The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| Zara owner promises ‘Zero Discharge’ after damning Greenpeace report Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:26 AM PST  Zara owner Inditex has announced it will remove toxic substances from its clothing processes by 2020. – Copyright Zara.com The decision comes after the publication last week of a highly damaging report by the Greenpeace environmental group, "Toxic Threads – The Big Fashion Stitch-Up," which criticised the group's use of toxic chemicals. "In line with Inditex's long-term sustainability programme, Inditex recognises the urgent need for eliminating industrial releases of all hazardous chemicals," said Inditex in a statement released November 27 on the group's corporate site. The company has committed to a wholesale reduction in the use of chemicals like formaldehyde, arylamines, phenols (PCP, TeCP), cadmium, lead, chromium (VI), nickel, and allergenic dyes. Inditex has promised to release more details about its supply chain, publish an updated "Restricted Substances List," and audit processes by the end of April 2013 and every year after. The company has also vowed to end the use of APEOs (Alkylphenol ethoxylates), chemicals currently used in the garment manufacturing process, but which have been banned in Germany since 1998, and are described by scientists as "highly toxic to aquatic life." Inditex has committed to changing its business practices, but has called on the fashion industry as a whole to rally around the cause – "the 2020 goal also demands the collective action of industry, as well as engagement of regulators and other stakeholders. To this end, Inditex will work with other companies in the apparel sector and other brands it could sell, as well as material suppliers, the broader chemical industry, NGOs and other stakeholders to achieve this goal." Puma, Nike, and H&M quickly announced a 'joint roadmap' after the publication of the 'Toxic Threads' study and were joined by C&A and Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning, which both made individual 'Detox' commitments welcomed by the environmental group. Inditex is one of the largest clothes manufacturers in the world with global sales of €13.79 billion (RM54.50 billion) in 2012. The company's best-known store, Zara is present in 1,671 locations around the world. – AFP/Relaxnews |
| New study finds pro-ana websites are flourishing among teen girls Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:11 AM PST  'Thininspiration' websites often feature montages of images of slim women to encourage extreme dieting. – shutterstock.com A new report released yesterday also finds that one in five girls who have visited "thinspiration" sites are between the ages of six and 11. Dr Emma Bond at the University Campus Suffolk in the UK estimates that there are between 400 to 500 eating disorder sites, some of them claim 2,600 members, talking about 1,580 topics in different chat rooms across 15,000 posts. Pro-anorexia websites, also known as "pro-ana" sites, offer instructions, inspiration, and tips for an anorexic and/or bulimic lifestyle. Many sites feature "thinspiration," or photographs or video montages featuring slender or excessively thin models or celebrities. Others feature tips on dieting, with the recommended calorie intake of around 400 to 500 calories per day; hiding symptoms of anorexia and bulimia from friends and family; or finding an "anabuddy" for support and advice. "Eating disorders are not going away, if anything they are becoming more common," says Bond. "We need to alert people to the dangers of harmful content on the Internet." She adds: "Everyone needs to understand better the risks online and the harm that eating disorders can do to young people." – AFP/Relaxnews |
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