George at Asda to use recycled plastic bottles in clothing and homeware ranges

he Asda-owned brand will also look into microfibre shedding

Products launching in 2019 including cushions and throws will be made using plastic bottles, while dresses and blouses will consist of fabric from recycled polyester clothing.

George, the second largest UK fashion retailer by volume, has also committed to sourcing 100% sustainable viscose and sustainable cotton by 2025. The commitments mean that George will sustainably source the top three most-used textile fibres globally.

Asda’s senior vice president for commercial, Nick Jones, said: “As the second largest clothing retailer in the country, we have a responsibility to do the right thing by our customers, not only on the price and quality of our goods, but also on the impact we have on the world around us.

“Our George sustainability strategy builds on the work we’ve done to date and sets stretching targets and commitments to reduce the environmental and social impact of our products; because we know that, for our customers, looking after the environment is always in fashion.”

The Asda-owned brand will also look into microfibre shedding, which can occur during wash cycles for clothes. Research suggests that microfibres account for 85% of shoreline pollution globally.

Asda last year joined brands and retailers including Marks & Spencer, Ikea, ASOS and The North Face as a member of the European Outdoor Group’s Microfibre Consortium and a full microfibre strategy will be launched later this year.

Plastic progress

Earlier this year, Asda published its Plastic Unwrapped strategy, which committed to reducing the amount of plastic produced and used across the business. Asda has removed 6,500 tonnes of plastic from its own brand packaging over the last 12 months, the equivalent weight of around 600 million empty plastic bottles.

Commitments to source 100% sustainable timber by 2020 and palm oil – introduced in 2014 – are also in place. Soy sourced by Asda for agricultural raw materials and animal feed will also “net-zero deforestation” verified by 2020.

In order to reach the sourcing commitments, George will look to publish a list of second-tier apparel factories used for dyeing, printing and finishing garments. The list will be made available on the corporate website, alongside first-tier factories.

Matt Mace