Plaintiff Maria Guadalupe Ellis of Missouri is suing Nike in a proposed class action lawsuit in federal court on behalf of consumers who she alleges were misled by labels when purchasing Nike’s “Sustainability” collection, leading them to believe the clothing is environmentally friendly when it is actually not. Nike claims to consumers that the collection is “made with recycled fibers” even though it is “predominantly made with virgin synthetic materials,” and only 239 of the 2,452 items in the collection are actually made with any recycled materials, according to the suit.
The suit seeks class certification, findings that Nike violated several state and federal statutes, an order that it engages in a corrective advertising campaign, and damages and fees. The suit cites the Federal Trade Commission’s “Green Guides,” which educate companies on what might constitute misleading advertising related to sustainability claims.
