while competitors such as UNIQLO, H&M and Mango are pushing forward with concrete action towards their Detox goals.
“Greenwashers like Nike and adidas would do well to look to Detox Trendsetters such as Mango and UNIQLO that are responding to the urgency of the global water crisis. These leaders are already working to lead a transparency revolution in their supply chains and eliminate the worst chemicals from their products and production processes,” said Ilze Smit, Detox Campaigner at Greenpeace International.
“It is ironic that the same companies that tell us ‘Impossible is nothing’ and to ‘Just do it’, are the ones that have failed to take any real action to bring about a toxic-free future,” added Smit.
The Detox Catwalk assesses how committed companies have performed against key criteria; these include how they are working to eliminate known hazardous chemicals from their products and processes, and what steps they are taking towards full supply chain transparency.
Leaders / Trendsetters – Detox committed companies leading the industry towards a toxic-free future with credible timelines, concrete actions and on-the-ground implementation.
Greenwashers – Detox committed companies failing to walk the talk, masking ineffective actions with paper promises and weak commitments
Laggards – Uncommitted toxic addicts that refuse to take responsibility for their toxic trail and have yet to make a credible, individual Detox commitment.
While some have taken the lead over the past 24 months, uploading discharge data onto the public IPE platform (1) and working to eliminate the priority hazardous chemicals (2), others have continued to hide behind ineffective industry groups, failing to take concrete, individual action, despite their public commitments.
“Nike and adidas present themselves to the public as fashion conscious companies but their inaction has so far proven otherwise. How can their customers and the affected local communities believe they are ‘all in’ for toxic-free fashion when they fail to follow through on their Detox commitments?” said Smit.
The Detox Catwalk also exposes how companies like Gap Inc. – who, despite Greenpeace International’s investigation exposing their links to toxic scandals (3) – is yet to make a credible Detox commitment.
Greenpeace International’s Detox Campaign demands fashion brands to commit to zero discharge of all hazardous chemicals by 2020 and require their suppliers to disclose all releases of toxic chemicals from their facilities to communities at the site of the water pollution.
Detox Leaders / Trendsetters
- Benetton Group
- C&A
- Coop Switzerland
- Fast Retailing (Uniqlo)
- Esprit
- G-Star Raw
- H&M
- Inditex (Zara)
- Levi Strauss & Co.
- Limited Brands (Victoria’s Secret)
- Mango
- Marks & Spencer
- Puma
- Valentino Fashion Group
