Primark in throes of shift towards sustainability

For a multinational retailer with hundreds of thousands of suppliers and millions of customers, the demands of being sustainable while decarbonising and protecting nature are immense.

To do so in the fashion sector, which produces about 10 per cent of annual global carbon emissions, is even more arduous, especially when fast fashion (trendy but cheap, dispose after a few wears) was the easier course.

Primark, known as Penneys here, is in the throes that shift, seeking to embrace genuine sustainability. Given its size, cutting emissions is a huge task for starters as it attempts to cut its direct emissions, and indirect emissions due its activities but occurring from sources not owned or controlled by it – a vast amount of suppliers; notably cotton farmers.

Director of Primark Cares Lynne Walker is leading implementation of the retailer’s sustainability strategy started in September 2021. Much of the work is channelled through teams ranging from design to ethics.

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It also attempts to reduce fashion waste, protect nature and improve the lives of those who make Primark clothes. She admits they alone cannot achieve such ambitions, and working with others across the entire fashion industry is vital.

Walker is attempting to embed the strategy across every department. Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Penneys brand, there’s about 65 people now in its Dublin head office with some form of sustainability in their role.

A key aspect is working with the global head of environmental sustainability Nick Farrar. “We manage everything from climate to circularity, to biodiversity, chemistry, water ...” he says.

With about 25 people globally, they are in effect the technical centre of excellence for environmental sustainability. That means “helping to provide guidance to Lynne’s team and beyond”.

The point of Primark Cares, she says, is “defining publicly what we need to do and what we need to change as a business”.

Their sustainability and ethics reports issued last November show the first year was mainly foundational; building capability and becoming solution-focused. “There is a lot of work still to do and we know that.” – 45 per cent of their garments now have the Primark Cares logo or label on it.

In moving to a circular system, it’s “about thinking about what are our clothes made from ... how do we make a garment circular. So how do we think about design of garments from the very beginning, right through to what it’s made out of, and then how do we ultimately recycle it,” she says.

Crucially, it’s about moving away from single-use “virgin fibres”. This is where its Sustainable Cotton Programme comes in. Some 252,000 farmers have been trained in this approach, which is due to reach 275,000 by year end as it moves beyond Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan to Turkey.

Having spent years in fashion, she was humbled to see that programme operating in India earlier this year. Primark is “a high cotton business” – 40 per cent of its garments have cotton.

As materials are the foundation of products; “how we source it, how it’s manufactured, how it’s processed”, is core, Farrar says. How they then engage with the supply base and supply chain becomes important. The bulk of Primark’s carbon footprint is within that space. It aims to halve emissions by 2030 and transition to renewable energy.

The overall impact of the fashion industry is a factor, he says, “so a big focus of ours is around, better sourcing practices”, recognising the old linear model needs to shift into a more circular model, “and really looking at different ways of operating as businesses and industry to really help close that loop”.

Producing sustainable fibres, Walker says, means less water usage, more natural pesticides and less chemical fertilisers while moving towards regenerative agriculture. With other fibres, developing recycled polyester is key.

Its first circular product collection comprises 35 pieces designed to be worn for longer and to reduce fashion waste. Clothes are made from at least 95 per cent cotton from the sustainable programme. The other 5 per cent is trims, embellishments or buttons which, where possible, are designed to be removable or recyclable.

Customers can drop “pre-loved clothing” off at their local textile donation point, currently available in many stores. In tandem with this it has opened free clothing repair workshops in many stores. The initiative was prompted by a UK consumer asking for a space in her local Primark store, as she believed the lost art of repair had gone. It has a social media following of 22 million people.

“People aren’t educated in schools anymore around repair and upcycling,” Walker adds, highlighting value in a garment irrelevant of price you’ve paid for it.

“More sustainable fashion should be affordable for all and you should be able to trust that the clothes you are buying meet a certain standard and can go the distance,” she says. That’s why Primark wants to see a durability standard applied across the fashion industry.

“We want to understand more about the behaviours and attitudes which impact how we all wear and care for our clothes. Many clothes that are discarded may still have plenty of wear left in them and that’s why we want to help people learn new repair skills to be able to sew, fix a button or even customise a piece of clothing and give it a new lease of life.”

On comparisons with competitors she would rather concentrate on partnerships and good impact. How they differ, however, she suggests is on recyclability and durability; “looking at how do we make our garments last longer. What manufacturing steps do we need to make or change to make that garment more robust”.

Primark has developed a new enhanced durability wash standard using a framework based on the WRAP Clothing Longevity Protocol. Starting with denim, so far 60 per cent of products tested have passed this standard, passing the 30-wash mark.

They are showing progress on carbon, waste and biodiversity, Farrar says. Working with Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, other stakeholders and companies, improved measurement of biodiversity, soil and water impacts.

Their carbon footprint for the year was up 2.6 per cent but there was a 22 per cent cut in its direct emissions, achieved with projects such as scaling, LED use and energy efficiency in retail operations and factories. Supply chain is still the bulk of it. “We know that the work we need to do will take multiple years to really drive the impact we need,” he says.

While they don’t own the supply chain they have been in partnerships for up to 30 years which helps develop pilot trials demonstrating to suppliers why they need to come on this journey.

Its waste reduction initiatives are concentrated on packaging and its yearly use of 600 million hangers –”the plastic straw of the fashion industry”. Where possible, they are aiming to move to 100 per cent recycled materials for all hangers.

Primark’s size is a real positive in terms of prompting change, so Walker would challenge those who say they are simply “a volume retailer”. She cites the benefits of their 10-year sustainable cotton programme and “clean by design” gains in factories.

Primark has always emphasised “affordable for everyone” especially with “core basics”; black socks, hoodies, white t shirts.

“How we demonstrate progress and commitment is making sure we can offer them as more sustainable choices... while keeping them really affordable,” she says, while also helping customers change behaviours.

Credibility

Emissions are independently verified by the Carbon Trust. Combined with working with the right organisations on the ground, “it gives the work that we do and the progress we make an element of a credibility,” Farrar says.

“You have to demonstrate progress,” Walker adds. Their sustainability report “is a good demonstration of all of the steps we’ve taken; you have to keep that honest narrative and be as transparent as possible...In the past, maybe the fashion industry haven’t been as transparent.”

On greenwashing risk, Primark’s head of sustainability communications Sarah Whittaker notes much discussion about “green hushing and organisations being shamed into not talking about what they’re doing. We’re trying to find that balance because we believe we’re doing the right thing and we know [we have a] huge amount of work to do.”

Accordingly, communications to customers and stakeholders have rigour behind them, she says, “we are giving them the right information, but not overclaiming on it.”

Worker rights are part of ethical programmes, reinforced by a strong audit framework, Walker says. Suppliers must comply to work with Primark – “if we find any breaches, our buying teams will not be able to place orders until the issue is resolved.”

In some countries worker rights have been an issue generally. Walker stresses their code of conduct applies to all countries. Primark recognises freedom of association, and supports a living wage and proper workplace conditions. This is backed programmes in upskilling, business development, well-being enhancement including women’s health.

While Primark does not own the supply chain it has responsibilities as it includes up to 750,000 workers, she says, Issues arise inevitably but long-term relationships with local organisations usually help find resolutions.

On improving the standard of living for suppliers/workers, Farrar says there is “very good stories of success around increased income” for cotton farmers.

Women farmers have set up other businesses, including providing solar PV for their village using cotton profits – an indication that progressing their development and upskilling usually benefits income. Primark is currently looking at how best to measure social impact.

“You’ve got to be really credible, really honest. But you also need to persuade, help, support ... educate people as well about choices,” Walker believes.

Primark Cares puts them in a good position to move forward with pace, she says, but hopes progress can be made throughout the fashion world.

Farrar agrees: “We operate on a shared supply base, we shouldn’t be doing this alone. There is a need and a demand to collaborate and to think about how we push this at scale.”