True to its Japanese roots, UNIQLO’s garments are simple and stylish. Founded in Hiroshima in 1984 by Tadashi Yanai, UNIQLO is a part of the Fast Retailing clothing empire (the group includes other brands like Theory, Helmut Lang, J Brand and GU).[1]
The company’s business model has been compared to that of typical fast-fashion brands, like H&M or Zara. In an attempt to differentiate itself from them, Yanai has explained that UNIQLO’s “mission is to create clothes that are non-disposable, long-lasting, and which function as perfect components, providing the ultimate in everyday wear.” The brand has even adopted a cute mascot (Doraemon) as its global sustainability ambassador and the slogan “to make the world a better place for all through the power of clothing.” But with a revenue of $19.4 billion for the fiscal year ended August 2021,[2] we can only wonder if these are just a marketing strategy. So, how sustainable is UNIQLO?
UNIQLO and the Environment
According to its website, UNIQLO is focused on creating “apparel that not only emphasizes quality, design, and price, but also meets the definition of “good clothing” from the standpoint of the environment, people, and society.”[3] Amazing! Now… is it practicing what it preaches? Here are some of the things the company (and the Fast Retailing Group) is doing to achieve these goals:
1. RE.UNIQLO
Through RE.UNIQLO [4], the company collects secondhand UNIQLO clothing that customers no longer need. All UNIQLO items are accepted for recycling, you just need to wash them first, make sure they don’t have any personal belongings, and leave them in boxes that can be found in the brand’s stores.
Depending on their condition, the garments can be reused or used for other purposes through recycling, namely: new clothing and alternative fuel to reduce CO2 emissions. When in good condition, the company delivers the garments to refugees and displaced persons all over the world. UNIQLO works together with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), NGOs, and NPO and classifies the donations into 18 detailed categories to fulfill recipient needs (season, gender, size, climate, religion, etc.). Clothing that cannot be reused is recycled as fuel or soundproofing material (in Japan only). Down and feathers are regenerated into new clothing items.[5]
2. Recycled Materials
UNIQLO is implementing innovative technologies to develop fabrics with less environmental impact, specifically, yarn from used plastic bottles.[6] By 2022 Spring/Summer, about 15% of the polyester used will be derived from recycled PET bottles.[7] Some examples are the Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket and the DRY-EX Polo Shirt.[8] The company also produces bags with yarn from nylon thread waste that are generally discards.
3. Responsibly sourced down and feathers
According to its website, UNIQLO only uses responsibly sourced down and feathers from farms that seek to minimize their impact on wildfowl. The brand supports the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), an international standard that helps ensure that all aspects of the breeding and keeping of geese and ducks are safeguarded. UNIQLO is strict when it comes to partner garment factories involved in the production of its down products: all must be RDS certified![9]
In case you didn’t know, these are the key points in the RDS:[10]
- Any removal of down and feathers from live birds (live-plucking or molt-harvesting) is prohibited.
- Force-feeding is prohibited.
- Holistic respect for animal welfare of the birds from hatching to slaughter.
- Each stage in supply chain is audited by a professional, third-party certification body.
4. Reduction of water use
Denim is quite a thirsty fabric which makes it one of the most environmentally demanding (learn more about denim here). To alleviate this impact, Fast Retailing (UNIQLO’s parent company) has developed technology that allowed it to reduce the amount of water used in the jeans finishing process by 99%. We are talking about the equivalent of a teacup of water for every pair of jeans. Impressive!
The company has also launched the UNIQLO Responsible Mill Program, which calls for a reduction in water and energy usage.[11]
5. Reduction of single-use plastic
UNIQLO is aware of the negative impact plastic debris has on the environment and has been working on reducing its use of single-use plastic. Some of the measures the company has taken are:
- Switching to environmentally-friendly shopping bags made from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper or recycled paper.
- Eliminating the use of plastic in the packaging of certain items.
- Selling eco-bags in all UNIQLO stores worldwide and even charging for paper shopping bags in some.[12]
6. Environmental Commitment
In 2020, Fast Retailing adopted the “Environmental Commitment” standard that “sets out the minimum environmental protection standards that [its] business partners should comply with.”[13] This means that the group companies (including UNIQLO) can only contract with partners that pledge their compliance to this commitment.
Some of the highlights of this Commitment include that the factory complies with local environmental laws and regulations; the conduction of legally required environmental impact assessments; the assurance of working wastewater treatment; the existence of procedures to handle chemical substances and waste products; and appropriate training and authorizations.[14]
7. Fiscal 2030 Sustainability Targets and Action Plan
Like most of the big fashion groups, UNIQLO’s has formulated its Fiscal 2030 Targets and Action Plan (the “Targets”). Here are the main points:
- Carbon neutrality by 2050.
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2030 (compared to 2019).
- Strengthen of transparency and traceability across the whole supply chain.
- Identification and correction of human rights, labor and environmental issues in the supply chain.
The Targets are aligned with the Ariake Project, a tool that embraces Google’s Advanced Solutions Lab and G Suite to better understand what customers want and forecast demand. The goal is to make and sell only apparel that customers truly want.
UNIQLO and the People
UNIQLO wants to strengthen transparency and traceability across the whole supply chain while identifying and correcting any human rights, labor, and environmental issues that might exist. Its parent company explains that the Group “respect[s] the basic human rights of all people who work in [its] supply chain. One of our most important duties is to protect the physical and mental health, as well as the security and safety, of these people.”[15] If you are an ethical fashion lover like I am, then you must feel on cloud nine!
But, not so fast…
Did you know that UNIQLO is involved in the largest unresolved wage theft case in the garment industry?[16] Yes, the billion-dollar company owned by one of the richest men in Japan has been embroiled in an ongoing workers’ right claim for years. In a nutshell: 2,000 Indonesian who worked in two Jaba Garmindo factories making clothes for UNIQLO are claiming $5.5 million in severance pay. UNIQLO was a major buyer of the factories and, when they began to be investigated for labor rights abuses, it stopped placing orders. UNIQLO’s exit led to Jaba Garmindo’s collapse into bankruptcy and 2,000 workers suffering the consequences. The worst part? The company continues to deny its responsibility, but this has had no negative impact on its profits.[17]
In other news, Fast Retailing has been publishing a list of core sewing partner factories and core fabric mills. By March 2022, the company plans to publish a list of all sewing partner factories it has ongoing dealings with. The Group is also focused on expanding its investment in social contribution activities (up to JPY 10 billion by 2025) and accelerating diversity and inclusion.[18] In June 2019, Uniqlo signed a partnership with UN Women “to create an enabling environment for all women in our business.” It seems that women of Jaba Garmindo are out of their definition of “women in our business”… [19]
Final Thoughts
Although UNIQLO’s website is sparse, Fast Retailing’s one is more helpful. The Group is trying to improve its environmental and social impact and the Fiscal 2030 Sustainability Targets and Action Plan is a good example of that, especially because it has been approved as Science-Based Targets by the SBT initiative (SBTi).[20] However, the extent of the information provided both in UNIQLO’s and Fast Retailing’s websites, and the vocabulary used are extremely vague. It is not difficult to come across phrases such as “we are promoting initiatives…”, “approximately” or “we are making efforts…”. At this point, “approximately” is just not good enough. Is the Group taking these issues with the seriousness it deserves? Are we being greenwashed?
UNIQLO is not a typical fast-fashion brand because it doesn’t produce disposable clothing that goes out of style in a heartbeat. In fact, the simplicity and quality of its garments makes them wearable for years. Still, it mass produces them and uses cheap labor while violating local labor laws.
Bottom line: If there is one thing we are sure about that is that, before we can say UNIQLO is an ethical company, it must take responsibility for the people in its supply chain, and that includes the 2,000 Jaba Garmindo workers.
Did you enjoy this article? What are your thoughts on UNIQLO after reading it? Let us know in the comments below!
