HOW ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE ARE YOUR FAVOURITE SPORTSWEAR BRANDS?

Any global apparel brand making progress towards being more environmentally friendly is applaudable, and should happen now; is it possible yet? The following goes through the significant steps being taken by Nike, Adidas, Reebok and Puma to become more ethical and sustainable.

NIKE

The brand of superpower shoes, once known for sweatshops and unethical factories, is trying to change its image. The brand has a significant global influence; 32.4 billion U.S. dollars worldwide (25 pairs of shoes a minute appaza). How has the brand greened up its image?

Governance

    •   Nike has a global sustainability team

    •  The brand joined the UN Climate Change and Fashion Industry for Climate Action in 2019

    •   Partnered with Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) on Circular Fibres Initiative and more business models to reduce waste

    •   Nike have a sustainability program for head offices, including composting and recycling at work (everyone should have this FYI)

    •             Member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition

Materials

    •  Use some recycled materials, such as Converse Renew Canvas (recycled PET and denim)

    •   Reuse-A-Shoe: A recycling program that grinds up old shoes (Nike Grind) to make community spaces, up to 32 million pairs of shoes have been collected so far! If you're in the USA or North America, find your shop here.

    •   Nike created a Circular Design Guide that suggests ways for designers to transition to a circular economy, with no words yet about efficiency

    •   In 2017, Nike invented a Flyleather made from 50% recycled leather from discarded floor fibers from tanneries

    •  32 billion liters of water were saved by sourcing sustainable cotton

    •  Use the Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) to measure energy, waste and chemical usage on a manufacturing product

    •  Set a target to source 100% renewable energy across all operations by 2025 (currently at 75%)

    •  99.9% of manufacturing waste from footwear was recycled or turned into energy in the final quarter of 2018

    •   Nike claims to incentivise suppliers to improve sustainability performance

    •    Use Footwear Sustainability Index and Apparel Sustainability Index (ASI)

    •    More than half of the waste from shoes factory is recycled.

    •    Reuse the cardboard from shipping and looking into alternative packaging

Criticisms

    •    Good On You rates Nike with ‘It’s a Start’ on environmental impact

    •    Labour Conditions are rated as ‘Not Good Enough’

    •    Greenpeace strongly criticizes Nike's use of hazardous chemicals in footwear, pollutes rivers and is bad for workers and people who wear them.

    •    Nike still uses polyester and is yet to address the issues of microfiber plastic from textiles polluting the ocean (this is also a very complex issue)

    •    No info on leather, wool and down

ADIDAS

Adidas has been around since the 1940s, well known for sports apparel and footwear. The global corporation is based in Europe and the second-largest sportswear manufacturer in the world. The Adidas Group also owns the sports brand Reebok and several other brands. In 2018, the revenue was reported at €21.9 billion. They clearly have the money and reach to make a significant environmental impact.

Governance

• Partnered with Parley on a large ocean plastic campaign and development of a strategy for marine plastic pollution (Avoid, Intercept and Redesign)

• Sustainability roadmap for 2020 with a global sustainability team of 70 people

• Rated ‘Good’ on Environmental Impact by Good On You

• Member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition

• 2018 The Australian Fashion Report awarded Adidas an A- grade based on ethics

• Adidas X Parley Collection uses up to 75% upcycling ocean plastic trash and still maintains performance

• Dry-dye technology introduced by Adidas in 2012 uses 50% less chemicals and energy in fabric dyeing

• 100% sustainable cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)

• Rolling out a global product take-back program

Manufacturing

• Designs shoes with an efficiency of 95 per cent ie 5 per cent waste

• Transitioning to clean energy (20% energy saving at strategic suppliers)

• 50% waste diversion for operations to reduce landfill by 2020

• 100% sustainable input chemistry ie no hazardous chemical by 2020, also part of Bluesign

• 20%  water savings at supply by 2020

• Working with suppliers to reduce emissions (no formal target)

Criticisms

• No info on leather, wool and down

• Still use unsustainable polyester fabrics that lead to microfiber emissions (need for performance-wear alternatives)

• Still produce fast fashion-large quantities of clothes

• Good On You encourages Adidas to take up science-based targets

REEBOK

This English footwear brand is well known for sneakers but it sells sportswear and clothing as well. It began in the UK in the 1950s, having been bought by the Adidas Group. Although the companies are subsidiaries, they operate as independent brands but the sustainability activities are related.

Governance

•The team behind governing Adidas are also supporting Reebok, meaning that the brand is also a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Bluesign

Materials

• Aiming to implement a recycling program (with Adidas)
• Launched a sneaker in 2018 made from cotton and corn
• Manufacturing15% emission reduction by 2020
• Criticisms No supply chain specific emission targets
• No info on leather sources