CRAiLAR FTI’s ancient forest friendly sourcing policy — effective may 11th, 2017

The global textile industry faces many social and ecological problems, and relies on a vulnerable, resource intensive supply chain. For this reason, CRAiLAR FTI’s proprietary process literally puts a new spin on some of the world’s oldest textile crops — bringing bast fibers from flax and industrial hemp into the 21st century while paving the way for an exciting and sustainable future. CRAiLAR FTI is committed to playing a leadership role in the textile sector and will support supply chain solutions that promote responsible environmental and ethical practices in manufacturing, and the protection of global ecosystems including ancient and endangered forests.

Demonstrate Corporate Leadership
CRAiLAR FTI recognizes that business leadership and long-term success must consider the environment. Consequently, CRAiLAR FTI is dedicated to building environmental awareness among customers, employees, suppliers and peers.

Conserve Ancient and Endangered Forests and Ecosystems
CRAiLAR FTI provides a clear solution to avoid sourcing textile fibers and pulp/paper inputs from the world’s ancient and endangeredⁱ forests, as CRAiLAR FTI produces these valuable raw materials from agricultural fibres. We are building a marketplace that can support the protection of the world’s remaining ancient and endangeredi forests including the Canadian and Russian Boreal Forests; Coastal Temperate Rainforestsⁱⁱ; tropical forests and peat lands of Indonesiaⁱⁱⁱ, the Amazon and West Africa, and the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems contained within these forests. Currently Canada, Brazil and Indonesia are the largest exporters of dissolving pulp for viscose globally.

As the issue of ancient and endangered forest fiber in cellulosic fabrics gains increasing awareness among global clothing brands, high profile designers and producers, CRAiLAR FTI will work with suppliers, Canopy and brands that are part of the CanopyStyle initiative to support the protection of ancient and endangered forests and forward solutions to reduce demand on our forests.

Innovation and Development
CRAiLAR FTI produces fiber from agricultural fibres. This provides CRAiLAR FTI’s customers with a guarantee that the company is not sourcing from controversial sources associated with wood including wood from: illegal logging^iv, wood logged in contravention of First Nations/indigenous peoples’ rights or in contravention of Free, Prior or Informed Consent (FPIC) or endangered species habitat.

CRAiLAR FTI remains open to exploring partnerships to supply fiber yarn, and nonwoven products to companies producing “forest-free” yarns, fabrics and nonwovens that do not source from ancient and endangered forests.

Advance Joint Conservation Solutions
CRAiLAR FTI supports the implementation of visionary agreements in key forest areas, such as the Canadian Boreal Forests^v, Coastal Temperate Rainforests and Indonesia. We look to Canopy to identify opportunities to encourage existing and new initiatives that seek to protect the world’s remaining ancient and endangered forests.

Reduce our Carbon Footprint
CRAiLAR FTI aims to reduce the company’s greenhouse gas emissions and where possible will play a role in mitigating climate change by participating in initiatives that reduce the loss of carbon-rich forests (e.g. ancient old growth temperate rainforests and forests growing on peat lands) and by encouraging the development of fabrics made with agricultural residue fibers.

Pollution Prevention
CRAiLAR FTI will strive to use best practices with its fiber production, monitor and reduce overall emissions, not use harmful chemicals that cannot be recycled in a closed process, minimize air and water pollution and encourage our supply chain partners to do the same.

Paper and Packaging
Recognizing that avoiding impacts to the world’s forests is also tied to CRAiLAR FTI’s own use of paper and packaging, CRAiLAR FTI is committed to improved efficiency in paper use in its own operations, and to reducing waste. In line with CRAiLAR FTI’s commitment to produce agricultural fibre textile products, CRAiLAR FTI will aim to source agricultural residue and/or 100% post recycled content paper and packaging products^vi.

Promote Industry Leadership
CRAiLAR FTI recognizes the benefit of creating environmental awareness amongst its team, customers, and partners. The company will work to highlight its environmental efforts on its website, in public communications and social media, and in partnership with stakeholders.

Strong Forest Management Standards
CRAiLAR FTI fully supports responsible forest management practices that protect biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, provide long-term social and economic benefits to communities, and facilitate a stable, sustainable supply chain and climate of operational certainty. We encourage our supply chain partners to preference fiber certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard where virgin fiber is needed.

Jason Finnis, Chief Innovation Officer, CRAiLAR FTI

Date: May 11, 2017

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ⁱ Ancient and endangered forests are defined as intact forest landscape mosaics, naturally rare forest types, forest types that have been made rare due to human activity, and/or other forests that are ecologically critical for the protection of biological diversity. Ecological components of endangered forests are: Intact forest landscapes; Remnant forests and restoration cores; Landscape connectivity; Rare forest types; Forests of high species richness; Forests containing high concentrations of rare and endangered species; Forests of high endemism; Core habitat for focal species; Forests exhibiting rare ecological and evolutionary phenomena. As a starting point to geographically locate ancient and endangered forests, maps of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF), as defined by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and of intact forest landscapes (IFL), can be used and paired with maps of other key ecological values like the habitat range of key endangered species and forests containing high concentrations of terrestrial carbon and High Carbon Stocks (HCS). (The Wye River Coalition’s Endangered Forests: High Conservation Value Forests Protection – Guidance for Corporate Commitments. This has been reviewed by conservation groups, corporations, and scientists such as Dr. Jim Stritholtt, President and Executive Director of the Conservation Biology Institute, and has been adopted by corporations for their forest sourcing policies). Key endangered forests globally are the Canadian and Russian Boreal Forests; Coastal Temperate Rainforests of British Columbia, Alaska and Chile; Tropical forests and peat lands of Indonesia, the Amazon and West Africa. For more information on the definitions of ancient and endangered forests, please go to: http://canopyplanet.org/solutions/ancient-forest-friendly/the-science-behind-the-ancient-forest-friendly-brand/

ⁱⁱ Conservation solutions are now finalized in the Great Bear Rainforest, located in coastal temperate rainforests that originally covered 0.2% of the planet, and where now less than 25% of the original forests remain. On February 1st, 2016 the Government of British Columbia, First Nations, environmental organizations and the forest industry announced 38% protection in the Great Bear Rainforest and an ecosystem-based management approach that will see 85% of this region off limits to logging. Provided these agreements hold – sustainable sourcing has been accomplished in this ancient and endangered forest. We encourage ongoing verification of this through renewal of Forest Stewardship Council certification. British Columbia’s last stands of coastal temperate rainforests on Vancouver Island are not currently afforded the same future. We look forward to supporting and encouraging protection for landscapes of hope on BC’s Vancouver Island.

ⁱⁱⁱ Indonesia experiences the second highest rate of deforestation among tropical countries, with the island of Sumatra standing out due to the intensive forest clearing that has resulted in the conversion of 70% of the island’s forested area (FAO Forest Assessment 2010; Margono, B.A. et al. 2012). Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd. (APRIL) have been criticized by local and international groups for being implicated in deforesting important carbon rich peat lands, destroying the habitat for critically endangered species and traditional lands of indigenous communities, corruption, and human rights abuses (Eyes on the Forest. 2011. http://www.eyesontheforest.or.id/). Both APP and APRIL have put in place promising forest policies; tracking implementation will be key to understanding these policies offer lasting solutions for Indonesia’s rainforests.

^iv Legal forest management is management that complies with all applicable international, national, and local laws, including environmental, forestry, and civil rights laws and treaties.

^v Protection of Boreal Forests where the largest remaining tracts of forests are located worldwide is critical and dissolving pulp is becoming an increasing threat. Canada’s Boreal Forest contain the largest source of unfrozen freshwater world wide and are part of the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sink – equivalent to 26 years worth of global fossil fuel use. Canopy is committed to working collaboratively on the establishment of new protected areas, the protection of endangered species and the implementation of sustainable harvesting in Canada’s Boreal Forest.

^vi See Canopy’s Paper Steps: http://canopyplanet.org/resources/the-paper-steps/

 

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