Dutch fashion retailer G-Star became the 15th corporation to commit to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals throughout its global supply chain and across all of its brands by 2020, in response to Greenpeace's Detox campaign.
“Today G-Star has shown its true face and sent a clear signal to its customers and competitors that toxic textiles are a fashion faux-pas,” said Ilze Smit, Toxic Campaigner at Greenpeace Netherlands.
“Now is the time for G-Star to turn their ambitious plans into transparent action that will make a real difference for people around the world, particularly those living in the areas affected by the fashion industry’s long-standing toxic addiction.”
The announcement comes just days after Greenpeace activists crashed the opening of Amsterdam Fashion Week on 23 January calling on G-Star to Detox its supply chain and products.
G-Star has committed to eliminate phthalates and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) in 2013 and perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) by the end of 2014. These are some of the fastest elimination dates among all the companies who have committed to Detox.
The company will also publish case studies in the next eight weeks detailing how it has already substituted a number of hazardous chemicals from its supply chain and products, providing best practice for policy makers and other fashion brands.
Greenpeace’s Detox campaign demands fashion brands 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.
