UK Bans Adidas, Calvin Klein, Uniqlo 'Recycled' Ads
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- Advertising Standards Authority banned paid Google ads from Calvin Klein, Adidas, and Uniqlo promoting 'recycled' clothing and shoes after the brands couldn't substantiate their green claims
- Adidas promoted 'recycled running shoes' but told the ASA it did not have a recycled running shoe range, with only certain products across collections incorporating recycled materials
- Calvin Klein argued its ad shouldn't be read as claiming the entire women's tops range used recycled materials, noting products use 'environmentally preferred materials' including recycled, organic, and other inputs
- Uniqlo defended its fleece coats and jackets ad by saying consumers would understand the products were made to a 'meaningful extent' from recycled materials, citing an international certification scheme
- ASA director of complaints and investigations Miles Lockwood said absolute terms like 'recycled' require 'a high level of substantiation' and warned the regulator will keep monitoring green-claim ads and taking action against rule-breakers
- The bans are part of a wider ASA investigation into environmental claims in retail fashion ads, following December's bans on Nike, Superdry, and Lacoste for similarly misleading sustainability claims
Why it matters: With six major fashion brands now banned by the ASA in roughly two months — Adidas, Calvin Klein, and Uniqlo now, plus Nike, Superdry, and Lacoste in December — the regulator has signaled that 'recycled' claims demand a 'high level of substantiation,' putting every green-claim fashion advertiser on notice that vague environmental language won't survive scrutiny.
