The cattle industry is linked to the availability of forests. A World Resources Institute’s study found that from 2001 to 2015 cattle was responsible for 36% of global tree cover loss. Cattle replaced nearly double the forest area of ​​all other assets combined (soy, palm oil, rubber, coconut, coffee, wood fiber).

By analyzing the tracking of leather exported by the largest Brazilian meat leather company, JBS, Stand.Earth has identified the brands complicit in the annihilation of the lung of the earth. In fact, all the realities that source directly or indirectly from JBS are connected to the collapse of the Amazon rainforest.

The problem does not only concern JBS, but the entire Brazilian leather industry. The study analyzed all 6 major exporters, investigating 500,000 rows of customs data obtained from multiple data providers and cross-referenced with data collected from other sources to uncover the hidden supply chain.

Brazilian leather is used by tanneries and manufacturers around the world to make countless consumer-facing branded products, including high-end footwear and fashion products.

Italy is significantly involved: about a third of exports are in fact destined for our country.

At the time of publication, the research highlights over 100 brands that are at high risk of leading to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. These brands include: Adidas, Nike, Coach, Prada, Zara, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, New Balance, UGG, and Fendi, all of which have more connections with deforestation in the Amazon.

The study revealed:

• Brands with multiple connections to deforestation (=high risk), among which:

1. Adidas
2. Fila
3. Camper
4. Nike
5. Timberland
6. Geox
7. Puma
8. ASICS
9. Clarks
10. Dr. Martens
11. Tommy Hilfiger
12. Calvin Klein
13. Vans
14. New Balance
15. Zara
16. H&M
17. Guess
18. Ralph Lauren
19. Lacoste
20. Prada
21. LVMH
22. Michael Kors
23. DKNY

• Brand with a single connection, among which:

1. Decathlon
2. Giorgio Armani
3. Bally
4. Esprit
5. Maison Margiela

By connections we mean the individual links in the supply chain between various companies (leather tanneries in Brazil, leather processorsin various countries, shoe/fashion manufacturers and brands around the world). An interactive site shows the links of all brands, parent companies and the supply chain.

The data analyzed also illustrates that a third of the companies included in the survey are violating their policies, while two thirds of the companies have no policies in place.

Some fashion brands are hiding behind LWG (Leather Working Group), which on the one hand is collaborating with the University of Wisconsin and two NGOs (NWF and WWF) to increase the transparency of the supply chain, on the other, however, fails to address deforestation due to the lack of tracking systems and availability of data on the value chain of cattle in Brazil.

LWG certification does not guarantee that the leather is free from responsibility in deforestation.

Brands often hide behind the claim that their supply chains are free from illegal deforestation, but a 2020 study found that nearly all deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is illegal.

Slow Factory proposes an environmental campaign to ask for responsibility from brands and hold them legally responsible through legislation. “The fashion industry is known for deliberately obscure supply chains that hide massive human rights and environmental abuses,” explains Colin Vernon, co-founder of Slow Factory. “iven the very lax standards and enforcement on the part of the Brazilian government, we are calling on global brands to make sure that they can prove that their supply chains are clean, without relying on the word of their suppliers, or standards that have massive loopholes. The truth is, the Amazon is being burned down to raise cattle for meat and leather, and brands have the power to stop it“.

Is leather a by-product?

The recurring question when it comes to leather and sustainability is: “Isn’t leather a positive use of a cattle byproduct that would otherwise go to waste?”. Slow Factory confirms that this is not the case.

“Given how much export revenue Brazil generates from leather production, cowhides are considered a co-product, rather than a byproduct, of beef. While the vast majority of Brazil’s beef is consumed domestically, most of its leather makes its way into shoes, handbags, belts, and other items used daily by consumers around the world“.

If you want to read more about the leather industry, we have also talked about it here>

Since we like to explain well and make known the partners we work with, we asked Benedetta and Caterina a few questions, to find out what it is, what it offers and how to join the WHATaECO project.

Hi Benedetta, hi Caterina, how did you meet? How was your collaboration born?

“Modena is not a metropolis and we have known each other since we were girls. We also attended the University of Law together, but it is sustainability that has united us every day in the WHATaECO project. It all started from an exchange of views on the difficulty of finding sustainable alternatives to products of daily use. Add a pinch of entrepreneurial spirit and the refusal of a career as a lawyer and WHATaECO was born!”.

Why did you decide to start this project? What made you take the first step?

“Awareness, necessity and courage. We were looking for a low-impact site that promotes sustainable alternatives of different product categories, and we have not found it. More and more people are buying online and greenwashing is rampant, so we have studied the solutions to create an online platform that meets the asks but did it in a sustainable way. WHATaECO is in fact powered by clean energy, we work in dropshipping to halve transport and everything we do is compensated. Even the packaging is sustainable: reused as much as possible, plastic-free and sealed with our paper tape”.

What is your goal?

“We believe in a world that enhances and grows thanks to sustainable entrepreneurship. Our mission is to promote sustainability by providing easy access to goods that are daily needed without having a negative impact on the planet. We currently work with over 130 Italian and foreign brands that share the our vision but there are new products online every week. There are many medium and long term goals that we wish to achieve but we don’t want to spoil you too much!”.

How do you select the brands on the website?

“By materials, corporate values and what the product or service conveys. We offer a catalog of selected brands on the European territory that share our mission, create ethical employment and are part of the virtuous business network that we aspire to be able to help to see a change in the world of commerce. All our products are fair trade, cruelty-free, durable or compostable if disposable and designed to have a lower impact on the environment “.

What products do the brands you choose offer? What can we find on WHATaECO?

“A little bit of everything! The categories currently are Clothing, Cosmetics, Home, Baby and Leisure but the catalog is always growing and we are very proud to have also launched the online courses and experiences category, that we would soon like to expand with sustainable tourism projects. Based on the outcome of the online crowdfunding campaign, which will close in September, we hope to also open the category dedicated to food and drinks!”.

You have started a crowdfunding campaign, can you briefly tell us what it consists of and how we can participate?

“It is a huge project in progress, and there are 68 days to go (Ed: now there are less than 60 days!) to close the campaign. We are thrilled with the feedback we have received, because we have managed to raise over 50,000 euros in a couple of weeks, reaching and exceeding the inseparable threshold of the minimum target. We have many ambitious goals to be able to support our brand partners and we sincerely hope to be able to reach the maximum target! You can invest until the end of the summer with a minimum share of 250 euros by becoming a full member of WHATaECO! For those wishing to invest more than 1,000 euros, you will also get free shipping costs on the site for 1 year”.

What was the hardest part of this project?

“We face difficulties on a daily basis. Managing a business for women under 30 in Italy is not easy. Furthermore, being a new brand, the greatest effort is to make ourselves known, to convey to our community that we are Benedetta and Caterina, young, easy-going but with clear ideas: we nurture the ambition to be able to give value to ethical and sustainable businesses. because a different and virtuous economy is possible!”.

It doesn’t seem to be easy, but you are doing very well! And the best part of the project?

“To have the opportunity to meet (digitally and physically) wonderful people. Every day we relate to brands and partners who have put everything into play for a good cause, content creators who carry out a magnificent work of dissemination on the issues of sustainability and social justice with admirable dedication, and conscious consumers who contact us, interact and occasionally write us ‘Finally WHATaECO!’ “.

What aspects of sustainability do you pay attention to in the project?

“We take into consideration procurement, production chain, materials used, durability and disposal. We ask brands many questions (and sometimes their employees too!) to understand their approach in every aspects. To make sure they share and apply our values, we always ask to sign our code of ethics”.

I’m curious: how did you start your zero waste path?

Caterina: “I think it all started when I got into gardening. Taking care of the plants, sowing seeds, watering the summer evenings is one of the things I love most to do in my free time. This closeness to nature has opened my eyes: how lucky are we to be surrounded by so much beauty? How small and passing are we compared to a tree or a bulb that every year gives us a wonderful flower? So I started thinking about the impact of my daily actions, I started to inform myself, to study and to act, and .. I never stopped!”.

Benedetta: “I was the emblem of superficiality when it came to purchases. I led a radically different lifestyle from what I try to pursue today and I have to be honest: I was more carefree. The ‘Zero waste wanna be’ approach leads you to constantly ask yourself questions, to question everything and often have difficulty finding an alternative. Sometimes it is frustrating to feel like a fish out of water or not being able to perfectly embody your ideals, but I would never go back, and do my best every day to improve”.

What do you recommend to those who want to start this journey?

“Think before you do anything. And think for yourself. We do not want to let consumers fall into the trap of ecological consumerism. We encourage consumers to choose WHATaECO when they need to replace something. We do not need bamboo cutlery to be sustainable, but to think before acting and take into account the needs and circumstances of the present moment. It is not philosophy: before having an aperitif, we think and order the drink without a straw. Refusing, very often, is the first step in starting a zero waste lifestyle“.

Thanks Benedetta and Caterina! We follow your crowfunding campaign and we are happy to be present on WHATaECO!

Here you can find WHATaECO:

Site
Instagram
Equity crowdfunding campaign

And here, our course!

Foto: WHATaECO

Puoi ascoltare qui l’articolo: Fast fashion, sostenibilità sociale, COVID

Seguiamo con attenzione la situazione nelle fabbriche di abbigliamento, perché la sostenibilità sociale è uno degli aspetti che più ci coinvolge. E ci fa arrabbiare. Quando arrivano racconti di misere retribuzioni, di condizioni di lavoro senza garanzia di sicurezza, di mancato rispetto dei diritti dei lavoratori, di sfruttamento e schiavitù moderna. Racconti che coinvolgono fornitori di marchi fast fashion che, mentre leggiamo dei loro mancati pagamenti, propongono saldi, sconti e promozioni.

Con la diffusione del COVID-19, seguiamo ancora più assiduamente la situazione lavorativa di chi prepara per noi, a km di distanza, ciò che arriva nel nostro armadio. In questi mesi sono talmente tante le storie che abbiamo letto e che vorremmo raccontarvi da farci fermare e riflettere per capire da dove iniziare. Cominciamo da qui, da una lista di brand, perché magari anche tu avvicinandoti alla moda sostenibile ti sarai chiesto: “Quali sono i marchi  sostenibili?”. Così da orientare le tue scelte di acquisto (o non acquisto) con consapevolezza verso azioni responsabili.

Secondo Remake, il COVID-19 ha colpito le fabbriche di abbigliamento in tutto il mondo e la maggior parte dei marchi di moda, che si approvvigionano da questi produttori, ha annullato gli ordini dopo una contrazione delle vendite al dettaglio durante i mesi di marzo e aprile. Ciò ha portato a milioni di produttori di abbigliamento non pagati per il lavoro che avevano già completato. Senza accesso a risparmi, assistenza sanitaria o indennità, affrontano l’incertezza di soddisfare  esigenze alimentari e abitative. Come affermato da un fornitore, “Se il coronavirus non uccide i miei lavoratori, lo farà la fame”.

Dal 30 marzo 2020 Remake ha lanciato la campagna #PayUp collegata alla petizione che ha rivolto a circa 50 marchi, chiedendo di promettere di pagare i fornitori per tutti gli ordini che sono stati annullati o messi in pausa a causa del COVID-19. Inoltre, i marchi devono accettare di pagare per questi ordini per intero (senza chiedere sconti ai fornitori) e in modo tempestivo (senza estendere i termini di pagamento a meno che non possano essere fornite opzioni di finanziamento). Perché è proprio ciò che alcune aziende stanno facendo.

La campagna #PayUp ha visto molte vittorie, tra cui la promessa di 18 marchi di pagare gli ordini annullati e fermati a causa dell’epidemia. Finora, la campagna #PayUp ha sbloccato circa 1 miliardo di dollari in Bangladesh e circa 15 miliardi di dollari in tutto il mondo, rappresentando circa un terzo dei salari del valore di 40 miliardi di dollari dovuti ai lavoratori dell’abbigliamento all’inizio del COVID-19. 

Marchi come Gap, Primark, Arcadia e Urban Outfitters si stanno ancora rifiutando di pagare. “Con alcuni marchi, abbiamo visto che gli azionisti continuano a ricevere pagamenti, mentre i lavoratori non sono retribuiti e sappiamo anche che alcuni marchi stanno eliminando i commenti #PayUp sui loro account di social media come un modo per provare a chiudere la conversazione”.

Puoi firmare qui la petizione

In quale altro modo puoi aiutare i produttori di abbigliamento? 

a) Lasciando commenti con il tag #PayUp sulle pagine dei social media dei marchi da sollecitare.

b) Donando direttamente ai lavoratori, effettuando una donazione a uno o più fondi per fornire un aiuto diretto ai produttori di indumenti (https://remake.world/stories/news/direct-ways-to-help-garment-makers-during-covid-19/)

Anche Clean Clothes Campaign sta sostenendo #PayUp e sull’onda della petizione di Remake chiede ai marchi di rispettare i pagamenti, attraverso messaggi d’effetto. Li raccogliamo in un album che puoi vedere più sotto.

Aggiornamento al 7 luglio 2020

17 marchi da sollecitare #PAYUP

• Arcadia (Burton Menswear London, Topshop, ecc.)
• Bestseller
• C&A
• Edinburgh Woollen Mill (Bonmarché, Peacocks)
• Fashion Nova
• Forever 21
• Gap (Old Navy, Athleta, Banana Republic)
• JCPenney
• Kohl
• Li & Fung/Global Brands Group
• Mothercare
• Primark
• Negozi Ross
• Sears
• The Children’s Place
• URBN (Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropologie)
• Walmart/Asda/George

18 marchi che hanno promesso #PAYUP

• Adidas
• ASOS
• H&M
• Inditex (Zara)
• Kiabi
• Levi Strauss & Co.
• LPP (Reserved, Cropp, House, ecc.)
• Lululemon
• Marks & Spencer
• Next
• Nike
• PVH (Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, ecc.)
• Ralph Lauren
• Target (USA)
• Tesco
• Under Armour
• UNIQLO
• VF Corporation (Timberland, The North Face, Vans, Dickies, ecc.)

English – Fast fashion and social sustainability during COVID-19: which brands are not paying workers?

We carefully follow the situation in the garment factories, because social sustainability is one of the aspects that most involves us. And it makes us angry. When stories of miserable wages arrive, of working conditions without guarantee of safety, of failure to respect workers’ rights, of exploitation and modern slavery. Stories involving suppliers of fast fashion brands that, while we read about their missed payments, offer sales, discounts and sales campaigns.

With the spread of COVID-19, we follow even more assiduously the working situation of those who, far away many kilometres from us, prepare for us what arrives in our closet. In recent months, there are so many stories that we have read and that we would like to tell you that we needed to pause and reflect, in order to understand where to start. Let’s start from here, from a list of brands, because maybe you too, approaching sustainable fashion, have asked yourself: “What are the sustainable brands?”. So as to guide your purchase (or non-purchase) choices with awareness towards responsible actions.

According to Remake, COVID-19 has hit apparel factories around the world and most of the fashion brands, which are sourced from these manufacturers, have canceled orders after a contraction in retail sales during the months of March and April. This led to millions of unpaid clothing manufacturers for the work they had already completed. Without access to savings, healthcare or allowances, they face the uncertainty of meeting food and housing needs. As stated by a supplier, “If the coronavirus doesn’t kill my workers, then starvation will”.

On March 30, 2020, Remake launched the #PayUp campaign linked to the petition addressed to 50 brands, asking to promise to pay suppliers for all orders that have been canceled or paused due to COVID-19. In addition, brands must agree to pay for these orders in full (without asking suppliers for discounts) and in a timely manner (without extending the payment terms unless financing options can be provided). Because that’s exactly what some companies are doing.

The #PayUp campaign has seen many victories, including the promise of 18 brands to pay for orders canceled and stopped due to the epidemic. To date, the #PayUp campaign has unlocked approximately $1 billion in Bangladesh and approximately $15 billion worldwide, accounting for about a third of the $40 billion worth of wages owed to clothing workers at the start of COVID-19.

Brands like Gap, Primark, Arcadia and Urban Outfitters are still refusing to pay. “With some brands, we’ve seen shareholder payouts occur while workers go unpaid, and we also know that certain brands are deleting #PayUp comments on their social media accounts as a way to try and shut down the conversation”.

You can sign the petition here 

What else you can do to help clothing manufacturers?

a) Leaving comments with the #PayUp tag on the social media pages of the brands to be solicited.

b) Donating directly to workers, by making a donation to one or more funds to provide direct help to garment manufacturers (https://remake.world/stories/news/direct-ways-to-help-garment-makers-during -COVID-19/)

Clean Clothes Campaign is also supporting #PayUp and, following the Remake petition, is asking brands to respect payments, through effective messages. We collect them in an album that you can see below.

July 7, 2020 update:

17 brands to solicit #PAYUP

• Arcadia (Burton Menswear London, Topshop, ecc.)
• Bestseller
• C&A
• Edinburgh Woollen Mill (Bonmarché, Peacocks)
• Fashion Nova
• Forever 21
• Gap (Old Navy, Athleta, Banana Republic)
• JCPenney
• Kohl
• Li & Fung/Global Brands Group
• Mothercare
• Primark
• Negozi Ross
• Sears
• The Children’s Place
• URBN (Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropologie)
• Walmart/Asda/George

18 brands that promised #PAYUP

• Adidas
• ASOS
• H&M
• Inditex (Zara)
• Kiabi
• Levi Strauss & Co.
• LPP (Reserved, Cropp, House, ecc.)
• Lululemon
• Marks & Spencer
• Next
• Nike
• PVH (Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, ecc.)
• Ralph Lauren
• Target (USA)
• Tesco
• Under Armour
• UNIQLO
• VF Corporation (Timberland, The North Face, Vans, Dickies, ecc.)

Come capire se siamo davanti a greenwashing*? Come verificare se un marchio è impegnato veramente nella moda sostenibile?
6 passi per individuarlo, in una breve guida che abbiamo creato per te secondo quanto pubblicato in un articolo di British Vogue. Per aiutarti ad avere un po’ di chiarezza lungo il cammino della sostenibilità.

* strategia di comunicazione finalizzata a costruire un’immagine di sé ingannevolmente positiva sotto il profilo dell’impatto ambientale, allo scopo di distogliere l’attenzione dell’opinione pubblica dagli effetti negativi per l’ambiente dovuti alle proprie attività o ai propri prodotti (fonte: wikipedia).