LPP joins the appeal of the coalition of companies and NGOs

LPP, as the only Polish company, joined the appeal for speeding up sustainable development in the global fashion sector by signing an open letter addressed to the apparel and textile industry circles. The initiative has gained support among leading representatives of the fashion market and respected associations and NGOs working for sustainable production.

The pandemic has affected the entire apparel sector, supply chains or markets without exception. The time of recovering from this crisis poses a number of challenges for the industry, but it is also an opportunity to recover in the spirit of sustainable development, as highlighted by the signatories of the open letter. Apart from LPP, the signatories include such companies as Bon Ton Toys, Burberry, H&M Group, Primark, PVH, Tchibo, Teemill and international organisations working for sustainable fashion: Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Zero Discharge Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC), Alliance for Water Stewardship’s Standard and CDP.

With this joint initiative, the signatories have addressed a number of key messages to the rest of the sector for positive change in the industry. One of them is to maintain the current assumptions of sustainable development during the period of recovery from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. LPP is particularly in favour of it, as it has been consistently implementing the model of sustainable development in its activities for years.

“Fashion is not only what we see with the naked eye, but a complex process which unfortunately involves a great deal of social and environmental challenges. In LPP, we believe that without tackling them, the fashion world as we know it can no longer exist. Despite the financial and economic difficulties, or perhaps precisely for that reason, because they also show the weaknesses of the model in which we operate, we believe that changes towards sustainability are necessary and should continue with the same or increased efforts. We are acting together, because only in this way will we achieve an effect commensurate with our influence, that is, a global one” – says Anna Miazga, Sustainability Expert LPP.

The signatories of the letter emphasise the need to transform the business models of the remaining players in the clothing market into circular economy, with particular emphasis on implementing comprehensive water management strategies. They wish to create a friendly environment for the introduction of systemic changes supporting sustainable business by the authorities. They also encourage closer cooperation with suppliers, bearing in mind the welfare of their employees, and transparency in the activities of the entities forming the supply chain. They also call on their partners to apply the guidelines of the WASH programme in order to ensure access to running water, which, as the coronavirus pandemic shows, today has a key impact on sanitary safety and, consequently, on the epidemiological situation.

LPP among the signatories of the letter is a fact that confirms the high importance of sustainable development plans for the Polish clothing manufacturer, which already determine further development of the company. In September last year, the company joined New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and made a commitment that by 2025 it will only be using plastic packaging that meets one of the following criteria: 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable. The recent launch of the ZDHC, in turn, enables the company to implement best practice in sustainable chemical safety throughout the supply chain. The involvement of LPP in both agreements and the creation of the open letter, through joint action by many actors, are expected to exert a measurable impact on the sustainability of the sector, as only by developing with respect for the environment and society will global fashion be able to respond to future challenges effectively.

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LPP SA is a Polish family business and one of the fastest growing clothing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. For over 25 years it has been successfully operating in Poland and abroad, offering its collection already on 25 markets, including in such prestigious capitals as London, Berlin, Tel Aviv or Moscow. LPP SA manages five fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay. The company has a chain of over 1700 stores with the total area of over 1 million sq.m. The online offer of the brands collections is available on 31 markets. On the basis of a global supply chain, the Polish clothing producer distributes over 265 million pieces of clothing to three continents. LPP plays another important role as it employs over 24 thousand people in its offices and sales structures in Poland, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the WIG20 index and belongs to the prestigious MSCI Poland index.