While we’re all becoming more eco-conscious when it comes to our clothing it seems H&M is taking one step forward and two steps back.
The highstreet store, which in the past has been criticised for it’s lack of ethical values, has found itself back in the firing line with claims that it’s certified-organic cotton clothing has been contaminated with genetically modified cotton from India.
According to German independent lab Impetus, roughly a third of cotton samples tested contained genetically modified cotton. This was traced back to India, which is responsible for more than half of the global supply of organic cotton which is used by H&M.
Although we can’t blame H&M entirely for this as the chain hasn’t actually commissioned this cotton, Monika Buening of the Federal ConSumer Affairs Agency, has said H&M should have monitored their supply carefully.
“The fashion chains were not vigilant enough,” she told the German edition of the Financial Times.
A spokeswoman from H&M agreed that GM cotton could have slipped into the label’s organic collections. She said the high street store was investigating the matter.
Does this stop you from wanting to buy the company’s organic range? Let us know by leaving your comments below.
[via The Financial Times, Germany]
