The European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, has visited Inditex’s head offices in Arteixo (Coruña, Spain), where he was joined by the company’s Executive Chairman, Pablo Isla, who told him about the key aspects of the Group’s sustainability policy, paying special attention to the circularity and innovation dimensions.
The Commissioner was also accompanied by the Vice-President of the regional government of Galicia, Francisco Conde López, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Hugo Morán Fernández, other dignitaries from the European Commission and the Galician authorities and MEPs.
The delegation visited a number of areas, including the design section and the pilot stores, where the Commissioner expressed a keen interest in learning about all sustainability-related aspects, seeing for himself how they are embedded into each stage in the creation of a garment, from fabric selection to its how it is made and finished. Thanks to the various Inditex team members, the guests were able to familiarise themselves with all the practices Inditex is championing in its role as transformational force in the industry.
They also observed how the entire organisation is focused on trying to close the loop for each product through reuse and/or recycling, making the most of all component parts. More specifically, the dignitaries verified the innovation investment thrust underpinning Inditex’s effort to develop new fibres and recycling techniques to create circular solutions fit for large-scale rollout.
They went on to tour the pattern-making area, where the creative and pattern designers work daily to maximise the quality of each garment.
Lastly, they had the chance to learn about the latest developments in the Group’s Join Life label which distinguishes best sustainability practices in the apparel industry. Join Life garments currently account for over 35% of all the garments the company’s puts on sale.
