Sintetici Anonimi

The report finds that the fashion industry is heavily reliant on synthetic fibres, which account for 69% of all textile materials and are projected to reach nearly 75% by 2030. Analysis of 46 brands reveals a significant lack of transparency and widespread greenwashing, with many companies using recycled PET bottles as a 'false solution' rather than pursuing true fibre-to-fibre circularity. A study of 4,028 products from 12 major retailers showed that 67% contained synthetic fibres, and 59% of products with eco-claims violated UK Competition Markets Authority guidelines. The report argues that voluntary commitments are insufficient and calls for EU legislation on extended producer responsibility and mandatory rules against misleading environmental claims.

• Synthetic fibres, derived from fossil fuels like oil and gas, dominate textile production, representing 69% of all materials used and are expected to reach nearly 75% by 2030.
• The fashion industry relies heavily on 'downcycling' PET bottles into clothing as a primary sustainability strategy, which the report describes as a false solution that fails to establish true fibre-to-fibre circularity.
• Analysis of 46 brands showed a lack of leadership in phasing out synthetic fibres; no company clearly committed to eliminating them, and only six (Dressmann, Esprit, Hugo Boss, Puma, Reformation, and United Colors of Benetton) expressed a desire to avoid or reduce them.
• A detailed analysis of 4,028 products from 12 brands (including ASOS, H&M, Zara, and Gucci) found that 67% of items contained synthetic fibres, with an average synthetic composition of 53% for those items.
• Greenwashing is prevalent in the industry; of the 39% of studied products that featured an eco-claim, 59% violated the UK Competition Markets Authority (CMA) guidelines. Violation rates were particularly high for H&M (96%), ASOS (89%), and M&S (88%).

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2021). Sintetici Anonimi. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-ITALIAN-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Sintetici Anonimi. 2021. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-ITALIAN-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Sintetici Anonimi |date=June 2021 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-ITALIAN-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2021sintetici, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Sintetici Anonimi}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-ITALIAN-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }