Victoria's Secret has vowed to remove chemicals from its supply chain by 2020 following a Greenpeace investigation which found hormone-disrupting phthalates in its underwear.
Greenpeace’s Detox Campaign and report, “Toxic Threads: The Big Fashion Stitch-Up” exposed the links between the toxic chemicals used in the textile industry and water pollution, and demands that fashion brands – including Zara, Levi’s, Mango, Esprit, Armani, and Victoria’s Secret – commit to zero discharge of hazardous chemicals by 2020, as well as requiring the suppliers to disclose all releases of toxic chemicals from their facilities to communities at the site of the water pollution.
The 2011 report found high levels of chemicals including NPEs (which have been shown to exhibit estrogenic properties and are extremely toxic to aquatic organisms. NPEs were found in close to two-thirds of the 141 garments Greenpeace tested), phthalates, cancer-causing amines from the use of azo dyes, and various other potentially hazardous industrial chemicals.
Phthalates, a group of chemicals used to make plastics soft and flexible, are known endocrine disruptors that have been linked to birth defects, reproductive abnormalities, and early breast development, and have negative environmental effects. The phthalate level found in one of the items made by Victoria’s Secret was so high, that had it been a toy, it would be banned in some states and countries. In California, phthalates are banned from products for children under the age of 3.
Limited Brands, who own Victoria’s Secret (and La Senza in Canada) is the 14th global corporation to commit to eliminating all hazardous chemicals across its supply chain. Levi’s, Benetton, and Uniqlo have already signed up to the Campaign.
Limited Brands will carry out an investigation to uncover other dangerous chemicals in its supply chain and will disclose the data by the end of 2013.
Photo credit: Lucero Design
