***PRESS ADVISORY***
Breaking: In San Francisco, Millennials Draw Attention to Risk
in Abercrombie & Fitch Supply Chain
Activists bring colorful street protest to San Francisco flagship store Thursday afternoon; Launch dozens of direct communications at Abercrombie & Fitch stores around the country through the busy Memorial Day shopping weekend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Emma Rae Lierley, 425.281.1989, Emma@ran.org
When: Thursday, May 26th 2:00PM
Where: Abercrombie & Fitch Westfield Centre Store,
865 Market Street, Space #C24 & 140
San Francisco, CA 94103
What: Street theater demonstration
For Photos of the Protest: ran.org/abercrombie_action
Why: Young activists bring colorful street demonstration to Abercrombie & Fitch’s flagship San Francisco Market Street store Thursday afternoon, to launch dozens of direct communications at Abercrombie & Fitch stores around the country through the busy Memorial Day shopping weekend.
Amid controversy and years of attempted brand overhaul, these direct communications are being organized chiefly by young activists, aimed at Abercrombie & Fitch––recently named the ‘most-hated retailer in America’––to expose the social and environmental risk in its supply chain.
Millennials are moving away from brands like Abercrombie & Fitch for more relevant brands like H&M, Zara, Levis & Co, and others, which are also leading the way by developing commitments to ensure that the destruction of ancient and endangered forests, as well as human rights abuses, are never found in their supply chains. Abercrombie & Fitch currently does not take the due diligence measures necessary to prevent egregious sources from entering its supply chain.
“Currently, Abercrombie & Fitch stocks almost 300 items that use fabrics made from trees––like rayon, viscose, or modal. These fabrics are driving rainforest destruction in Indonesia and threatening the livelihoods of Indigenous and frontline communities,” said Brihannala Morgan, Senior Forest Campaigner with Rainforest Action Network (RAN).
“Today’s protest, and the dozens that will follow around the country, should be a clear wakeup call to the new leadership at Abercrombie & Fitch. The company has the opportunity to break from its controversial past and become a leader for forests and fashion. If Abercrombie & Fitch wants to be truly profitable with today’s consumer, then they need to ensure that its products are not hurting the rainforest or the people who depend on it,” Morgan said.
Tens of thousands of American shoppers have directly contacted Abercrombie & Fitch to call attention to the disastrous environmental and social impacts of forest-sourced fabrics and to ask the company to take immediate action, but to date the company has refused to do so.
Rainforest Action Network (RAN) recently singled out Abercrombie & Fitch among the ‘Fashion 15’ group of companies for its inadequate policies and commitments to ensure that the fabrics it sources are not responsible for deforestation, human rights abuses or species extinction.
RAN’s Out of Fashion campaign is highlighting Abercrombie & Fitch as one of the most prominent brands among the ‘Fashion 15’ group of companies—including Prada, LVMH, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Vince, Guess, Velvet, L Brands, Forever 21, Under Armour, Footlocker, GAIAM and Beyond Yoga. RAN is calling on these fashion companies to take responsibility for their supply chains, identify and eliminate bad actors, and develop strong, time bound commitments to protect forests and human rights.
For more information on dissolving pulp and RAN’s Out of Fashion campaign, see here.
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