Big brands ramp up commitment to Canopy's cellulose campaign
04/04/2014
The “Fashion Loved by Forest" initiative was launched in November and asked brands to rethinking their souring after determining cellulose from threatened forests is “routinely” making its way into clothing.
H&M and Zara owner Inditex have developed new purchasing commitments, with H&M setting a deadline of 2017.
Nicole Rycroft, Canopy's executive director, said: "Canopy is excited to see two of the largest brands, both major trendsetters, stepping up to ensure fabrics are no longer sourced from the world's endangered forests."
The move will perhaps be good news for companies such as Austria’s Lenzing which produces Modal and Tencel fibres in a sustainable way.
Quiksilver, Patagonia and Lululemon are also signed up to Canopy's initiative.
"H&M wants to play a strong role in ensuring a future for the planet's ancient and endangered forests. We are fully committed to exploring our supply chain and doing our utmost to avoid these fabrics within the next three years,” said Henrik Lampa, environmental sustainability manager at H&M.
“By 2017, we will ensure, to the best of our knowledge, that we are sourcing fabrics outside of ancient and endangered forests.”
Separately, H&M’s CEO Karl-Johan Persson told Reuters this week that the company was reluctant to raises wages for workers in its Asian supplier factories because would hit the bottom line after missing profit forecasts for the first quarter. "For purchases made now, wage increases in Bangladesh, Cambodia and China have a negative effect because we are not charging our customers higher prices," he said. "That will affect gross margins negatively, all else equal, ahead."
Image: H&M's autumn 2104 collection, shown during Paris Fashion Week in February
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