Chinese viscose producers join Canopystyle campaign to replace forest fiber in fabrics

China’s six large viscose producers representing more than 85 billion USD in annual revenues have signed CanopyStyle campaign with Canadian environmental NGO Canopy to the growing roster of fashion and textile leaders committed to eliminating the world’s ancient and endangered forests from their fabrics.

Shandong Yamei Sci-tech Co. Ltd, Tangshan Sanyou Xingda Chemical Fiber Group Co. Ltd., CHTC Helon Co. Ltd., Nanjing Chemical Fiber Co. Ltd. (NCFC), Zhejiang Fulida Co. Ltd., and Xinxiang Chemical Fiber Co. Ltd. are all unveiling their first Pulp Procurement Policies for Protecting Forests, developed in collaboration with Canopy.

The policies commit to eliminating sourcing from threatened forest ecosystems, high-carbon rainforests, and socially controversial sources in the production of their viscose and rayon textiles.

Leading brands and designers continue to send a clear market signal to the world’s main viscose manufacturers in China, said Nicole Rycroft, Canopy’s founder and Executive Director. The leadership of these six producers now means that viscose manufacturers representing close to 65 percent of global rayon production are committed to the CanopyStyle campaign — which has established the now global trend that endangered forest fabrics are out of vogue.

Dr. Christian Reisinger, CEO of Shandong Yamei Sci-tech Co. Ltd said that with the continued shift in brands’ environmental requirements, incorporating sustainable forest fiber procurement criteria is a sound business decision.

They are committed to working with all their suppliers and customers to eliminate ancient forests and other controversial sources from their supply chain, particularly from the Canadian and Russian Boreal Forests, Coastal Temperate Rainforests, tropical forests and peatlands of Indonesia, the Amazon and West Africa, and other endangered species habitat.

They are on the eve of a revolution in the apparel industry where new alternative fibers such as garment waste, recovered fabrics, agricultural residues, and other non-woods can be part of the solution to reduce the pressure on the world’s forests, said Li Baikuan from Tangshan Sanyou.

Their company is expanding the scope of their work on alternative fibers and they look to explore whether they can become a replacement for forest fiber. This is a challenge they are happy to face with the support of Canopy.

The CanopyStyle campaign launched in October 2013 has now built strong market momentum with over 60 brands, designers, and retailers adopting commitments to address the rising use of fiber from ancient and endangered forest in fabrics. As a strategic and customer-focused part of the fashion supply chain, viscose producers have responded rapidly and favorably to the need for new forest conservation solutions.