Burberry to stop destroying unsold products

Luxury fashion company Burberry has announced that it will immediately end the controversial practice of destroying unsold products after fierce public criticism.

The firm said it would instead expand efforts to reuse, repair, donate and recycle goods under its five-year responsibility agenda, and would also stop using real fur in its products.

Using fur has so far been restricted to rabbit, fox, mink and Asiatic raccoon, with these now being banned, along with Angora.

“Modern luxury means being socially and environmentally responsible,” Burberry CEO, Marco Gobbetti, said. “This belief is core to us at Burberry and key to our long-term success.”

The company’s decision to stop destroying unused products is part its five-year responsibility agenda, which includes becoming carbon neutral by 2022 and positively impacting one million people.

Burberry is now more than a third way through its carbon neutrality goal for its own operations, and is in the process of helping its supply chain partners cut their water and energy consumption.

In 2017/18 the firm also managed to procure 21% of its cotton through the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) to minimise environmental damage, and has a 100% target for 2022.

In addition, the company has partnered with Oxfam in Italy to support community cohesion, and in Afghanistan to develop a more inclusive and sustainable cashmere industry.

Moreover, Burberry is now a core partner of the Make Fashion Circular Initiative convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to phase out the negative impacts of the fashion and textile industry on the environment.

“We are passionate about driving positive change,” the firm said. “Our responsibility goals cover the entire footprint of our operations and extend to the communities around us.

“We continue to invest in communities, from supporting young people in disadvantaged areas of London and Yorkshire, to developing a more inclusive and sustainable cashmere industry in Afghanistan.

“These efforts have been recognised by Burberry’s inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the third consecutive year.”

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