In response to the Greenpeace Detox Challenge, Puma has recently pledged to eliminate the release of all its hazardous chemicals from its entire product lifecycle, as well as throughout its worldwide supply chain by 2020. The move puts the big cat well and truly out in front of its two biggest rivals, Nike and Adidas, in the race to deliver sports clothing and trainers without the release of toxic chemicals.
Puma’s rapid shift in stance came just a couple of weeks following the publication of Greenpeace’s Dirty Laundry report that links massive global brands like Nike, Adidas and Puma with suppliers that are known to release hazardous, hormone-disrupting chemicals into Chinese rivers. Is it any wonder that the Yangtze river dolphin is now extinct?
The report was yet another sign that big business has for too long been able to get away with not caring about the environment that it profits from so extensively. Though it focused on the pollution that was pumped out of two large manufacturing facilities in China, it also highlights the links between the two factories and massive global brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Converse, H&M, Lacoste, Nike and Puma.
All of these brands have had products manufactured at one of the two facilities, according to the report, and while a number of them claim not to contribute to the release of toxic chemicals, hazardous waste and hormone-disrupting byproducts, their commercial involvement on any grounds could be seen by onlookers as tacit support of the more negative aspects of the sites. All of this means that suddenly the race is on for them to save public face, instead of just worrying about saving cash through cheap methods of production.
Martin Hojsik, Coordinator of the Toxic Water campaign at Greenpeace International said, “It’s not enough for Nike and Adidas to follow Puma’s lead – Greenpeace is calling on all three companies to show leadership by becoming more transparent about the hazardous chemicals currently released during the manufacture of their products”.
On the back of the announcement at the end of July 2011, Puma will be putting together an action plan to document how they intend to hit their big green dream. If you want to contribute to the Detox challenge you can sign their petition to put pressure on the Nike and Adidas head honchos to take action also:
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