Boohoo boss insists its clothing brands are ‘not throwaway’ as company prepares to open supply chain to the public so they can meet factory employees following Leicester ‘slave’ scandal
- Boohoo boss John Lyttle has said clothing brands are not ‘throwaway’
- Boohoo Group PLC is opening its supplier chain to public to be more transparent
- Comes after Boohoo was allegedly using unsuitable working factories for staff
- Customers can meet fabric weavers, printers, pattern cutters and machinists
The boss of online retailer Boohoo has said how its clothing brands are ‘not throwaway’.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake Up to Money podcast, chief executive John Lyttle said Boohoo, which owns 13 brands including Boohoo, Coast, Karen Millen, Dorothy Perkins, Warehouse, Oasis and PrettyLittleThing, had a ‘clear strategy’ for being more sustainable.
‘The reality is we all have to wear clothes, so clothes have to be supplied,’ he said, speaking to the BBC. ‘I look across all of our brands and I look at the number of items and the average number of times per year that somebody buys, we don’t see that as a throwaway.
Sometimes fast fashion is seen as “I buy it, wear it once and then I throw it away.” That certainly, from the data that we have, we wouldn’t correlate with that.’
The boss of online retailer Boohoo John Lyttle (pictured) has said how its clothing brands are ‘not throwaway’
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake Up to Money podcast, chief executive John Lyttle said Boohoo, which owns 13 brands including Boohoo, Coast, Karen Millen, Dorothy Perkins, Warehouse, Oasis and PrettyLittleThing, had a ‘clear strategy’ for being more sustainable. Pictured, the website
Lyttle went on to explain how the company is taking action in a bid to be more sustainable – but admits it could take some time.
‘Even the report that was published this week, is what it’s clearly saying is: “Look, we can still fix this, there is still time to fix this. But clearly these are pieces that need o be fixed over time.”‘
‘They’re not going to be fixed in six and twelve months, they’re going to take a number of years before that can happen. If you look at the UK, you know by 2030 in terms of combustible engines stopping then…so that’s the kind of timeframe even on that as a product.’
A Boohoo spokesperson commented: ‘We are working hard behind the scenes to drive improvements in all areas of our business, from working with cotton farmers in Pakistan to grow cotton in a more sustainable way to working with our suppliers to look at ways of repurposing textile waste.
The fashion giant, worth £619.6 million, is opening is doors to customers in a bit to win back trust by being more transparent
We have been very transparent about our supply chain: we published our UK supply chain in March this year for anyone to see, we will publish our international suppliers list next month and we’ve recently invited members of the public to come and meet the makers of our clothes, of whom we are very proud.’
It comes after news that the online retailer is opening its supplier chain to the public in a bid to be more transparent about the true inner workings behind the scenes.
For Boohoo, 2020 was a year drenched in scandal after allegations that it employs workers from Leicester factories with poor health and safety records, and reputations for paying their staff less than minimum wage.
Following this, the fashion company significantly cut the number of suppliers it was affiliated with, down from 200 UK manufacturers to 78.
Boohoo Group is urging customers to have a look at the process behind closed doors and is giving the public the chance to meet the teams of people who actually make the clothes.
Boohoo Group CEO John Lyttle announced that the firm is committed to transparency and said the initiative is another demonstration of this.
‘We are proud of the work we have done in the UK and we want the opportunity to showcase it.
‘Customers can be confident in our operations and the way in which we are working with suppliers to drive positive change, as we help rebuild a vibrant manufacturing base in Leicester that offers good employment and great prospects for the city and its workers.
‘I’d like to personally extend the invitation to our customers to be a part of this opportunity to come meet our makers first hand.’
The fashion giant, worth £619.6 million revealed last week that a select group of customers will come to Leicester next month for an ‘all access’ view of the company’s workings.
Customers wishing to take part should email [email protected].
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