Zara to ban toxins in clothing after Greenpeace campaign

Want China Times, CNA and Staff Reporter 2012-11-30

Protesters present a "toxic" fashion show in front of
Zara's store in Taipei. (Photo/Chen Chen-tang)

One of the world's top clothing retailers committed Thursday to eliminating the use of potentially toxic chemicals in its products by 2020 in response to a worldwide campaign by Greenpeace.

Inditex, the parent company of Spanish fashion brand Zara, said that day that it will begin requiring 20 suppliers to disclose pollution data as early as next March, according to the local branch of Greenpeace East Asia.

The campaign targeted 20 world-renowned garment brands around the globe and found high levels of toxins in many of their products.

"Zara is the eighth global fashion brand to bow to people's demands for non-toxic clothing, which means our voice has been heard," said Rose Lai of Greenpeace.

Zara's commitment came nine days after the environmental group disclosed the brand's use of potentially toxic chemicals such as nonylphenol ethoxylates, detergents used in the textile industry that are considered harmful to health.

Since the release of the report, more than 315,000 people worldwide have joined the campaign, with tens of thousands taking action on Facebook and Twitter, according to Greenpeace.

Over 700 people in countries including Taiwan have also been protesting and performing street theater outside Zara shops around the world.

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