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Greenpeace launched “Detox My Fashion” in 2011 to urge fashion retailers to take responsibility for their contribution to pollution and encourage them to reduce the usage of hazardous chemicals.
Now in the third edition of the Detox Catwalk, a report evaluating the progress major fashion brands have taken toward their commitment to eco-friendliness, they’re naming names – ranking the best and worst retailers based on the following criteria: elimination of hazardous chemicals, substitutions of hazardous PFCs with safer alternatives and customer transparency.
Here’s how some of your favorite retailers stacked up:
Companies that are ahead of the field:
- Inditex (parent company of Zara)
- Benetton
- H&M
Companies that are not keeping their commitment to detox:
- Esprit
- Limited Brands
- Nike
While this progress is encouraging, Greenpeace says our addiction to fast fashion, and the high volume of cheap clothing that is regularly purchased, is “amplifying the environmental and human impact of fashion.”
As always, there’s more work to be done but reducing the amount of chemicals we put in the environment is a good start and shopping at retailers that are keeping their commitment to do just that sends a strong message environmental protection is more important than another cute top.
You can read the whole report at greenpeace.org.
