Germany based, Lidl, the world's second largest discount supermarket retail chain made a commitment to eliminate all hazardous chemicals from its textile value chain by January 1, 2020.
Lidl alone sells over €1 billion worth of textiles and apparel each year and is considered among the top ten biggest fashion retailers in Germany.
Lidl said it has the will to achieve this goal and further supports this through an agreement it signed with Greenpeace, which has initiated the Detox campaign.
According to the retailer, it has been active since the last few years to avoid certain chemicals in the manufacturing process in its own-brand textiles and shoes.
Lidl said it has consistently replaced, sportswear and functional textiles with dirt and water repellent function PFC-containing materials with an ecological alternative.
“The substance is readily biodegradable and does not form harmful by-products and garments are accordingly marked with the product name Bionic Finish Eco,” Lidl informed.
“By taking action today, these companies are helping us ensure our future generations will inherit a world free from dangerous chemicals,” Greenpeace said while welcoming the initiative.
Last month, German retailer Tchibo made a similar announcement, setting off a toxic-free trend among big discount stores and showing the increasing momentum towards a different model of production.
