Fashion and lifestyle brands unite to protect forests on Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day, 15 companies have committed to end sourcing from Ancient and Endangered Forests in their textile and packaging supply chains, demonstrating their dedication to people and the planet.

This commitment is part of the CanopyStyle and Pack4Good initiatives from solutions-driven environmental not-for-profit Canopy. Forward-thinking fashion and lifestyle brands in today’s announcement include John Lewis & Partners, Kering, Groupe Beaumanoir, Zadig & Voltaire, C&A, and, PANGAIA.

Every year, 3.4 billion trees are cut down to make man-made cellulosic fibre (MMCF)-based textiles, like viscose and rayon, and for paper packaging. That is equivalent to two soccer pitches worth of forests being cut down every second. Beyond their commitment to preserving the world’s most climate- and biodiversity-critical forests, these companies will also invest in low-carbon, circular fibre alternatives like Next Gen materials, and advocate for forest conservation and restoration globally. 

Marija Rompani, Director of Sustainability & Ethics at the John Lewis Partnership, said, “I’m excited that John Lewis is building on our existing work with Canopy, by now also supporting the Pack4Good initiative. We’re committed to protecting and restoring nature, and we constantly strive to reduce and improve our packaging. Signing up to the Pack4Good initiative is a truly positive step forward on our journey to ensuring all our paper-based packaging is from a more sustainable source.”

Keeping forests standing is the fastest, cheapest, and most effective way to stabilize the Earth’s climate. Forests are the lungs of the planet. They absorb carbon, mitigate the effects of climate change, provide habitat for an estimated 80% of the world’s terrestrial species, regulate water cycles, and are foundational to life on our planet.

“Kering is pleased to be expanding our partnership with Canopy by joining the Pack4Good initiative,” said Rachel Kolbe Semhoun, Head of Sustainable Sourcing and Nature Initiatives at Kering. “Avoiding sourcing from vital ecosystems is an important part of our company-wide biodiversity strategy, so collaborating with Canopy to ensure our paper packaging does not impact forests, and working to find low-impact alternatives, will help us reach our ambitious targets.”

Five of the companies in today’s announcement are Next Gen innovators — BlockTexx, Genera, Nordic Bioproducts, Pakka, and Ponda.  These companies offer solutions technologies that range from packaging solutions made from miscanthus pulp, clothing waste, wheat straw, or hemp residues to high-quality pulps for textiles and wetland-regenerating fibres. 

These innovators offer creative and low-impact alternatives to forest fibre. As new governmental regulations around deforestation, climate, and eco-design come into play, trailblazers such as these will provide the circular, climate-friendly materials that global brands need.

“We are so pleased to welcome these leading fashion brands and brilliant innovators into the Canopy fold on Earth Day,” said Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director of Canopy. “There is no better time to keep forests standing and to transform today’s take-make-waste supply chains that underpin the global climate and biodiversity crises. Next Gen production is the future — we’re excited to expand our community of partners working to build a better future for our planet.”

Find out more here.