The encyclopedia · Advertising & PR · Marketing decision · 2025
Uniqlo's 'recycled materials' fleece ad banned — the fleeces were only partly recycled
A Google ad called Uniqlo's fleece 'Recycled Materials.' The ASA banned it: consumers read the claim as 'entirely recycled,' and the evidence didn't show that.
Uniqlo · Fast Retailing · 2026-06
What happened
On 25 December 2025 Uniqlo ran a paid Google search ad in the UK: 'Fleece Coats & Jackets – UNIQLO Women's Range […] Shop UNIQLO Fleece Coats & Jackets Now […] Recycled Materials.' The landing page listed three items, including the Fluffy Yarn Fleece Full-Zip Jacket and the Pile Lined Fleece Relaxed Cardigan.
The ad was picked up by the ASA's Active Ad Monitoring system, which uses AI to survey ads in the retail fashion sector. The ASA challenged whether 'Recycled Materials' was misleading and could be substantiated. Uniqlo provided certification evidence showing the products contained some recycled material, but nothing demonstrating that each garment was made entirely from recycled fabrics.
On 24 June 2026 the ASA upheld the complaint. Because the claim was unqualified, consumers would read it as absolute — all fabrics in the fleece range made entirely from recycled materials. The ads breached CAP Code rules 3.1 and 3.3 on misleading advertising, 3.7 on substantiation, and 11.1 and 11.3 on environmental claims, and must not appear again in the investigated form.
Why it happened
- An unqualified 'Recycled Materials' claim reads as 'made entirely from recycled materials,' which the products were not — only some of the fabric was recycled.
- The certification evidence Uniqlo supplied showed recycled content, not full recycled composition, so the absolute reading of the claim had no substantiation.
- Google's character limits were not a defence the ASA accepted: a claim that cannot be qualified in the space should not be made as an absolute.
The lesson
Consumers read 'recycled materials' as 'made entirely of recycled materials.' Uniqlo's fleeces had some recycled content; the ASA banned the ad for implying all of it was.
Aftermath
The ASA ruled the ad must not appear again in the form investigated, and told Uniqlo to make the basis of environmental claims clear and hold a high level of substantiation for absolute claims. The ruling was one of three published the same day — Uniqlo, Adidas and Calvin Klein were all banned for unsubstantiated 'recycled' Google ads, part of the ASA's active monitoring of green claims in fashion.
Sources
- ASA Ruling on Uniqlo (UK) Ltd t/a UNIQLO (A26-1327727)
- The Guardian: Adidas, Uniqlo and Calvin Klein ads in UK banned over 'recycled' clothing claims
spotted an error? The club wants to know.
More like this
Wacoal Thailand styled a lingerie tie-in shoot in school uniforms — and pulled it fast
Utena's AI 'Moisture Warrior' ad looked enough like Sailor Moon that it got pulled
Victoria's Secret went quiet when its new China ambassador fell into a copyright row
Somewhere, someone solved the problem this company failed at. 2nd Opinion →
Comments · 0
Sign in to join the comments.