Gap Inc. Announces 100% Sustainable Cotton Goal
June 06 2019 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Gap Inc. is working with supply chain partners
to source all cotton for its family of brands from sustainable
sources by 2025
Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) announced today that it will derive
100% of its cotton from more sustainable sources by 2025.
Cotton’s strong fibers are used in a significant portion of
products across Gap Inc. brands, and its cultivation spurs economic
opportunity by supporting livelihoods in many communities. However,
much of the world’s cotton is grown in areas where people have
difficulty accessing clean water due to pollution and droughts – a
situation further exacerbated by climate change. By sourcing
sustainably farmed and sourced cotton, the company is supporting
farmers who use water efficiently through better irrigation
practices.
“We’re proud to support innovations that protect natural
resources and foster cleaner, safer communities for
families around the world,” said Keith White, Gap Inc.’s Executive
Vice President of Global Sustainability. “Sourcing cotton in a way
that reduces water use and damage to the climate is about creating
a healthy environment for our children and future generations.”
For most people, cotton is a part of their daily lives, from the
bed linens they sleep on, to the pants and jackets they wear. Yet,
cotton is one of the most water-intensive crops grown. Currently, a
single pair of jeans uses an average of 1,600 gallons of water
throughout its full life cycle1, 64% of which is used to grow
cotton.
Gap Inc.’s commitment to sustainability includes
sourcing Better Cotton
Initiative (BCI) cotton, and cotton that
is organic, recycled, and verified American or Australian
grown.
Gap Inc. began sourcing Better Cotton in 2016. BCI is
a long-term multi-stakeholder initiative that develops and promotes
good farm practices, allowing more cotton to be grown while
reducing water and chemical use and protecting both working
conditions and biodiversity. In
BCI’s latest global ranking of top companies
who source sustainably grown BCI cotton by volume, Gap Inc. ranked
#4. Gap Inc. also has a manufacturing goal to conserve a total of
10 billion liters of water by the end of 2020; those water savings
would be the equivalent volume of the daily drinking water needed
for 5 billion people.
Today's announcement builds on commitments already established
by several Gap Inc. brands. In fact, by 2021, Gap
brand is committed to sourcing 100% of its cotton from more
sustainable sources. Old Navy will also increase its sourcing of
sustainable cotton to 100% by 2022, and Banana Republic will source
100% of its cotton from more sustainable sources by 2023. In May,
Gap Inc. CEO Art Peck announced that Old Navy, Gap, and Banana
Republic are launching denim with 5% post-consumer
mechanically-recycled cotton content.
Gap Inc. has long recognized the human and environmental threat
of climate change, and this sustainable cotton goal is one way the
company is addressing the issue. The company has been evolving its
sustainability program since the early 1990s, when it developed
labor standards for garment manufacturers in its supply chain.
Athleta, Gap Inc.'s fastest growing brand, earned B Corp
Certification last year in recognition of its exceptional
commitment to protecting the planet, while empowering women and
girls to reach their limitless potential. Athleta is now one of the
largest apparel brands in the world to certify as
a Certified B Corporation. Hill City, the company’s newest
menswear lifestyle brand, also launched as a B Corp brand by
integrating sustainability throughout its business. Additionally,
in December 2018, Gap Inc. was one of 43 founding signatories of
the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.
For more information about how Gap Inc. is working to be a
responsible leader in the industry and how the company's brands are
shaping the way forward, please
visit https://www.gapincsustainability.com/.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer offering clothing,
accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and
children under the Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta,
Intermix, Janie and Jack, and Hill City brands. Fiscal year 2018
net sales were $16.6 billion. Gap Inc. products are available for
purchase in more than 90 countries worldwide through
company-operated stores, franchise stores, and e-commerce sites.
For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.
1. Gap Inc. Life Cycle Assessment Study conducted
internally in 2016
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190606005196/en/
Media Relations Contact:Mark Daniel SnyderCommunications
Managerpress@gap.com
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