UK bans Adidas, Calvin Klein, Uniqlo ads recycled claims

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has banned online advertisements from Adidas, Calvin Klein, and Uniqlo for making misleading environmental claims about recycled materials in their clothing. The regulator found that the companies’ Google ads, which ran in December 2025, gave consumers the impression that specific products were made entirely from recycled fabrics, a claim the brands could not substantiate.

The ASA investigated the ads as part of a wider, proactive probe into environmental claims in the retail fashion sector. The watchdog determined that the use of the absolute term “recycled” without further qualification was likely to mislead consumers. Under advertising codes, such unqualified claims require a high level of evidence to support them.

Adidas had advertised “recycled running shoes,” but later conceded to the regulator that it does not operate a standalone range of such shoes, stating instead that certain products across its collections might incorporate recycled materials. Calvin Klein’s ad promoted “responsibly sourced collections recycled, organic more” for women’s tops, while Uniqlo’s ad highlighted fleece jackets made with “recycled materials.” The ASA...