Nearly half of of women’s clothes for sale on some of the leading online websites are made entirely from new plastics, according to a study.
The research by the charity the Royal Society for the Arts (RSA) looked at 10,000 items being sold by Boohoo, Prettylittlething, Missguided and Asos.
It found on average 49% were made of polyester, acrylic, nylon and elastane.
The RSA said the numbers varied by outlet with Asos using comparatively less new plastic than the others.
The study found that 60% of Boohoo’s women’s clothing and 57% of Boohoo-owned Prettylittlething’s were made entirely from new plastics.
Missguided had 42% of its items made entirely from new plastics and Asos 36%.
The RSA also said that the study found that on average, just 3% of clothes which contained any plastics used recycled plastics – “although this rises to 6% among items from Asos”.
Missguided’s head of sourcing and product technology Paul Smith said the company was “proud of the progress it had made” and that all its own brand products were packaged and despatched in 100% recycled plastic. However, it added: “We agree there’s more to do.”
