CALIFORNIA – US outdoor brand Patagonia is one of just two leading apparel brands to join the global climate strikes today, the other being Allbirds. The business is closing its stores and offices globally so employees can join the strikes and is asking concerned citizens in the US to lobby Congress on the issue. Meanwhile, all of Allbirds’s US and EU retail stores and offices will be closed during the strikes, allowing employees to take action. This is expected to be the biggest day of climate demonstrations in the planet’s history, yet many leading apparel brands are strangely quiet on the issue, despite signing up to the recent UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action .
San Francisco-based Allbirds makes shoes and socks from premium natural materials.
Joey Zwillinger, co-CEO and co-founder of Allbirds, said, “The environment is one of our most important stakeholders, and as we grow in size and influence, we have an opportunity — a responsibility — to use our voice to speak out against inaction in the face of dire consequences of climate change.”
Meanwhile, IndustriAll Global Union is calling on affiliates to take action on 27 September as part of the worldwide movement to combat climate change.
IndustriALL’s general secretary, Valter Sanches, said: “IndustriALL Global Union has fought for a Just Transition to a sustainable future for many years. It is time to make our point most strongly, again. Our futures, and those of our children, depend on it.”
IndustriALL affiliates are encouraged to undertake their own initiatives on 27 September, or to integrate their actions with other unions and/or their national centres.
Leading fast fashion brands, meanwhile, are remarkably quiet on the issue. This seems odd given that many of them are normally so vociferous on the issue. Indeed, many of the world’s leading apparel brands recently joined signed up to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. The full list of participants in this is here: https://unfccc.int/climate-action/sectoral-engagement/global-climate-action-in-fashion/fashion-industry-charter-for-climate-action/participants-in-the-fashion-industry-charter-for-climate-action
So what do brands which signed the pact have to say about the climate strikes? Are they closing stores and allowing their employees to have the day off to strike for climate action? Below is a selection of what signatories to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action are saying or doing regarding the climate strikes.
Gap – No action
H&M – No action
Hugo Boss – No action
Kering Group – No action
VF Corp – No action
PVH Corp – No action
Puma – No action