Forests are more than just pretty sights. They're extremely important for the world's climate. They're home to a major portion of the world's species and play an essential role in balancing out the Earth's atmosphere, especially in this time of climate change.
Did You Know?
About a third of the CO2 released from burning fossil fuels is absorbed by forests every year,1 which is why they've been nicknamed "Earth's lungs."
Viscose, rayon, lyocell, and modal are all part of the cellulose fibre family. They are made from a dissolved paper pulp, also called wood pulp, derived from forests around the world.
Research conducted by the Canopy organization shows that:
- More than 150 million trees are cut down each year and turned into cellulosic fabric. Placed end to end, these trees would circle the Earth's equator 7 times.
- Less than 20% of the world's ancient forests remain in intact zones that are large enough to maintain biodiversity.2
Additionally, the manufacturing of some cellulosic fabrics requires an aggressive chemical process that uses lot of water and fossil fuel.
In order to do our part to fight the deterioration of forest ecosystems, we have been collaborating with the Canopy organization since 2014 and favour using fabrics that ensure the protection of ancient and endangered forests.
TENCELTM Lyocell
TENCELTM Lyocell is a cellulosic fibre produced by the Austrian firm Lenzing. Biodegradable and compostable, this fabric is made from wood pulp that comes from certified and controlled sources. In fact, all the wood and pulp that's used is harvested in certified forests according to sustainable forest management standards. TENCELTM Lyocell is made using a closed-loop production process, meaning that the water and solvents are reused every time. This way, nothing is wasted, contaminated, or thrown away!
Sources: HIGG MSI3 comparing TENCELTM Lyocell to conventional lyocell
TENCELTM Modal
TENCELTM Modal is also a fibre derived from wood pulp that's harvested at the hearts of forests that respect sustainable forest management standards. It's biodegradable and compostable.
Sources: HIGG MSI3 comparing TENCELTM Modal to conventional modal
LENZINGTM ECOVEROTM Viscose
LENZINGTM ECOVEROTM Viscose fibres have an environmental impact that's significantly reduced compared to their conventional equivalent. Made from wood pulp that comes from certified and controlled sources, they help to ensure the protection of ancient and endangered forests throughout the world.
Sources: HIGG MSI3 comparing LENZINGTM ECOVEROTM Viscose to conventional viscose
Sources:
1https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/forests-and-climate-change
2 https://canopyplanet.org/campaigns/canopystyle/
3 These results were calculated with the help of the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC). The Higg MSI analyzes the impact of materials over their entire life cycle (up until the materials are ready to be assembled into a product). The Higg MSI scores or the calculations of percentages provided here represent only one production step within the scope of the Higg MSI (for example, fibres or raw materials). They do not provide an overall view of the impacts involved in the production of materials. The SAC does not verify the results of users' custom materials. (Higg Materials Sustainability Index, 2020) https://msi.higg.org/page/msi-home
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