Twelve out of 30 sportswear brands and upmarket fashion houses have turned down a request to clean up their act by removing all toxic chemicals from their manufacturing process and products, an international green group says.
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Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermes, Giorgio Armani and Louis Vuitton were among the labels that would not commit to Greenpeace's "Detox My Fashion" campaign, started in 2011, according to the environmental group's latest report.
An Armani spokeswoman said the company had set its own goal to eliminate all hazardous chemicals from all production procedures by January 2020. Hermes failed to respond to the Post's inquiries before press time, while the other 11 brands could not be reached for comment.
Of the 18 that did promise to take part in the campaign, 16, including Adidas, Burberry, Esprit, H&M, Levi's, Marks and Spencer, Valentino and Zara, have conducted regular tests to detect toxic chemicals and updated their reports with Greenpeace.
Credit: South China Morning Post
Nike and Li-Ning, however, failed to report on their progress after pledging their participation.
Nike could not be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Li-Ning said the sportswear company "highly emphasises" the balance between business development and environmental protection and had been monitoring its suppliers' social responsibility and environmental impact.
Greenpeace campaigner Kate Lin Pui-yi said the clothing industry often released hazardous substances into the environment. Traces were sometimes left on the finished products, which could then harm the health of the wearers, she alleged.
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She named alkylphenol ethoxylates, which could disrupt hormones; phthalates, which could affect the reproductive system; and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which might affect liver function.
None of the 16 brands had managed to remove all three chemicals completely, Lin said, but Esprit, H&M, C&A and Valentino had eliminated PFCs across production lines and products.
Greenpeace would invite more outdoor-clothing firms to join the campaign this year, because PFCs were mostly used for waterproof or bacteria-proof clothes, Lin said.
She urged consumers to stop patronising the brands that would not promise to go green. "The power of consumers is greater than the power of any other group," Lin added.
Source: South China Morning Post