Brrrr – it just got cold. If you’re not sure how to make it through to the Spring, try Icebreaker. This is a new brand from New Zealand that specialises in thermal underwear made from the wool from merino sheep. Apparently, when it’s warm it keeps you cool, and when it’s cold outside it keeps you toasty. Even better, the wool isn’t scratchy and is smell-resistant. Last but not least, according to Icebreaker, their products are made according to “ethical” principles and processes, for people and planet. Let’s take a closer look…

With every purchase from Icebreaker, there comes a little book. On the first page, you get some rather lovely images of the New Zealand landscape, and some close-ups of those famous merino sheep. Pretty handsome beasts, by all accounts. And it takes you through the basics on merino wool: its renewable (thanks to the sheep) and biodegradable (i.e., compostable). For Icebreaker, this is the formula that makes their hosiery sustainable. But that’s not quite the whole picture. Because processing merino wool requires a whole lot of chemicals. Experts from Made-By have put the fibers in the lowest category for environmental performance.

The Icebreaker website fills plenty of space on how ethical their production processes are. Using a code on your specific product, you can also look up the exact “ethical farm” that your wool came from – and check out a load of great photos.

“It’s about our relationship to nature, and to each other,” they say. Grammatical points aside, there’s just too little in the way of concrete information to support those lovely images. For example, the company doesn’t publish a carbon footprint, there’s no clear policy on the use of chemicals, and no good standards of control on the labor conditions for their factories in Asia. So as far as we’re concerned, this is a whole lot of bleating, for what’s really, just so many thick wooly panties.

Icebreaker has only earned 2 points out of 16 on our rankings.

Let’s hope it can do better in the future. Here is some free advice from Rank a Brand:

• Provide an overview of the whole production chain (not only those photogenic farms)
• Make it clear which labour conditions are acceptable in the factories in asia (publish a Supplier Code of conduct, show how it are enforced, and which factories and other stakeholders are involved). Right now, Icebreaker scores 0 out of 8 in this category.
• Show us what “ethical standards” actually means when it comes to producing wool (0 out of 3 at the moment).
• Reveal which part of the production process complies with which standards for the use of chemicals (now, 0 out of 1 point).
• Publish a carbon footprint for the entire company, and set concrete targets for reducing it (now, 2 out of 4).
• Sign up to a third-party initiaitive, such as Made by or Fair Wear Foundation – so that we can see some independent verification of what’s being reported.

Banana farming tends to be pretty harmful, both environmentally and socially. Which is why we decided to launch a ranking for tropical fruit brands last year. And we were pleased to see that the Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance banana is gaining ground – after all, these labels protects both environmental and labor standards. Nowadays, you don’t even have to trek to the organic market or eco specialist to find them. In the UK, The Coop has been selling Fairtrade bananas for ten years – and Wal-Mart in the States has expanded its Fairtrade banana offering in recent years. In the Netherlands, Coop, Plus and Spar ONLY sell certified bananas.

And what’s the easiest way to spot a Fairtrade banana? Or an organic one? They’re the ones packaged in ‘compostable’ bioplastic. Sure comes in handy when you’re trying to pick out those ‘good’ bananas in a hurry, but is it actually better for the environment?

What do we mean by bioplastic?
Most of the compostable plastic used to wrap up our Fairtrade bananas is made from renewable raw materials, such as the starch from maize (= food). Compared to conventional plastics, bioplastics take about 20% less energy to produce (and release about 20% fewer carbon emissions, too). And in the EU, there’s even a certification system to guarantee that the material will break down naturally within three months: just look for the seedling logo. The advantage is that this plastic will not blow around our streets, get snagged in trees, gather on beaches and feed the plastic soup building up in our oceans.

Pros and Cons
There are several people raising awkward questions about bioplastics – including Greenpeace, which is unhappy at the amount of genetically modified maize being used as a raw material. Plus, allowing the compostable varieties to break down in landfill sites may release CO2 – and other greenhouse gases, like methane (which has a much more powerful greenhouse effect than CO2). If this is indeed the case, incinerating the plastic would actually be better than sending it to landfill, as it produces energy. Yes, it would still release CO2, but that counts for burning petroleum-based plastic as well.

Do we even need it anyway?
But not all bioplastics are compostable. And there are loads of things that are pretty difficult to transport and sell without packaging. So fair enough – wrap it up in bioplastics. It’s got to be better than using up our oil reserves. But bananas? Don’t they kind of have packaging built in? Why then, do so many Fairtrade bananas come in plastic packaging? We asked at a couple of supermarkets why they package their bananas, but they’re keeping us waiting for an answer.

Bioplastics yes, banana packaging no.
At Rank a Brand, when it comes to tropical products, we give points to brands that have set clear targets for reducing the weight of their packaging. Plus, so far, we have also seen an increased use of bioplastics as a responsible move. But is it actually? We’re now thinking about changing our criteria for bananas, based on the assumption that they don’t actually need to be wrapped in plastic – whether or not it is made from plants.

Is this assumption fair? Or is there a good reason to pop each Fairtrade bunch in a plastic bag? If you know the reason, let us know below – or send us a tweet to @rankabrand_org.

For more information about bioplastics in general, check out this excellent blog post from Green Living Online.

Amsterdam Fashion Week takes place from January 25-29, and fashionistas are scrambling for the last tickets to the hottest shows. But there’s one show that’s grabbing attention among ethical-fashion watchers: it’s the Green Fashion Competition, which aims to spot talented entrepreneurs who are trying to build up a fashion house while safeguarding global biodiversity. Eight finalists have already been chosen, and during Amsterdam Fashion Week, they will each get the chance to showcase three outfits on the catwalk.

Since we are focused primarily on researching large consumer brands (this is a tough choice we had to make out of capacity considerations), these responsible brands are not in our database. Yet we want to take this opportunity to put them in the spotlight – ultimately, it is these brands that perform well on sustainability issues. Lucky for you, all you need to do is head to their websites to snap up their wares.

Sustainable brands at Mint Fair, Modefabriek 2012

We’re pretty used to the fashion industry being scrutinised for its labor conditions – but we don’t often think of biodiversity when we’re picking out a new pair of jeans. According to the competition’s organisers, that needs to change. In its own words:

“Mankind’s consumption of raw materials and modern production techniques are having an extremely destructive effect on the world’s biodiversity. Examples of this are the unaccountable amounts of water wasted in many production techniques, the chemicals used in dyes and other treatments that pollute the environment, and the extent to which large scale agriculture (eg cotton fields) destroys habitats.”

How can a fashion house safeguard biodiversity?
The competition focuses on a range of biodiversity-sensitive issues, including the kinds of materials that the clothes are woven from, and the kinds of chemical processes involved. This rather neatly reflects the kinds of questions we use to make our own rankings  (we check brand’s policies and performances against a list of targeted questions – the more right answers, the higher up our rankings a brand can ascend).

An important proportion of the ecology questions in our rankings center on what are known as ‘preferred materials’. For example, regular cotton is out (cotton is the most chemically intensive fiber to produce) – but organic cotton is in. And it’s not all about being natural and organic – we’re also more than happy to see clothes made out of nylon, as long as it has been made from recycled plastic products, such as old water bottles and used tires. Check out the full list of preferred materials in our manual.

Great for the little guys – how are the bigger companies doing?
The competition’s tag-line is “Sewing the seeds for the future of fashion”, and it wants its winners to gain a permanent place within the industry. That’s why the cash prize also comes with coaching and networking opportunities. But it’s going to take some time before these small studios can revolutionize the industry. So shouldn’t the multi-million-dollar fashion houses that dominate the industry already be doing something? Well, some of them are. In our recent fashion report, we revealed an increase in the number of fashion brands with a policy for better chemical processes. The number of brands that use environmentally preferred materials has also clearly increased. But there’s still a long way to go. Only 2% of the fashion brands in our database score 4 out of 4 in this area. And a disappointing 86% of them don’t score any points at all.

For an overview of the Green Fashion Competition’s finalists, see the website.

During the annual Modefabriek this past weekend there was also plenty of attention for sustainable fashion at the Mint Fair. It was a bright spot in a RAI full of (pretty much unsustainable) commerce. Look at the website of the Modefabriek for more information about Min, as well as an overview of the sustainable fashion brands that were found here.

Companies are investing more and more in their CSR effors. That is the headline finding in a recent report by Dutch NGO MVOnederland, which reveals ten positive trends in the evolution of responsible business practices. Interestingly, it also seems that the business case for responsible and sustainable policies is getting stronger and stronger.

Here are three more trends from the report that we can be proud to be part of:

Trend # 1: companies are focusing more on CSR
From the report: “The focus on CSR continues to grow in companies of all sizes. The main reasons are rising customer demand, opportunities for cost-savings, the scarcity of raw materials, and PR concerns”

See! This is more evidence that pressure from consumers is grabbing brands’ attention. In fact, sustainability has been widely hailed as a “global mega-trend” (google “sustainability megatrend” and you get nearly 50,000 hits). With other trends, such as the scarcity of raw materials, adding to its momentum, “sustainability” looks far more likely to stick around – and to change the world!

So keep voting with your wallet, folks!

Trend #5 The Consumers want sustainability, but are getting more picky

From the report: “Customers are now fussy [when it comes to sustainability, and] meeting basic sustainability standards has become a minimum requirement… For sustainable marketing, this means companies need to offer clear and trustworthy information about the sustainability credentials of their products.”

This also implies that we’re getting more knowledgeable about what sustainability means – and better at spotting greenwashing. But let’s not pat ourselves on our back just yet. If companies are going to start presenting more information, we need to make sure we stay informed about sustainability debates to keep our greenwash alarm on a hair trigger.

Trend #7: Transparency: from compliance to innovation

From the report: “In addition to following guidelines, more attention is being paid to the different ways in which transparency can inform CSR issues. From bringing dilemmas into the open, to kick-starting dialogues between stakeholders, transparency is leading to innovation [in CSR].”

Transparency is usually associated with report-writing, and not with the actual ‘responsibility’ element of CSR. It’s an approach that emphasises compliance – to following, but not leading – but there is reason to think that it is changing. The MVO has seen that companies are now providing greater insight into the dilemmas they face and the way they make their choices. Companies are increasingly asking other parties to help make their toughest decisions. And it’s certainly no longer good enough to just brag about setting a few targets (which we certainly agree with).

The MVO report provides an interesting case study: ASN Bank is a Dutch bank that is committed to only investing in socially responsible concerns. In 2011, it published a concept version of its investments policy on various internet forums, and invited average joes to offer their feedback. And during the summer, it requested regular input from a range of stakeholders on various dilemmas it faced in the areas of child labour and arms trading.

As transparency increases, their ranking at Rank a Brand automatically increases: no information = zero points.

Click here if you want to see the full report – and can read Dutch. Sorry!

This week, the Dutch tourism industry gathered in Utrecht (Netherlands) for its annual trade fair – which included a green-themed ‘Changes in Tourism’ event. At the last fair, two years ago, you could just about see the beginnings of a shift toward greater sustainability in tourism. Progress takes time, so we were curious to see what kinds of new initiatives had been developed for tackling climate change, protecting the environment and improving labor conditions. After an (environmentally responsible) train ride to Utrecht, we were ready to find out. So what does responsible travel look like in 2012?

Focus on climate change
The words “carbon emissions” were mentioned everywhere, like a mantra. Especially with regards to transportation. Floris Fluitsma, representative of Sawadee, brought up an interesting case study during a workshop: “73% of the emissions from the average trip are released in actually getting to and from your destination, and a further 12% come from using local transportation to get out and about.” That means a full 85%, on average, of a trip’s total CO2 emissions come from transportation. Just the day before, Sawadee had received an industry award for its green initiative to give away reusable water bottles. It was also mentioned and praised many times during the trade fair for its sustainable activities. No wonder it’s at the top of our ranking for the sector.

“Do you know where these fjords are?” asked Fluitsma. “Well, the one on the right is from New Zealand. But the one on the left is Norway. So why go to the other side of the world to see this kind of landscape, when you can get a great view after a 2-hour flight from Amsterdam?” According to Fluitsma, holiday-making is now all about buying an “experience”. “It’s become a kind of competition of the ‘I’ve been to New Zealand.’ ‘Oh yeah? Well I’ve been to Antarctica’ variety. So it’s crucial to convince travellers that visiting near-by places can also be an incredible experience.”

No change when it comes to labor conditions
There were loads of initiatives to combat CO2 emissions on display at the Expo. Also under scrutiny were the effects of tourism on local communities. Part of the program included a discussion of eco-lodges in Kenya, which have been studied in-depth by the research organization CelTor. Their conclusion: that communities can indeed benefit from having these businesses on their doorsteps, but that the size of the benefits vary from huge, to barely noticeable, depending on the lodge.

Aside from this rather academic diversion, there was very little indication of any concrete plans to improve the labor conditions of the tourism industry. It would have been great to see some evidence of efforts to set a maximum working week for staff, to institute living wages, or to prevent child prostitution and child labor – a subject that was on everyone’s lips a few years ago. Does that mean the travel organizations and their local partners have fixed all the problems? Unlikely…

@ Dutch branch organization ANVR: We are putting these issues on the agenda for 2012. In February, we will release a new question list including new criteria for ranking travel organizations.

What’s your New Year’s resolution? To join a gym? Give up smoking? Maybe you’re worried you won’t last past the end of January… Well, here are a few ‘green’ resolutions that are easy to stick to, as our volunteer Alexandra explains:

“Most of us think that ‘going green’ has to be completely life-changing: that we’ll need to give up the car, stop flying, grow our own salads. Actually, there are plenty of really easy small changes to the way we shop that can make our lifestyle instantly greener. In fact, the only hard part is changing the way we think about shopping and consuming. But we all need to make the change soon: it’s not as if we have any time to waste…”

Alex’s easy green resolution # 1: help stop environmental damage

“A week or so ago, I was sitting in a café on an Amsterdam canal when a guy next to me ordered RedBeans coffee. I’d never heard of RedBeans, so, being the curious girl that I am, I checked them out. It turns out that each RedBean has been sustainably grown, is Fairtrade certified, and packaged in aluminum-free wrappings. Maybe we should call them ‘green’ beans…

“And they’re not the only ones. In fact, these days, it’s just so easy to choose greener tropical commodities, from cocoa, to coffee, to sugar, to bananas and pineapple. Look for the logos of the Rainforest Alliance, Utz, Fairtrade… While they may be more famous for fighting for fair wages, they’ve all got a strong focus on environmental sustainability, too. And they don’t cost as much extra as much as you might think. These certifications are the best guarantee that the food you stick in your body was grown sustainably and bought from the farmers at a fair price. Definitely worth the extra.

“So, I now sit on the same stool in the same café… But instead, I’m helping save the rainforest while I drink my RedBeans latté. In fact, this resolution entitles me to indulge more often… Easy!”

Alex’s easy green resolution # 2: help end unfair labor conditions

“While certification programs are boosting farmers’ wages, there has been plenty of hard work improving working conditions in other areas and sectors – especially the fashion sector. At Rank a brand, we sniff out brands’ policies on labour conditions – and look for reports on how they perform. For example, we check whether brands pay living wages. So all you and I need to do is check the Rank a brand scores of a few of our favorite brands, and simply shun the worst performers.

“Take Zara and Mango, as an example. They sell pretty similar clothes, for pretty similar prices, so why not make their labor conditions the ultimate factor in deciding where to shop? Having seen the scores – Zara scores 9 points, and Mango only 2 – I’ve made the not so difficult choice to shop at Zara. While I sacrifice nothing in price or style, the gain of the person on the opposite side of the world is tremendous. They actually get enough money to put food on their tables!”

Alex’s easy green resolution # 3: stop climate change

“This is possibly the hardest to do without making big sacrifices. So I’ve had a look for some easier ways to cut my share of our carbon emissions. The answer, buy local.

“No, not at farmers markets, which are always only ever on the third Sunday of the month, but only when it coincides with the full moon… Just go to the same old supermarkets, but check on to see where your potatoes or peppers were grown. The closer to home, the greener they are.

“In fact, whenever you’re in the supermarket, there are a few simple ‘rules’ that help you make the greener choice. If you’re choosing between two products, look for the one that:
•    Has a Fairtrade, MSC, Utz (etc) certification logo
•    Was grown closer to home
•    Is less processed
•    Has less packaging

For those of you looking for some more hardcore green tips, check out these blogs:

Worldwatch.org

Treehugger.org

The panda made me do it (WWF)

Sustainable Living Magazine

Let us know how you get on with these easy green resolutions – and tell us if you have any suggestions of your own!

Have a good & green 2012!

What happened?
In August 2011, popular fashion brand Zara was all over the news. It was being accused by the Brazilian Ministry of Labour of human rights violations. The complaints were caused by the poor working conditions in a sewing studio in Brazil, in which workers had to work for 14 hours a day in an unhealthy and unsafe working environment. This sewing studio was a subcontractor of Zara’s suppliers. According to the newspapers, the labour was forced, which made it a matter of slavery. It is one of the few known cases in which a company is being held responsible for the acts of its suppliers.

Two weeks after these shocking press releases, Inditex, brand owner of Zara, published an article that included new measures for its entire supply chain in Brazil. Partially based on these tightened policy, Inditex could reach an agreement with the Brazilian accusers in december 2011. The Brazilians agreed to accept compensation of 1.8 million dollars, instead of their original claim of 10,7 million dollars. The settlement was a result of the desire to avoid long judicial procedures.

Despite this, Zara scores relatively high?
In Rank a Brand’s ranking system, every brand is rated on its climate policy, environmental policy and labour conditions. All fashion brands are ‘asked’ 16 questions, 4 of which are focused on climate change, 4 on environmental policy and 8 on labour conditions. In short, this means that 50% of the questions relate to labour conditions.

Zara has a total score of 9/16, which is relatively high. This is mainly because they score 7/8 score on the labour conditions section.

Strange, you may think. If Rank a Brand sets all these criteria in the area of labour conditions, how is it possible for Zara to score relatively highly? What kind of ranking system is that?

First of all, our rankings are only based on information that is either on the brand’s website, or on the website of its owner (in this case, Inditex) – so our rankings are also de facto ratings on transparency. That’s why we don’t send out surveys or request additional information – all information on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should be available for all consumers. Only then they can make conscious choices.

But that doesn’t mean we just take the information on the websites at face value. That would only endorse and encourage greenwashing, a.k.a. telling fairy tale stores in order to create a better image to consumers and investors. Our 16 questions are critical, and closely targeted and look at current policies, concrete future goals and verified results.

How to avoid false information
An important aspect entails the verification of this information. Fortunately, on a global scale, many organizations strive for better working conditions. Several large initiatives are focused on implementing a code of conduct and controlling the adherence to this code of conduct. It would be impossible for Rank a Brand to rectify all this information ourselves, since this would include thousands of visits to factories and sewing studios. Therefore, we gratefully make use of the information provided by initiatives that are known to be trustworthy.

One of the accepted initiatives is called the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which is based on the code of conduct of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Inditex is a member of the ETI. At ETI, independent NGOs have a decisive voice within the initiative and are co-responsible for the integrity and credibility of ETI. As a result, we trust Inditex to adhere to the ETI code of conduct and we trust the verification of this code of conduct. Moreover, the NGOs create a solid base for solving the noted problems. Therefore, Zara has been rewarded this score.

This case also shows us that no verification system or certificate is flawless, or anywhere near perfect. We have blogged on similar issues before.  A hygienic and safe workplace, a maximum working week of 48 hrs with a maximum 12 hrs voluntary paid overtime, living wages and workers’ rights to form and join labour unions are still far from normal at the other side of the production process. Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives, (e.g. Ethical Trading Initiative) are extremely important in order to make a positive change. In addition, a conscious consumer, and initiatives that help the consumer, all play a role in creating a better future.

At the start of 2011, it was clear that our time had come: sustainability was dubbed a “mega trend” by those in the know. We’ve been delighted to see so many great ideas and initiatives coming from the brand-side this year – which leads us to conclude that many brands have set real, ‘sustainable’ ambitions to become more sustainable! So if 2011 was the year of big ambitions,  hopefully 2012 will be the year of concrete results.

Green ambitions
One of the most extraordinary stories came from Puma. In addition to publishing their regular financial data for the year, they published a statement of environmental profit and loss. The brand has basically invited the entire world to become its watchdog. Next year, we’ll be looking for proof that Puma is working to achieve its stated ambition of becoming the “most desired and sustainable brand.”

Puma are not the only ones to have set themselves this goal. H&M, an average performer in our ranking, wants to become a sustainbility frontrunner – despite fierce criticism of its policies. Kuyichi, which sets the standard in many ways in the denim & jeans sector, has also got some highly ambitious goals. But it came under fire this year for failing to show much progress.

Sustainability is not only setting the trend in the fashion industry. Facebook is making green promises, and has started working with Greenpeace on making investments in renewable energy. Coca Cola’s PlantBottle™ was another green initiative that attracted attention. But it also made our greenwashing alarm ring softly.

2011 in numbers
Let’s move on to the numbers. In December, we reported a 45% increase in transparency in the fashion sector, and Dutch supermarkets scored 40% better than in 2010. Furthermore, we added 105 brands to our database and four new sectors: Beer, Coffee&Tea, Tropical Fruit and Chocolate. But we removed political parties from our rankings, because we decided to focus on consumer goods.

Sustainable acts in 2012
Transparency is closely linked to sustainability, so we’re delighted to see the increases in transparency in various sectors. Now, we need to see some concrete improvements in sustainability itself. There have been many initiatives announced in the last year – in 2012, we’ll watching closely for updates. Plus, we’ll be exploring new sectors. Here’s a peek at our agenda:

• We’ll be reporting on the dynamic fashion industryat the end of the year in our annual Fashion Report.
• The Greenpeace-Facebook cooperation confirms the importance of digital sustainability, so we’ll be updating our website rankings.
• Coca Cola’s Plantbottle got us thinking about the issue of sustainability amongst sodas. In 2012 we will publish a soda ranking.
• Furthermore, we will be researching chips (crisps if you’re British) brands, the fastfood sector and the dairy sector.
• In early 2012, we will publish the ‘Naked Truth’ , an online ‘know-your-brand’ game.
• There is one particularly exciitng update that we’re keeping under wraps – all I can say is ‘watch the website’!

The online transparancy about CSR in the fashion industry has significantly increased in 2011 – as revealed in the Rank a Brand report ‘Feel Good Fashion’, which we published today.

Our research shows that fashion brands’ Rank a Brand scores have increased by 45% in 2011, compared to 2010. In particular, fashion brands are better at explaining their policies on labour conditions – one in two brands now publish this information online. And measures to reduce carbon emissions are described on one in four corporate websites.

Each year Rank a Brand publishes a detailed trend report on the fashion sector. In the new report, “Feel Good Fashion”, we have reviewed the rankings of over 400 fashion brands. We have looked specifically for the brands’ policies on environment, climate and labour conditions. More information can be found in our press release – or you can order the full report. For more details, follow this link or send an email to contact@rankabrand.com

Fashion brands are reporting more often, and in more detail, on their policies on the environment, climate change and labour conditions. For its new report “Feel Good Fashion”, Rank a Brand reviewed the scores of the 400 fashion brands in its database, and noted that they had increased by 45%, on average, between 2010 and 2011. In particular, the brands are better at reporting on their policies on labour conditions – this information is now provided by one in two fashion companies. Measures to reduce carbon emissions are described on one in four corporate websites.

We saw higher scores in almost all segments of the fashion industry. Remarkably, designer brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen are starting to explain their policies for people and planet better than in 2011.  Designer brands have traditionally scored much lower than the sector average. Another significant trend is that eight out of ten Scandanavian brands now have an online corporate social responsibility statement – above the sector average.

Rank a Brand founder Niels Oskam states: “Because the CSR policies and performances in the fashion sector are improving, brands are increasingly willing to be transparant. On their websites, they do this by publishing yearly CSR reports, or through the Made-By scorecards. We assess this information so that consumers can choose the most responsible brands.”

Niels is delighted with the increase in transparancy, but also warns that much remains to be done. “You often see high growth rates in new markets, when the possibilities are endless. In CSR, much more growth is still possible – up to the point where all brands show that their clothing is made under humane conditions and without damaging the environment or climate. We still have a long way to go before we reach that point.”

Click here to see more details about the report ‘Feel Good Fashion”.