Report Links Fashion Brands Zara & H&M To Brazil Deforestation
Fashion retail giants H&M and Zara have been linked to reported large-scale illegal deforestation and land-grabbing in Brazil.
An investigation traced nearly one million tons of cotton from farms allegedly linked to 100,000 hectares of Cerrado wilderness, to clothing manufacturers that supply to the world’s largest fashion retailers.
The Cerrado has the oldest forms of environment in the recent history of the planet. At the very least, the Cerrado began 65 million years ago and materialised 40 million years ago.
According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Cerrado harbours 837 species of birds, 120 reptiles, 150 amphibians, 1,200 fish, 90,000 insects and 199 mammals.
“Despite this, the cotton was reportedly certified as sustainable by certification body Better Cotton,” a report by the environmental group Earthsight informed.
According to Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, H&M responded to requests for comment, saying it has a long-standing commitment to minimising risks to the environment and human rights.
Inditex, Zara’s parent company, said the cotton used in its garments is certified by well-known entities internationally recognised by their expertise.
Better Cotton said it would conduct a 12-week investigation in response to the report’s findings.
