Marks & Spencer will source 100 per cent of its cotton from sustainable sources by 2019. The British department store now procures 77 per cent of its cotton from Better Cotton Initiative, Fairtrade, organic or recycled origins. Marks & Spencer uses around 50,000 tons of cotton a year. It produces selvedge denim from BCI cotton, recycled thread, recycled zipper tape and biodegradable leather patches.
Marks & Spencer is upping the stakes for its cotton procurement by increasing the proportion of Fairtrade, organic and recycled origins to 25 per cent by 2025. The retailer also plans to boost its transparency by translating data about raw material sources to on product information that can help guide its customers’ purchasing decisions.
At the same time, Marks & Spencer wants 100 per cent of its factories, such as those that make garments, to be on a sustainability ladder, with 50 per cent of its products achieving its highest Gold Standard. By 2025, every factory producing products for it will be systemically improving its environmental and ethical performance.
