Fossil fuel fashion has no place at Paris 2024 Olympics

Less than a week out, Paris aims to host the most sustainable Olympics ever, but are they measuring everything? Together with hundreds of professional athletes and eco-conscious sports fans, I am concerned that Lululemon, the official sponsor and outfitter of Team Canada at the Paris Games, may not support our vision for a climate-safe future of sport.

Rising temperatures are affecting summer and winter athletes all over the world as the climate crisis leads to increased risks of dehydration, heat stroke, respiratory problems and more, compromising both physical and mental performance. Meanwhile, extreme weather events like flooding and wildfires, like the ones we experienced in Canada last year, are causing major sporting events to be cancelled.

Despite the worrying impacts of climate change on athletes' health and the clear threat of the climate crisis to the future of sport, fossil fuels are hidden everywhere in the sportswear we rely on. From materials like polyester and nylon (made from oil) to burning coal in textile factories, and to processing fabrics with toxic dyes and chemicals, fashion brands are giving fossil fuels a social license to operate in sports, even as sponsors with more direct involvement with fossil fuels get called out. The fashion industry as a whole is thought to contribute roughly two per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

I proudly represented Canada throughout my career as a professional athlete, including at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, where beach volleyball made its debut as a full-medal sport. I am passionate about the potential for both athletes and the sports industry to lead positive change. The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committee has committed to reach net zero emissions by 2040, and Paris 2024 promises to halve the carbon footprint of previous games. To reach these goals, they need partners who share their ambition.

This summer’s Team Canada kit is designed to help athletes perform at their best, and I really appreciate the adaptive, disability-friendly designs for Paralympians. There is even a Lululemon x Team Canada collection for Canadian fans that raises much-needed funds to support athletes.

Unfortunately, the whole collection contains synthetic materials made from plastic, and I couldn’t find any information on where the products are manufactured or which dyes and chemicals they contain. This is concerning because Lululemon also recently came under fire for its products containing PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”).

But what is more alarming is that new research has found that the company’s rapidly increasing greenhouse gas emissions more than doubled between 2018-2022, with the vast majority of these emissions being produced in the supply chain.

Unfortunately, the same research also found evidence of pollution impacting local communities in Southeast Asia due to Lululemon’s resource-intensive processes powered by fossil fuels, including coal. The researchers recommend that Lululemon tackle this by supporting its suppliers in transitioning to clean renewable energy, like solar and wind, to tackle its rising emissions. This is important because corporate sourcing accelerates new renewable energy additions in developing countries. Decarbonizing supply chains is an essential part of the global push to triple renewable energy capacity and halve the emissions of all sectors by 2030.

To be fair, the brand is starting to make positive changes, such as investing in more sustainable materials like plant-based nylon which is great to see. But in light of a legal complaint from organizations alleging Lululemon is greenwashing, it is clear that the brand also needs to walk the talk on meaningful climate action. That starts with transitioning away from fossil fuels across their supply chain.

Here's the thing. I like Lululemon. I like the company's vision. I like its brand and have worn the gear. I especially like that it is a Canadian success story that wants to support athletes and sports in Canada. I am also a “glass half full” kind of person. In fact, I see the Olympics as an enormous opportunity for the company to strengthen its brand even further by being more transparent about the challenges in making change, and visibly and proactively working closely within its supply chain and manufacturing processes to decarbonize. I see it as a chance to truly take the lead in this important and influential industry.

It’s not easy — as Olympians, we know what it's like to set ambitious goals — but a time-bound, public-facing commitment is the first step to positive progress.

Margo Malowney, MIB, OLY, is a retired beach volleyball player from Ontario, Canada. She competed at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. She is an ambassador for the athlete-led climate movement EcoAthletes, a certified sustainability practitioner, and an experienced climate communications and marketing professional.