Greenpeace Expose Top Clothing Brands

FOLLOWING a new investigation into toxic water pollution, Greenpeace International has revealed the presence of nonylphenol ethoxylates in clothing items bearing the logos of 14 global brands, including Adidas, H&M, Nike and Puma.

“By failing to take action to eliminate these chemicals, global brands like Adidas are expecting customers to do their dirty laundry for them.”

Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), are man-made chemicals often used as a surfactant in the textile industry. When released untreated, NPEs break down in rivers to form the persistent, toxic and hormone disrupting nonylnhenol (NP). Even where wastewater containing NPEs is treated, this only speeds up the conversion into the toxic NP.

It is for this reason that nonylphenol ethoxlyates are effectively banned in the EU.

Yet Greenpeace found NPEs in products sold in the UK and across Europe after submitting 78 articles of clothing for analysis by a leading independent laboratory.

The Toxic Cycle

Tamara Stark of Greenpeace UK said: “It’s the sheer scale of this problem that is so worrying - despite being banned in Europe, we found these chemicals in products from 14 leading brands purchased in 17 different countries, including the UK.”

Yifang Li, Toxic Water Campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia, had previously researched and found that global clothing brands were responsible for the discharge of hazardous chemicals into waterways in China as part of their manufacturing processes. Li now claims that this new report demonstrates that the problem is truly global.

Not So GreenGreenpeace’s second 'Dirty Laundry' report presents the results of analysis of clothing and fabric-based shoes sold internationally by 14 major clothing brands. Of the 78 articles tested, 52 were found to contain nonylphenol ethoxylates - chemicals which break down into the toxic, persistent and hormone-disrupting nonylphenol.

As a result of the 'Detox' campaign, which has included global 're-branding activities' at the companies’ stores, both Nike and Puma have publicly committed on the issue.

Representatives at Puma said: “In line with Puma’s long-term sustainability program, the sportlifestyle company Puma recognises the urgent need for reducing and eliminating industrial releases of all hazardous chemicals.

"According to its approach based on prevention and precautionary principles, Puma is committed to eliminate the discharges of all hazardous chemicals from the whole lifecycle and all production procedures that are associated with the making and using of Puma product by 2020.”

Nike had this to say: “In support of the principles of prevention and precaution, and in line with our overall commitment to water stewardship, NIKE, Inc. supports the goal of systemic change to achieve zero discharge of hazardous chemicals associated with supply chains and the lifecycles of products within one generation or less. NIKE, Inc. is committed to the goal of zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020.”

Similar goals it would appear, but what about the other 12 brands?

Adidas have yet to take responsibility for the pollution their manufacturing processes release.

“By failing to take action to eliminate these chemicals, global brands like Adidas are expecting customers to do their dirty laundry for them – every time clothes containing these chemicals are washed, hazardous substances are released into waterways across the world.

Brands must remove these chemicals from their products, and the best way to do this is to eliminate them from their production processes and to come clean about what chemicals their factories are using and discharging”, concluded Li.

To learn more about how you can help with the 'Dirty Laundry' campaign, please click here.