The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned advertisements from Calvin Klein, Adidas, and Uniqlo for making misleading claims about the recycled content of their clothing. The watchdog found that all three retailers used the term “recycled” to describe their fabric or product composition but failed to provide any information explaining the claim.
Details of the ASA Rulings
Adidas argued that consumers would interpret its ad for “recycled running shoes” as meaning the shoes contained materials derived from recycled sources. However, the company admitted it did not operate a standalone recycled running shoe range, but said certain products across collections might incorporate recycled materials. The ASA found this insufficient to support the claim.
Calvin Klein stated it “would not be reasonable” for consumers to interpret its ad for “responsibly sourced collections – recycled, organic & more” as meaning that all products in the women’s tops range contained recycled, organic, or other “environmentally preferred” materials. The ASA disagreed, ruling the ad misleading.
Uniqlo said its ad for women’s fleece coats and jackets mentioning “recycled materials” was intended to mean that the polyester content was recycled. It claimed the term did not suggest every component, such as metal zips or labels, was recycled, but only the textile materials making up the main body, lining, and trim. The ASA found this explanation insufficient to prevent consumer confusion.
Evidence and Impact
The ASA said the ads gave the impression that the products were made entirely from recycled materials, but none of the three fashion giants could provide evidence to support that. The watchdog ordered the brands to withdraw the ads immediately.
These rulings are part of a broader ASA project investigating environmental claims in the retail fashion sector. They follow a similar ban in December on ads by Lacoste, Nike, and Superdry for misleading environmental claims.
Official Statement
Miles Lockwood, director of complaints and investigations at the ASA, said: “It’s important that people can trust the environmental claims they see in ads. When absolute terms like ‘recycled’ are used, the basis of those claims should be clearly explained and properly supported by evidence. Without that, there’s a risk that people could be misled. We’ll be continuing to monitor ads making green claims, taking action where we do see ads breaking the rules, whilst also supporting advertisers with advice and guidance to help them get it right.”
