Environmental not-for-profit Canopy announced 20 new brands are now committed to eliminate the use of endangered forests in their textile supply chain by 2020. With the addition of companies zLabels, MQ Retail, Koala, TAMGA Designs and Spell & The Gypsy Collective, the CanopyStyle initiative has now crossed 125 brand partners representing over $134B in annual revenue.
This initiative will be working for the long-lasting transformation of the rayon-viscose supply chain to protect these ecologically-rich forests. CanopyStyle partners are also prioritizing the development of next generation solutions such as alternative fibres and circular economy sourcing.
All partner brands have committed to eliminate use of ancient and endangered forests. Looking at just one example, Vancouver Island is ground zero for many of the last remaining stands of thousand year old cedars, ancient Douglas Fir and spruce which store vast amounts of carbon and support biodiversit.
Lizzy Abegg, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer of Spell & The Gypsy Collective said, they are committed to not source from the world’s ancient and endangered forests, and to encourage our suppliers to shift to more innovative recycled fibres.
Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director at Canopy was happy with the growing consensus, the addition of 20 brands and designers from three continents is a clear signal of CanopyStyle’s continued and strengthening momentum around the world. The transformation of the viscose supply chain is going to be a game changer for our climate, for the lasting protection of forests and for the advancement of traditional communities’ rights.
Canopy and its brand, retail and design partners have catalysed significant transformation of the viscose supply chain. Through work with producers and other industry stakeholders, 25 per cent of the global viscose supply has now been verified at low risk of originating from ancient and endangered forests. An additional 35 per cent of rayon supply is currently in the CanopyStyle Audit process and six next generation solution enterprises are working with Canopy to bring their innovative technologies to market at scale.
