The German sporting goods manufacturer Adidas is accused of contributing to the exploitation of workers and the destruction of the Amazon through the production of its sports shoes.
The leather in the ‘Gazelle’ and ‘Spezial’ sneakers is said to come from Brazilian meat producers involved in Amazon deforestation, reports Follow the Money, a Dutch platform for investigative journalism. Employees there are also said to be working under unethical conditions.
Adidas denied these allegations when contacted by FashionUnited. “Adidas has set binding standards for all suppliers worldwide for the procurement of raw materials for leather products with regard to animal and environmental protection,” said a spokesman. He also explained that the company has been a member of the Leather Working Group (LGW) since 2006, a non-profit organization that defines standards for the environmentally friendly production of leather at all processing stages and sets standards for the traceability of raw materials. “Currently, more than 99 percent of our leather volume is inspected according to the LWG protocol, and most of our hides come from tanneries with the highest LWG rating, LWG Gold.”
Adidas carries out regular checks. If unethical practices occur, they will be addressed, the company said. “Adidas is committed to fair labor practices, fair wages and safe working conditions across its global supply chain. A team of around 50 experts worldwide works every day to ensure the application and compliance with our work standards. By 2022, Adidas has carried out more than 1,200 factory audits on suppliers. In the event that our standards are violated, we have a sanction mechanism that can lead to the termination of the business relationship.” In addition to leather, the brand also uses polyester and cotton for its sports shoes, the production of which is almost entirely outsourced to factories far away. Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Turkey and Pakistan are among the producing countries.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.nl. Translated and edited by Heide Halama.