Image credit: ralphlauren.com
Global fashion house Ralph Lauren in cooperation with Rainforest Action Network developed a new policy on the sourcing of its wood-based fabric supply chain and committed to trace the sources for such fabrics in order to ensure that production of its clothing doesn’t contribute to destruction of rainforests and violations of human rights.
Rainforests all over the world are being increasingly cut down and converted to pulp plantations for fabric. This poses a threat to indigenous communities which rely on rainforests to support their lives and provide their livelihoods. It is estimated that every year more than 120 million trees are cut down to make our clothing.
Image credit: ralphlauren.com
More than 60 global brands, including H&M, Zara, Stella McCartney, ASOS, Levis Strauss & Co., have already adopted forest product purchasing policies and started to source raw materials more responsibly to slow the rate at which the world’s endangered rainforests are being replaced by plantations of trees used to make wood-based fabrics.
Ralph Lauren keeps working on its framework for tracking, assessing and developing purchasing guidelines for the raw materials used in its products. The company aims to publish and implement its new sourcing guidelines on wood based fabrics in mid-2017.
“We’ve already communicated our commitment to our vendors. We believe this initiative demonstrates Ralph Lauren’s commitment to the environment with responsible and traceable sourcing, which we believe will create a positive impact on ecosystems and global communities,” said Halide Alagoz, Ralph Lauren’s Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Sourcing.
Image credit: ralphlauren.com
Brihannala Morgan, Senior Forest Campaigner with Rainforest Action Network (RAN) who worked with Ralph Lauren on the creation of its policy, added, “Rainforests are more valuable left standing than being converted to pulp plantations for fabric. Indigenous communities in North Sumatra and elsewhere have been suffering the direct impacts of land-grabbing and other human rights abuses from the production of forest fabrics and have been fighting back against expansion onto their traditional lands for over twenty years. It’s heartening to see brands beginning to take responsibility for their supply chains. Ralph Lauren’s commitments and actions, along with those of more than 60 other brands who have developed policies, can have a real positive impact for forests and the people that depend on them.”
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by Natalie Myhalnytska
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