DIRTY FASHION: British High Street retailers Next, Asda and Tesco are among the companies that continue to source their viscose from dirty and dangerous factories, according to Changing Markets Foundation, a group that exposes irresponsible corporate practices.
Last June, the foundation issued a report called “Dirty Fashion revisited: Spotlight on a polluting viscose giant,” following an investigation into two factories owned by the Mumbai-based Aditya Birla Group.
The latest statement from Changing Markets, set to be issued late Tuesday, said air and water pollution from the factories is among the causes of ongoing health and environmental issues, and that Next, Asda and Tesco continue to work with them despite the claim.
“Our investigation suggests that Aditya Birla Group is failing to live up to its sustainability claims,” said Natasha Hurley, campaign manager at Changing Markets Foundation. “Brands buying from the company should understand what is really happening on the ground, where local residents’ and workers’ lives are blighted by pollution on a daily basis.”
Located in India and Indonesia, the factories produce 20 percent of the world’s viscose fabric. Viscose is made from plants and is biodegradable, but creating the fabric involves the use of hazardous chemicals, which can be harmful if not monitored
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