Fast-fashion brands launch eco-initiatives - but are they serious?

It's continually inventive and often glamorous but, with the exception of labels such as Stella McCartney and Edun that wear their eco-consciousness on their sleeve, the fashion business is not known for its attention to environmental issues.

Yet in the past five years, companies from Adidas to Valentino and Zara have been acquiring a green tinge through an array of initiatives.

Some have begun using recycled materials in their products, others initiated recycling drives for used clothing and introduced labels that detailed the carbon footprint of their items. All these measures have typically been launched with great fanfare.

But do they reflect a changing mindset and advance towards sustainability in the industry, or are they simply marketing exercises designed to appeal to shoppers' consciences at a time of heightened eco-awareness?

Much of the scrutiny has been on the colossuses of so-called fast-fashion brands, such as Zara, H&M and Forever 21, whose trendy, inexpensive items seem designed for obsolescence, to be replaced every few months by the latest styles. Although many brands spout the green message, environmentalists question whether a business model based on disposable fashion is capable of truly being environmentally friendly.

After all, some 7.5 billion items of clothing are sent to landfills each year worldwide, according to British environmental charity Global Action Plan.