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A Lifestyle based on Plastic

We live a throw-away lifestyle, and plastic made it possible. Light, waterproof, and cheap – it’s versatility has made plastic a popular material for almost every area of life. It is in cosmetics, fashion, kitchenware, medical supplies, consumer products, electronics, and most of all, in packaging. The life span of many of these products is extremely short and as a result, our planet is drowning in plastic waste.

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Title: Greenwash Danger Zone. 10 years after Rana Plaza fashion labels conceal a broken system. Black background. Right: Pile of Fashion labels growing on a year-scale

Greenwash Danger Zone: 10 years after Rana Plaza fashion labels conceal a broken system (2023)

Greenpeace reveals what lies beneath the green sheen and investigates self-assessed marketing labels. What is the basis of the claims that are made, how reliable are they and what do they actually cover? Can consumers take these labels at face value, and are they independently verified?

Cover of publication: Title. Below: Young female/male couple in the middle of a garbage dump sourrounded by stickers saying "Shop now". "Super Sale". "Black Friday".

Taking the Shine off SHEIN: A business model based on hazardous chemicals and environmental destruction (2023)

The Chinese online fashion brand SHEIN has promoted fast fashion to ultra fast fashion. It’s built on the exploitation of the environment and people, relying on the lack of enforcement of protection regulations for the environment as well as workers and consumers.

Polyester garment with tag "Crude Couture Moscow"

Crude Couture: Fashion Brands’ Continued Links to Russian Oil (2023)

This investigation underscores the pivotal role the fashion industry plays in perpetuating fossil fuel dependency and signals a concerning lack of action to break ties with Russian oil – through which the fashion brands are indirectly funding petrochemical expansion and the war in Ukraine.

River flowing through a garbage dump. Simple huts in the background. Title: Poisoned Gifts. From donations to the dumpsite: textiles waste disguised as second-hand clothes exported to East Africa.

Poisoned Gifts - From donations to the dumpsite: textiles waste disguised as second-hand clothes exported to East Africa (2022)

Global fashion brands are promoting circularity, but in reality that's still a myth. Nowhere is the failure of fast fashion more visible than in the countries where many of these cheap clothes end up: on huge dump sites, burnt on open fires, along riverbeds and washed out into the sea, with severe consequences for people and the planet.

Cover of "Realising Reuse: The potential for scaling up reusable packaging and policy recommendations (2021)"

Realising Reuse: The potential for scaling up reusable packaging and policy recommendations (2021)

The study shows that under the right conditions including a supporting policy framework, reuse can thrive in the EU, and more importantly, it can reduce the environmental impacts of packaging and save companies as well as consumers money.

Cover of "Sythetics Anonymous. Fashion brands’ addiction to fossil fuels"

Synthetics Anonymous: Fashion brands' addiction to fossil fuels (2021)

The fashion industry and its prevailing fast-fashion business model rely heavily on the use of cheap synthetic fibres, which are produced from fossil fuels, such as oil and gas. This report investigates the behaviour of some of the biggest fashion brands and retailers regarding their use of synthetic fibres and transparency about doing so.

Cover text: "Synthetics Anonymous 2.0", Mannequin with Plastic infusion

Synthetics Anonymous 2.0 (2022)

This report uncovers the lack of progress that has been made by the fashion industry to kick its synthetics addiction. It assesses where global clothing companies stand in reducing reliance on synthetic fibres and their transparency on usage.

Yellow shirt with laundry slip "License to Greenwash"

Licence to Greenwash: How certification schemes and voluntary initiatives are fuelling fossil fashion (2022)

This report investigating 10 major certifications, labels and voluntary industry initiatives in the fashion sector finds that the majority of these schemes are enabling greenwashing on a massive scale.

Cover of "Dressed to Kill"

Dressed to Kill: Fashion brands' hidden links to Russian oil in a time of war (2022)

This report exposes the hidden supply chain links between major global fashion brands and retailers and Russian oil used to make synthetic clothing.

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