H&M Group Promises To Eliminate Toxic Chemicals

H&M, the fast fashion retailing giant, is the latest company to win the approval of environmental group Greenpeace, because H&M vows to eliminate harmful chemicals in its supply chain.

H&M, the world's second largest apparel retailer, has joined international famous names such as Nike, Adidas and Puma.

MariettaHarjono, member of the environmental protection Greenpeace organization's "innocuous future" action, believes that H&M's landmark commitment is a potential catalyst for a wider variety of the fashion industry.

Those brands that have not yet committed to the risk of toxic chemicals will lose their trust and future business opportunities in key markets such as mainland China if they continue to pollute the environment.

In July of this year, Greenpeace released the report on "the poison of fashion - the global clothing brand's China water pollution survey".

The report pointed out that Adidas, Nike, Lining and other international well-known clothing brands in the mainland China's two suppliers of industrial waste water, containing endocrine disrupting endocrine system and affect the reproductive system of environmental hormones.

In August, another report of "investigation on toxic and harmful substances in clothing brand of the world", which was published in the report, pointed out that the products of these famous brands contain environmental hormone "nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether" NPE.

Members of Greenpeace action launched a "detoxification" campaign in 12 countries including Hongkong, France, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Turkey in September 14th. They will be posted on the H&M retail store with the words "non-toxic future" and "poison the Chinese river".

H&M has undertaken and agreed to publicly disclose the release of chemical substances from its supplier factories. The first data will be released by the end of 2012.

H&M also plans to phase out the use of toxic chemicals in all production processes of its products by 2020.

Li Yifang, director of Greenpeace pollution prevention and control, said that many countries, such as mainland China, have one hundred thousand people living near factories and do not understand toxic substances and invisible chemicals emitted into rivers. H&M promises to make public disclosure.

Director Li also pointed out that Greenpeace will pay close attention to the practice of H&M and strongly encourage Chinese brands to follow the trend of more pparent supply chain, because people have the right to know these messages.