Primark reveals its first sustainability report

Fashion retailer Primark, has revealed almost half (45%) of its clothing is now made of recycled or more sustainably sourced materials, up from 25 percent at the launch of its sustainability strategy last September.

The information was made public as part of Primark’s first-ever sustainability report, which is owned by Associated British Foods.

In addition to outlining the company’s progress toward its Primark Cares goals, Primark’s first Sustainability and Ethics Progress Report also describes the company’s broader social impact and environmental sustainability initiatives throughout its products, shops, and extended supply chain. Primark has been able to make more rapid progress on its goals thanks to its increased focus and investment in new teams and talents across the whole organization.

Primark continued by saying that despite pressure from rising living costs, it is still committed to achieving its goal of making more sustainable clothes accessible to everybody. One year after the company’s sustainability initiative, Primark Cares, was introduced, 45% of all the clothing it sold had the Primark Cares label, which denotes apparel made from recycled or other environmentally friendly materials.

Lynne Walker, director of Primark Cares, said that over the past year, they’ve focused on laying the groundwork for their sustainability strategy, Primark Cares. Much of their focus has been on getting themselves set up in the correct way to meet the commitments they’ve made, which is why pilots and processes have been as vital as the success they’ve produced over this first year.

Walker added that a year ago, they committed to rethinking how they conduct business in order to transform the way they create and source their clothing. They intentionally set ambitious goals that extend to 2030 in order to create focus. In order to support their change, they’ve spent the past year expanding and investing in their specialist teams, working creatively both inside their own company and with suppliers and partners. Even while it has occasionally seemed difficult and they are aware that they have only just begun, after a year, they are more determined than ever to make more sustainable fashion accessible to everyone.