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In a new investigation, Greenpeace has investigated indoor air in stores selling clothing and outdoor equipment containing per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). In European flagship stores of the brands Mammut, The North Face, Norrona and Haglöfs, 20 to 60 times higher PFC concentrations were measured compared to air in office and storage rooms. Compared
For outdoor air, the concentrations measured in specialist outdoor shops are about 1000 times higher. The volatile polyfluorinated telomere alcohols and acrylates found in the indoor air of outdoor stores can be degraded into perfluorocarboxylic acids of health concern such as PFHxA and PFOA in the environment or after absorption into the body. PFOA is a chemical with particularly dangerous properties. It is classified and regulated under REACH as a substance of very high concern (SVHC).

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People and the environment around the world repeatedly suffer from poisons that have their origins in the leather industry. Workers get sick, the environment gets polluted, and people living near tanneries feed on toxic water and food that enters the food chain through polluted soils and rivers. And even with those who buy the leather shoes at the end, toxic residues can cause skin diseases.
This leaflet gives an insight into leather production, especially the tanning process and its consequences for humans and the environment. The focus is on chrome tanning, as the majority of leather today is tanned with chrome.

Editorial team: Bullerdieck, Lena

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A Levi Strauss & Co. study, initiated in 2013, looked at three products: a pair of Levi’s® 501® jeans, a pair of Levi’s® Women’s jeans, and a pair of Dockers® Signature Khakis. This latest study benefitsed from the latest advancements in life cycle assessment scientific methods, tools and data collection processes and gives greater insight into the two biggest impact areas (cotton cultivation and consumer care) by expanding the scope of data collected.

This presentation dives deeply into the findings related to a pair of Levi’s® 501® medium stone wash jeans. The goal is that these findings will help LS&Co. and others in the apparel sector take more effective and holistic approaches to our industry’s environmental impact.

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Growing Hemp for the Future: A Global Fiber Guide looks at the production of fiber hemp around the world, identifying its benefits and concerns, providing recommendations to guide fiber hemp programs toward a resilient future.

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Scientific research shows that plastics dominate the waste finds in oceans and inland waters. In addition to large-scale waste such as plastic bottles or bags, microparticles made of plastics are also detected in the water body, in sediments and on beaches of the world's oceans. 663 species are known to be affected by negative impacts from marine and coastal litter. More than half of them absorb or become entangled in plastic waste. Microparticles smaller than five millimeters, as well as larger plastic parts, can cause mechanical injuries to the digestive tract, hinder digestion and block food intake. In addition, its components can be toxic or have a hormonal effect. As a result, there is a risk of contaminants accumulating in the food chain. In addition, plastic microparticles can serve as a means of transport to which pollutants, invasive species and pathogens accumulate. Based on these alarming findings, the Federal Environment Agency commissioned a study to determine the use levels of plastic microparticles in cosmetic products used in Germany and the European Union in a first approximation, to research further areas of application, to identify their use levels and to identify further sources of plastic microparticles and to estimate their amount. Based on comprehensive literature analyses and telephone interviews, the nova Institute has collected corresponding data. A distinction was made between primary microparticles and secondary plastic microparticles. [...]. The decomposition of plastic waste is the most important source for the formation of microparticles. Scientific estimates suggest that about six to ten percent of the world's plastic production finds its way into the world's oceans. Since Germany has a comparatively well-developed waste management system, it can be assumed that less plastic waste enters the environment, but reliable information on this is not available. Other secondary sources of plastic microparticles that have been neglected so far and are important due to the high input volumes are man-made fibres that are washed out of clothing and other textiles, tyre abrasion in road traffic and the loss of granules in the production and further processing of plastics.

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