Dressed to Kill : Die heimlichen Verbindungen der Modelabels zu russischem Öl in Zeiten des Krieges

The Changing Markets Foundation found that 78% of 50 investigated fashion brands are linked to Reliance Industries (India) and Hengli Group (China), both of which source Russian oil. Despite many brands exiting the Russian market after the invasion of Ukraine, they continue to indirectly support the Russian economy through these synthetic fabric supply chains. The report also highlights risks of brands sourcing polyester made from coal and fracking gas, and criticizes the severe lack of transparency regarding synthetic fiber suppliers.

• The fashion industry indirectly supports the Russian economy through its reliance on polyester producers that import Russian oil. Reliance Industries saw its monthly average import value of Russian oil rise from 67.4 million Euro (65 million US dollars) between August 2021 and February 2022 to 663.5 million Euro (640 million US dollars) per month starting in April 2022. China's imports of Russian oil also increased by 55% by May 2022 compared to the previous year, with the Hengli Group known to have sourced cheap Russian crude oil.
• A study of 50 brands and parent companies revealed that 39 (78%) are directly or indirectly connected to the supply chains of Reliance Industries or the Hengli Group. Direct links were specifically identified for the Benetton Group, Esprit, G-Star RAW, New Look, and Next. More than 25 of these 39 brands had publicly ceased operations in Russia, yet they continue to contribute to the Russian economy via these polyester suppliers.
• Fashion brands face the risk of sourcing polyester derived from highly polluting non-Russian sources. The Hengli Group has imported oil from Saudi Aramco and invested 20 billion dollars in a project to produce polyester from coal in Shaanxi province, expected to be operational by the end of 2025. Additionally, there is increasing evidence that fracking gas from the USA is imported by Reliance Industries for polyester production.
• Transparency regarding synthetic fiber supply chains is extremely low. Out of 31 brands that responded to a questionnaire, 26 (84%) provided only sparse information. Only 4 brands (Levi Strauss & Co, Next, Reformation, and Boohoo—though Boohoo only listed recycled synthetic suppliers) provided supplier lists. Several companies, including Inditex, Uniqlo, Zalando, Puma, Burberry, and Kering, provided no information at all.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2022). Dressed to Kill : Die heimlichen Verbindungen der Modelabels zu russischem Öl in Zeiten des Krieges. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dressed-to-Kill_ExecSum_DE.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Dressed to Kill : Die heimlichen Verbindungen der Modelabels zu russischem Öl in Zeiten des Krieges. 2022. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dressed-to-Kill_ExecSum_DE.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Dressed to Kill : Die heimlichen Verbindungen der Modelabels zu russischem Öl in Zeiten des Krieges |date=November 2022 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dressed-to-Kill_ExecSum_DE.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2022dressed, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Dressed to Kill : Die heimlichen Verbindungen der Modelabels zu russischem Öl in Zeiten des Krieges}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Dressed-to-Kill_ExecSum_DE.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }