In a test of children's clothing and shoes as part of its ongoing Detox campaign, the the German section of Greenpeace said it found hazardous chemicals in 82 items manufactured by 12 global brands including Adidas, Burberry, Disney, American Apparel, GAP, Primark and Nike. The clothing was purchased in 25 countries worldwide.
The campaign is the environmental organization's latest effort to force the fashion industry to cut back on the amount of chemicals in clothing. In every brand tested, it said, substances suspected hormone disruptors, including nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) and perfluoroctane (PFOA), a suspected carcinogen - as well as traces of phthalates - were found.
Greenpeace said the list of chemicals - discovered in three of five shoe samples - also included organotins banned in the EU. The organization has formed an alliance with 18 fashion brands that it said have promised to completely abandon the use of toxic chemicals in clothing by 2020. It also has appealed to China, now world's largest textile producer, to help cut down on chemicals in clothing and facilitate supply chain transparency within the industry.
