Advisory: Activists to rally outside Lululemon’s flagship store in Vancouver

February 2: Stand.earth to deliver “coal medal” and raise concerns over how company’s Team Canada Olympics outfits contribute to climate pollution, threaten future of winter games

VANCOUVER, B.C. — As the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics nears, environmental advocacy organization Stand.earth is renewing its call for Canadian athleisure brand Lululemon to address its role in the climate crisis, saying the official outfitter for Team Canada must stop burning coal to power its factories and transition to renewable energy. To draw attention to their concerns, activists with Stand.earth will rally at Lululemon’s flagship store in downtown Vancouver today, Wednesday, February 2, ahead of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 4. 

WHAT: Activists with Stand.earth will rally at Lululemon’s flagship store in downtown Vancouver to raise concerns over how the company’s Team Canada Olympics outfits contribute to climate pollution and threaten the future of the winter games. A recent analysis by Stand.earth shows that 48% of the energy used to power Lululemon factories in Asia comes from coal.

Activists will deliver a 4ft diameter “coal medal” to Lululemon employees inside the store, then gather outside to pose in Team Canada Olympics outfits alongside a mock “coal plant” prop spewing “smoke.” There will be chants and banners that read “Lululemon: Designed in Vancouver, Made with coal” and “Go for the gold, Go coal free by 2030.”

WHO: Vancouver, B.C.-based environmental advocacy organization Stand.earth, joined by local climate change activists, winter sports enthusiasts, and local doctors.

SPOKESPEOPLE: Erdene Batzorig, Digital Campaigner with the Fossil Free Fashion Campaign at Stand.earth, will be on site and available for interviews.

Muhannad Malas, Senior Climate Campaigner with the Fossil Free Fashion Campaign at Stand.earth, is located in Eastern Time and will also be available for questions by phone or email.

WHERE: Lululemon store, 970 Robson St, Vancouver, B.C.

WHEN: Noon-1 p.m. today, Wednesday, February 2

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Photos and video will be available later in the day at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fg8if1O67s5zsrZ0O1sP0K9NzZSGfevG?usp=sharing 

WHY: For more than a year, Stand.earth has called on Lululemon — one of the biggest, most profitable, and fastest growing sportswear brands in the world — to do better on climate change. Despite painting itself as a sustainability leader, the company has yet to commit to eliminating coal from its supply chains, and has done very little to advocate for the transition from coal to renewable energy in the countries where its factories are located — and where its Team Canada gear is made — including Vietnam, Cambodia, and China. Lululemon is notably missing from joint efforts signed by other fashion brands, including competitor Nike, to encourage fashion-producing countries to increase renewable energy. 

Stand.earth research examining U.S. imports of Lululemon products in 2020 found that approximately 48% of the electricity used by Lululemon factories in Vietnam, Cambodia, and China came from burning coal, and only 5% came from renewable energy. A closer look at Team Canada outfits show that many of the uniforms were made with coal. The red pufferparka that will be worn by athletes during the opening ceremony is made in China, while the closing ceremony white down jacket is made in Vietnam. Other items including the high-rise joggers are made in Cambodia. See an infographic here.

Learn more here about Stand.earth’s critique of how Lululemon’s Team Canada Olympics outfits contribute to climate pollution and threaten the future of the Winter Olympics.

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Media contacts: 

In US: Virginia Cleaveland, U.S. Media Director, media@stand.earth, +1 510 858 9902 (Pacific Time)
In Canada: Muhannad Malas, Senior Fashion Campaigner, muhannad@stand.earth, +1 604 757 7246 (Eastern Time)