SUSTAINABLE FIBRES

Responsibly sourced clothes are now available. By Feroz Koor, Woolworths Group Head of Sustainability

Spring is in the air, and retailers like ourselves are launching our latest summer fashions to get everyone in the mood for the imminent warm weather and longer summer days. Recently there has been a lot of interest around how clothes are made, but have you given much thought on the environmental impact of how the fabrics are produced or grown? For example, cotton has a bad reputation for being a thirsty and pesticide-intensive crop; virgin polyester is sourced from fossil fuels and viscose is made from cellulose sourced from forests. Because we understand the significant impact clothing production has on the environment and on communities, we’ve made a commitment to responsibly source all our key commodities, which include our cotton, polyester and viscose.

Cotton is a popular natural fibre for summer clothes as it keeps us cool. Over 23-million tonnes of cotton is produced each year in about 85 countries, supporting the livelihoods of 250-million people in the production. At Woolies we chose to join the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) to improve cotton farming globally. The Better Cotton Initiative exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the future of the entire cotton sector. Over the past year 60% of our cotton was sourced as “Better Cotton” through the Better Cotton Initiative and we have made a commitment that by 2020 all our cotton will be responsibly sourced.

Cotton isn’t the only sustainable fibre option though. We also use recycled polyester and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified viscose.

Polyester is made from plastic, so where possible we have introduced polyester made from recycled PET bottles like 500ml water bottles. We use recycled polyester mainly in our duvet fills, shopping bag fabric, winter polo fleeces, winter thermals and sleepwear — and now you can look out for it this summer in our men’s swim shorts. Did you know that over the past year over nine million bottles were recycled into fabric for our products? Those bottles would otherwise have gone to landfill.

Viscose used mainly in lingerie is made from cellulose, so it is important to ensure that the forests are grown and managed sustainably. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the world’s leading forest certification organisation. The FSC label guarantees that harvested trees are replaced or allowed to regenerate naturally, and that key biodiversity-rich sites are not destroyed when forest products are sourced. Over the last three years we have introduced FSC-certified viscose and currently just over 40% of the viscose in our lingerie is FSC certified. Look out of the FSC logo on our labels.

When shopping for the latest summer trends, have a look at the label and become more aware of not just where and who made that beautiful garment, but what fibres have been used and the commitments we’re making to more sustainable practices. I have no doubt that you will have a spring in your step when you wear the latest summer “hot list” knowing that the clothes you are wearing have had a lower impact on the environment and been responsibly sourced. Here’s to spring, here’s to summer!

Over the past year over nine million bottles were recycled into fabric