H&M, the fashion industry giant, is currently facing one of the biggest scandals to date regarding the recycling of old clothes. According to an article in The Guardian, the company has been accused of burning tons of used clothing, which they collected from customers, in exchange for discount vouchers. This has sparked anger among many consumers and activists who believed in H&M's environmental protection goals.

H&M is one of the world's largest fashion brands, with over 5,000 stores in 74 countries. The company has declared its commitment to becoming a sustainable business and minimizing negative impacts on the environment. H&M has initiated various old clothes recycling programs such as Garment Collecting, Close the Loop, and Conscious Collection. According to H&M, they have collected over 100,000 tons of old clothes since 2013 and have reused or recycled 87% of them.

However, The Guardian article highlighted H&M's lack of transparency regarding what happens to the remaining clothes. According to a source from I:CO, a clothing recycling company and H&M's partner, approximately 20% of the clothes collected from H&M are sent to waste incineration plants to generate energy. This means that millions of old clothes have been destroyed instead of being reused or recycled. The source also revealed that H&M has limited control over the destination of their clothes, suggesting that more clothes might be incinerated.

The Guardian article has caused significant controversy and damaged H&M's reputation. Many consumers feel disappointed and outraged, as they believed they were contributing to environmental protection when purchasing H&M clothes. Environmental activists have criticized H&M for their actions, which contradict their commitments and contribute to increased carbon emissions and air pollution.

H&M responded to The Guardian article by denying the allegations that they burned old clothes for discount vouchers. They stated that sending clothes to waste incineration plants is a last resort when reuse or recycling is not possible. They also emphasized their efforts to address the issue and enhance transparency regarding their clothing recycling process.

However, The Guardian article has sparked a wave of social media boycotts against H&M. Many people are calling for a cessation of purchasing H&M clothes and a shift to other fashion brands that demonstrate greater environmental responsibility. Some individuals have even posted pictures of themselves burning H&M clothes as a form of protest against the company's actions. H&M is currently facing one of the largest crises in its history and risks losing the trust of many customers.

In conclusion, H&M's involvement in a clothing recycling scandal has raised significant concerns and damaged the company's reputation. The accusations of burning old clothes instead of recycling or reusing them have led to public outrage and skepticism. H&M now faces the challenge of rebuilding trust and demonstrating a genuine commitment to its sustainability goals. Swift and transparent action is necessary for the company to address the issues raised by the scandal and regain the confidence of consumers who value environmental responsibility.

USEFUL VOCABULARY

Accuse (verb) - /əˈkjuːz/ - buộc tội - to accuse someone of something: to say or suggest that someone has done something wrong or illegal.

Spark (verb) - /spɑːrk/ - gợi ra - to cause or initiate something, often a reaction or a series of events.

Commitment (noun) - /kəˈmɪtmənt/ - cam kết - a strong dedication or obligation to something or someone.

Transparency (noun) - /trænsˈpærənsi/ - tính minh bạch - the quality of being open, honest, and clear in communication and actions.

Incineration (noun) - /ɪnˌsɪnəˈreɪʃn̩/ - sự thiêu đốt - the act of burning something completely, usually to reduce it to ashes.

Controversy (noun) - /ˈkɑːntrəvɜːrsi/ - sự tranh cãi - a prolonged public dispute or debate about a matter of opinion.

Outraged (adjective) - /aʊtˈreɪdʒd/ - tức giận - feeling or showing extreme anger or indignation.

Contradict (verb) - /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/ - mâu thuẫn - to assert the opposite of; to go against or deny.

Emissions (noun) - /ɪˈmɪʃənz/ - khí thải - gases or particles released into the air, often as a result of human activities.

Allegation (noun) - /ˌæləˈɡeɪʃən/ - cáo buộc - claims or assertions made without providing proof or evidence.

Cessation (noun) - /sɛˈseɪʃən/ - sự ngừng - the act of stopping or discontinuing something.

Shift (noun) - /ʃɪft/ - sự chuyển đổi - a change or transition from one thing to another.

Protest (noun) - /ˈproʊtɛst/ - biểu tình - a public expression of objection, disapproval, or dissent towards something.

Genuine (adjective) - /ˈdʒɛnjʊɪn/ - thành thật - real, authentic, or sincere.

Swift (adjective) - /swɪft/ - nhanh chóng - happening or done quickly or promptly.

Confidence (noun) - /ˈkɑːnfɪdəns/ - lòng tin - a feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; trust.

Boycotts (noun) - /ˈbɔɪkɑts/ - sự tẩy chay - organized efforts to refuse or avoid using, buying, or dealing with a particular product, organization, or service as a form of protest or punishment.

Outraged (adjective) - /aʊtˈreɪdʒd/ - tức giận - feeling or showing extreme anger or indignation.

Call for (phrase) - /kɔːl fɔːr/ - kêu gọi - to request or demand something; to urge or appeal for a particular action.