NIKE

Image: Nike's head office in Portland, Oregon. Image source.

Waste is one of the biggest problems in the fashion industry. On average, Australians throw away 30kg worth of clothing per year, each, which adds up to $550 million worth of wasted spending per year.

Nike is tackling this fashion industry issue in several ways, which were revealed in the company’s annual sustainability report, which was released earlier this month, and which CEO Mark Parker spoke about in his “Letter from the CEO”, Ecouterre reports.

The main takeaway from the sustainability report is that 71% of Nike footwear and apparel contains recycled materials. Parker explained the key to reducing Nike’s environmental impact is to develop “a new palette of sustainable materials”, and to create a closed-loop model in which production waste and old products can be broken down and re-used for new products. 

On the closed-loop front, Nike diverted 92% of its trash from landfill to non-energy recovery incinerators in 2015, and aims to make this 100% by 2020. 

The Flyknit is a good case study for the progress Nike is making with regards to waste minimisation and the use of recycled materials. The Nike Flyknit shoe debuted in 2012 and revolutionised waste minimalisation in footwear production by using single fibres, knitted together, instead of multiple, separate, traditional fabrics, which meant it created 80% less waste compared with a typical Nike shoe. From 2016, the yarn which is used to construct the Nike Flyknit will be made from recycled polyester made from post-consumer plastic bottles. 

By 2020, Nike is aiming to source 100% of its cotton from certified-organic, recycled, or Better Cotton sources, too. By 2025, it plans to use 100% renewable energy – solar, geothermal, and wind – at company owned facilities. Hannah Jones, Nike’s chief sustainabilty officer said, in a separate statement, reported by Ecouterre, the company sees its sustainability focus as an opportunity: “We’ve set a moon-shot challenge to double our business with half the impact”.

On the human labour front, Parker said: “We have worked alongside others for over 20 years to improve labor standards in contract factories. We’ve learned a lot in that time. And we’ve seen the limitations of the existing system...Compliance to our code of conduct is a foundational requirement, but it can’t end there. We expect any contract factory partner we work with to understand that an empowered and engaged workplace is a productive and profitable business model. The factories that make these investments will be the ones that join the manufacturing revolution.”