Fashion majors tie up with Canopy for sustainability

International not-for-profit environmental organisation Canopy dedicated to protecting forests, species and climate, has announced its latest brand partnerships in the successful CanopyStyle initiative, which now has more than 65 major fashion brands, designers and retailers pledged to end the use of ancient and endangered forests in their rayon supply chains.

Companies which launched their forest and fabric policies on Tuesday in Vancouver include Esprit, the iconic retailer which in joining CanopyStyle marries forest-solutions with its landmark international fashion company, Tesco, the multinational grocery and retail superstore, Simons, a leading fashion outlet currently enjoying a successful expansion across Canada, international fast-fashion chain New Look, KappAhl, the Swedish fashion chain, and LA-based sustainable luxury brand Sage Larock, according to a press release by Canopy.

“Today’s leaders clearly show that sourcing from endangered forests is no longer fashionable,” said Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director of Canopy. “Thanks to the forest commitments of more than 65 fashion brands, we are seeing dramatic shifts in the rayon supply chain. We look forward to bringing this momentum into our work with viscose producers in China, where in late May we continue a series of negotiations and will present at their association conference.”

“At Tesco we know our customers want great, affordable fashion. And they also want it without compromising on social and environmental standards. We’re pleased to be working with CanopyStyle and other fashion leaders to ensure that our viscose comes from sustainable sources,” said Tesco's Responsible Sourcing Director, Giles Bolton.

“For over 20 years Esprit has paid special attention to the social and environmental impacts of apparel manufacturing, pioneering the use of organic cotton, and launching green business practices long before it became standard,” said Luis Gonzaga, Senior Vice President – Head of Global Supply, Esprit. “This partnership with Canopy, and our pledge to end the use of endangered forest fibers is an exciting new initiative for Esprit, and one we are excited to be a part of.”
 

Audits verifying the status of policy implementation by viscose/rayon producers are expected over the coming months. Canopy looks forward to analyzing the results of these audits along with rayon producers’ progress on forest conservation efforts and use of alternative fibres. The use of recycled clothing and/or non-wood fibres as feedstock for fabric production instead of trees is a critical element of the CanopyStyle initiative, systemically alleviating the stress off forest ecosystems and contributing to a circular economy. Another key component is leadership to help secure conservation of key ancient and endangered forests like the Broadback Forest in Canada’s Boreal forest, Vancouver Island’s Rainforests and Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem.

“Nowadays, a word class company must understand and reduce its impact on the environment. By partnering with Canopy, La Maison Simons is demonstrating its commitment to the protection of the world’s last ancient forests, including those found very close to home, in Canada’s Boreal,” said Peter Simons, CEO of Simons.

“At KappAhl our mission is to create a better everyday life for the woman in the prime of life, and her family, through offering a wide range of well-designed and feel good fashion, always in a sustainable way,” said Eva Kindgren de Boer, Sustainability Manager Production at KappAhl. “Committing to responsible sourcing and caring for the environment, and joining the CanopyStyle initiative are important steps forward for us.”

These new brand commitments add significant momentum to CanopyStyle. The collective goal is to ensure that the rayon/viscose supply chain is free of endangered forests by 2017, the release said.