Dirty Fashion

The report exposes severe pollution from viscose production in Asia, where manufacturers dump untreated wastewater and emit toxic gases, impacting local health and ecosystems. It identifies direct sourcing links between these polluting sites and major brands like H&M and Zara, arguing that the 'green' image of viscose is misleading due to the use of hazardous chemicals like carbon disulphide. The authors call for a transition to closed-loop production systems and mandatory supply chain due diligence.

• The use of carbon disulphide in viscose manufacturing is linked to severe health issues for workers and residents, including neurological disorders, psychiatric symptoms, and a higher incidence of cancer.
• In China, factories such as Sateri and Jiujiang Jinyuan have been found to discharge industrial effluent into Poyang Lake, turning the water black and killing aquatic life.
• While some brands participate in the CanopyStyle initiative to prevent sourcing from endangered forests, these schemes do not address the environmental impacts of the actual manufacturing process.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2017). Dirty Fashion. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CHANGING_MARKETS_DIRTY_FASHION_REPORT_SPREAD_WEB.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Dirty Fashion. 2017. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CHANGING_MARKETS_DIRTY_FASHION_REPORT_SPREAD_WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Dirty Fashion |date=June 2017 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CHANGING_MARKETS_DIRTY_FASHION_REPORT_SPREAD_WEB.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2017dirty, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Dirty Fashion}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2017}, month = jun, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CHANGING_MARKETS_DIRTY_FASHION_REPORT_SPREAD_WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }