On Earth Day, major fashion and lifestyle brands including Kering and Pangaia commit to eco-friendly materials that protect ancient forests.
Kering, along with more than a dozen other companies including Zadig & Voltaire, John Lewis & Partners, Pangaia, and House of Hackney, have pledged to eliminate the use of materials sourced from ancient and endangered forests across their textile and packaging operations. This significant environmental commitment is aligned with the CanopyStyle and Pack4Good initiatives by Canopy, a leading environmental not-for-profit organization. The expanded partnership now includes 566 brands under the CanopyStyle initiative representing $1.14 trillion in annual revenue and 444 brands supporting Pack4Good, worth over $249 billion.
According to Canopy, more than 3.4 billion trees are cut down annually to make man-made cellulosic fiber (MMCF)-based textiles, like viscose and rayon, and for paper packaging. The group says that is equal to the impact of two soccer pitches worth of forests being cut down every second. Canopy says that beyond the commitments to preserving the world’s most climate- and biodiversity-critical forests, the companies making the pledge will also invest in low-carbon, circular fiber alternatives like Next Gen materials, and advocate for forest conservation and restoration globally.
The group says keeping forests standing is “the fastest, cheapest, and most effective way” to stabilize the Earth’s climate. Forests absorb carbon, which helps to mitigate the effects of climate change. They also regulate water cycles and provide critical habitats for an estimated 80 percent of the world’s terrestrial species.
“We are so pleased to welcome these leading fashion brands and brilliant innovators into the Canopy fold on Earth Day,” Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director of Canopy, said in a statement. “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.”
Kering, parent to luxury labels including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Bottega Veneta, is making strides in sustainable sourcing, as Rachel Kolbe Semhoun, Head of Sustainable Sourcing and Nature Initiatives, explained. “Kering is pleased to be expanding our partnership with Canopy by joining the Pack4Good initiative,” she said. “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.”
John Lewis’ involvement is building on its 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,” said Marija Rompani, Director of Sustainability & Ethics at John Lewis & Partners. “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.”
C&A’s COO, Minette Bellingan, emphasized the importance of sustainable packaging in its operations, saying, “Packaging is crucial to our business. We have been proud partner of Canopy’s environmental movement and by joining Pack4Good we are taking a stand against sourcing wood-based materials from Ancient and Endangered Forests.”
The initiative also celebrated the inclusion of Next Gen innovators such as BlockTexx and Nordic Bioproducts, who are developing eco-friendly materials from agricultural and textile waste, further supporting the circular economy. Canopy says as governments enact stricter regulations around deforestation, climate, and eco-design, these companies help provide a blueprint for circular, climate-friendly materials.
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