Greenpeace targets 'toxic' fashion brands; Zara and others respond under pressure

Titled ‘The Detox Campaign’, the effort is led by a 3D-animated video that replicates a conventional Hollywood trailer. Set in a futuristic world, the video shows how some of the top fashion brands operate to maximise profits over the interests of people and the planet.

Greenpeace refers to this as Gobal campaigning 2.1, which recognizes that to reach new audiences, activists must campaign in a variety of ways.

“We want to inspire people to collectively challenge the industry to end its toxic addiction,” said Tommy Crawford, the group’s strategic communications officer. “This involves new ways of engaging people as well as drawing creative inspiration from fashion.”

Prior to the launch of the campaign, Greenpeace released a report titled ‘Toxic Threads: The Big Fashion Stitch-Up,’ which discusses the use of toxic chemicals in textile factories. The campaign is said to have rallied more than 315,000 people.

Greenpeace singled out Spanish retailer Zara in its toxic-free efforts. Recently, more than 700 people dressed as mannequins protested gathered outside 80 Zara stores around the world.

Quick on the uptake, Zara has vowed to eliminate all discharge of hazardous chemicals from its supply chain and products by 2020. The brand, owned by the INDITEX Group, also said that it will disclose pollution data from 20 of its suppliers.

More brands are expected to follow suit. "This could be a great opportunity for brands to go one step ahead and take a proactive role in educating their consumers to wear responsibly while committing to a more eco-friendly process," said Kelvin Ma, managing director of Oracle Added Value, Greater China. 

Apart from Zara, Nike, Puma, Adidas, Hennes and Mauritz, C and A, Li-Ning, and Marks and Spencer have also committed to the campaign.