Japanese Necktie Industry Wants to Kill the Earth

The Japanese government has launched a "no jacket, no tie" campaign, the idea being that shedding excess fabric in the workplace will keep air conditioning to a minimum. The "Cool Biz" campaign is being billed as painless and earth-friendly. The tie lobby, however, is livid:

But necktie makers said Thursday they fear the new dress code could cost them up to 30 percent of their annual sales.

"We are not opposing the Cool Biz itself. Dressing cool is fine," said Tetsuo Yamada, a spokesperson for the Federation of Japanese Necktie Unions. "The problem is the slogan that discriminates against neckties."

How to calculate the damage done by government-sponsored dress codes? A government-sponsored study is in the works.