On 13th December 2023 Ethical Consumer viewed the website of Amazon.com Inc for details of its use of more sustainable materials in clothing. Its 2022 sustainability report and restricted substances list was viewed.
We were looking for some of the most sustainable materials including:
- second hand or recycled
- organic hemp / linen / cotton / bamboo, as well as non-organic hemp and linen, and Fairtrade cotton
- mechanically extracted or closed loop processed plant-based fabrics: bamboo, Tencel/Monocel/Lyocell, beech, eucalyptus etc
Lesser amounts of points were also available for other somewhat sustainable materials: recycled synthetics such as polyester or nylon, BCI cotton, or deadstock.
There was no or minimal evidence that the company was using more sustainable materials. It had a target to “Source all man-made cellulosic fibers—including rayon, viscose, lyocell, and modal—for Amazon Private Brands apparel products from more sustainable sources by the end of 2022.” It stated, “Amazon Private Brands achieved its 2022 goal for man-made cellulosic fibers. We use the nonprofit Canopy’s tools and reports to help avoid fibers sourced from endangered forests, endangered species’ habitats, or other controversial sources.” It added, “We are increasing the use of recycled fabrics in Amazon Private Brands apparel products, including moving from conventional to recycled polyester.” It was not clear how much recycled polyester it was using. It did not provide further detail on what it meant by "more sustainable" man-made fibres.
There was no or minimal evidence that the company was taking steps to reduce or recycle water or reduce water pollution from fabric production.
The company was not a signatory of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Roadmap to Zero programme, which worked to phase out hazardous chemicals from the global value chain of fashion. However, it did have its own Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL). According to the ZDHC, a MRSL goes beyond the traditional approaches to chemical restrictions, which only apply to finished products (Restricted Substances List - RSL) and is focused on consumer safety. The MRSL approach also helps protect workers, local communities, and the environment from the possible impacts of harmful chemicals.
For this the company scored 10.
No third party criticisms of the company were found in relation to pollution from fabric production.
Overall, Amazon.com Inc received 10/100 for Sustainable Materials.
Reference:
Amazon UK website 2023 (5 April 2023) Amazon chemicals policy: restricted substances list (5 April 2023) Amazon.com sustainability report 2022 (13 December 2023)