The calculations don’t lie. Environmental advocacy group Stand.Earth analyzed the absolute carbon emissions results of several major fashion brands. In particular, compare them with their degree of transparency, their concrete actions and their objectives announced by 2030. The H&M group, Puma, Nike, Levi’s adidas, Gap, Inditex (which owns Zara in particular), Lululemon, Fast Retailing (which owns Uniqlo), VF Corp (owner of Vans, Supreme, Dickies and The North Face) and SHEIN are among the brands examined. AND it’s no surprise that the worst student is SHEIN.
SHEIN at the bottom of the ranking, and H&M the best student in the energy transition of fashion
In its Clean Energy Close Up 2024 report released on May 21, 2024, Stand.Earth notes that SHEIN’s absolute carbon emissions increased by 50% over the year. To give an order of magnitude, the NGO compares the carbon emissions of the Chinese ultra-fast fashion giant to those of an entire country: they are more than those of Paraguay!
Among other brands analyzed, Stand.Earth finds that Lululemon, Inditex (including Zara) and VF Corp (Vans, Supreme, Dickies and The North Face) have increased their annual carbon emissions. This is even double-digit growth.
Of the 11 brands carefully examined by Stand.Earth based on publicly shared data, it is the H&M group that leads the category. Because it has invested heavily in the decarbonisation of its suppliers. The second good student is Puma thanks to its degree of transparency on its energy data.
According to Stand.Earth projections, only H&M, Puma and Levi’s should be able to reduce their emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to the 2018 level.
“The real costs are paid by people and the planet. »
Rachel Kitchin, climate campaign manager at Stand.earth, said in a press release:
“Simply put, most brands are not yet on track to decarbonize, and many are moving in the wrong direction. Whatever the price printed on the label, the real costs are paid by people and the planet. »
He therefore invites the main players in the fashion sector to quickly eliminate fossil fuels and invest in concrete and renewable energy solutions:
“Right now, manufacturers are acting like the culprits of climate pollution caused by fashion, while brands pocket the remote profits.
Brands must pay for the changes they require by financing the transition to renewable energy in their supply chains and by being more transparent about who their suppliers are and where they are located. »
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Source: Madmoizelle
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
