Fast Retailing, the world’s third largest apparel manufacturer and retailer by sales, will switch from plastic bags to eco-friendly paper bags as part of its plan to eliminate the use of unnecessary plastic throughout its supply chain and to reduce the amount of single-use plastic handed to customers. This move, across the group's 3,500 stores worldwide, will result in a reduction of plastic by 85 percent, equivalent to 7,800 tonnes, by the end of 2020. Using technology, Fast Retailing is adopting innovative manufacturing processes through nanobubble and ozone washing machines that cut water usage by an average of 90 percent and as much as 99 percent. The group will also use lasers to engrave patterns on jeans to achieve the vintage look, as opposed to manually spraying them with chemicals. Additionally, it is a member of the non-profit Better Cotton Initiative that supports sustainable cotton production and aims to use 100% sustainable cotton by 2025.

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The Edge Markets