Lululemon is “travelling dangerously in the wrong direction” with its increasing greenhouse gas emissions, an environmental group said in an analysis of fashion pollution data. The Vancouver-based athletic brand earned a 'D-' in a recent fashion emissions study conducted by environmental advocate Rachel Kitchin. Other brands such as Chanel, the Gap and Ralph Lauren face scrutiny as well. .Lululemon’s emissions have been on the rise every year for the last five years, despite its UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action pledge in 2020 to lower emissions 60% by 2030. Lululemon is currently emitting nine times more than its 2023 target of slashing emissions by 60%. Its 2022 Impact Report found the company “needs acceleration” to reach its emissions targets, per Vancouver Sun. Signatories of the UN pledge also agreed to phase out coal by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050. Fashion is responsible for 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and still heavily relies on coal-powered production, according to Vancouver Sun. Many companies, Lululemon included, outsource production to companies predominantly in Asian countries such as Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. .Kitchin pointed out the brand’s hypocrisy of advertising itself to be sustainable fashion. Lululemon touts itself for using recycled and plant-based nylon and “accelerating the use of renewable energy in [its] operations and supply chain.” “For a company with the tag line ‘Be Planet’ as a core tenet of its business, this kind of emissions growth raises serious questions about how true that claim is," Kitchin said. .The report praised Levi’s “steady downward trend” in emissions and H&M, Puma and Adidas for bringing forward “a public target of being coal-free in factories by 2025.” “Levi’s was one of the first brands to set an ambitious scope commitment aligned with 1.5C and their near-term target and active engagement with suppliers has resulted in really encouraging progress towards decarbonization,” she said.“A transition to renewable energy (wind and solar) in the supply chain by 2030 is the most important thing the sector can do to reduce emissions.”
