A Florida resident this month filed a lawsuit against Lululemon claiming that the brand takes advantage of consumers via “a massive, global ‘greenwashing’ campaign.” The plaintiff, Amandeep Gyani, is asking for a class action jury trial.
“We are aware of the recent lawsuit and are confident the statements we make to the public accurately reflect our impact goals and commitments,” a Lululemon spokesperson said by email.
Gyani’s allegations center on Lululemon’s “Be Planet” initiative, saying it is a marketing campaign that is “unfair, false, deceptive, and misleading to reasonable consumers as they portray Lululemon as something it is not.” The campaign also flouts the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides, designed to help marketers avoid false claims, Gyani said.
The apparel industry in general is featured as “a significant contributor to the planet’s environmental crisis.” As a major clothing brand, Lululemon therefore “has a significant and growing climate and environmental footprint, and its actions and products directly cause harm to the environment and the deterioration of the planet’s health — the opposite of its Be Planet promises and representations,” per court documents.
That includes the brand’s use of polyester and other nonbiodegradable materials. Gyani rejects the notion that using recycled polyester and nylon are all that helpful, saying that “experts do not consider these products to be a truly sustainable alternative as they are energy intensive to manufacture, do not biodegrade and still release microplastics.”
The lawsuit cites Lululemon’s own environmental impact reports. In the latest, from last year, the company noted that the “percentage of total preferred materials procured for our products” is an area that “needs acceleration.” The goal is for 75% of its fabrics to be made of preferred materials.
Lululemon’s scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 7%, but that reduction goal also “needs acceleration,” according to the brand’s impact report. Scope 3 emissions are defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly affects in its value chain. An organization’s value chain consists of both its upstream and downstream activities.”
“We have achieved a 60% absolute reduction of greenhouse emissions in our owned and operated facilities but recognize most of our climate impact comes from emissions of our broader supply chain,” the Lululemon spokesperson said. “We are taking direct action and are committed to collaborating with industry partners to help address supply chain impacts on climate change. We welcome dialogue and remain focused on driving progress. This work is far from complete.”
Moreover, “Be Planet” is not a marketing campaign, the spokesperson said.
“It is a pillar of our impact strategy, outlining the vision, goals and targets which guide our actions and investments. This includes 2030 climate targets and a 2050 Net Zero goal, both of which are externally validated (SBTi),” the spokesperson said.
SBTi is the Science Based Targets Initiative, which helps participating businesses validate their emissions-reduction targets.
