Levi’s latest to bow to pressure and detox its supply chain

Levi's has become the latest brand leader to pledge to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals throughout its supply chain and products by 2020, following pressure from Greenpeace.


Levi’s announcement follows moves from Marks & Spencer in October to do the same in response to Greenpeace’s global Detox campaign.

It also comes just eight days after Greenpeace launched its report Toxic threads: under wraps in Mexico City. Since then, over 210,000 people joined the campaign calling on Levi’s to detox with protests taking place outside the denim giant’s shop fronts worldwide.

The Detox campaign demands fashion brands commit to zero discharge of all hazardous chemicals by 2020 and require their suppliers to disclose all releases of toxic chemicals from their facilities to communities at the site of the water pollution.

Levi’s will begin by demanding that 15 of its largest suppliers disclose pollution data as early as June 2013. This will be followed up with a further 25 major suppliers by the end of 2013.

Greenpeace’s toxics campaigner Marietta Harjono said the move was a victory for those affected on a daily level by toxic water pollution from such processes.

“It’s about time other brands such as Calvin Klein and Gap finally cotton on and end their toxic addiction. We’ll continue to expose brands until the use – and abuse – of hazardous substances is totally eliminated,” she added.

Maxine Perella

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