Use of textile fibre from trees poised to increase; PEFC calls on UN and business to act on sustainability & traceability

16 January 2015 Forests for Fashion

The futures of textiles are forests. With the demand for textile fibres expected to increase by more than 75% by 2030, the annual per capital consumption of fibre from trees and other plant-based material (Man-made cellulose (MMC) fibres) is expected to increase by 45% in the next 20 years.

PEFC encourages the apparel sector, from fibre producers up to the largest brands, to use certified fibre to produce clothing and to demonstrate their responsibility by utilizing the traceability provided by PEFC certification to ensure full traceability through the entire apparel sector supply chain.

In an Open Letter to the delegates of the 72nd Session of the UNECE Committee on Forest and the Forest Industry (18-21 November 2014 - Kazan, Russia), PEFC International and PEFC Spain highlighted that the natural origin of MMC fibres from sustainably sourced wood contributes to a sustainable future. Yet traceability of sustainably sourced MMC fibres in the apparel sector, such as provided through PEFC certification, is required to avoid the risk of MMC fibres to originating from unsustainable sources with associated, unwanted and unnecessary political, environmental and business risks.

In order to address this challenge, it is important to engage all the actors in the supply chain, from the forest sector to the fashion industry. Consumers are increasingly demanding assurances on the origin of the clothes they buy and the way they have been produced, especially in respect of the health and safety rights of the employees. These demands must be addressed by the apparel sector, from the forest owner to the fashion industry.

• PEFC reiterates the value of forest certification for forest products used in the production of Man MadeCellulosic fibres.
• PEFC also encourages the apparel sector, from MMC fibre producers up to the largest brands, to use certified MMC fibre to produce clothing and to demonstrate their responsibility by utilizing the traceability provided by PEFC certification to ensure full traceability of MMC fibres  through the entire apparel sector supply chain.
• PEFC encourages countries taking part in the Committee on Forests and the Forest Industry of the Economic Commission for Europe to implement policies that foster Sustainable Forest Management.

In the framework of the UNECE initiative “Forests for Fashion”, PEFC wishes to provide the Committee Members with experience on the implementation of the requirements, criteria and indicators expressed in globally recognized international and intergovernmental processes and guidelines for the promotion of sustainable forest management, which form the basis of PEFC’s Sustainability Benchmarks. PEFC is also keen to contribute its expertise to promote traceability of forest-based products, including MMC fibres, through Chain of Custody certification as accepted by numerous public and private procurement policies worldwide.

PEFC supports the UNECE Forests for Fashion Initiative and encourages a focus on creating synergies with the Fashion Industry and other stakeholders to promote the use of sustainable wood-based fibres with the assurances provided by third party independent certification systems such as such as PEFC.

Benefits of Sustainable Forest Management Certification

The overall objective of Sustainable Forest Management certification is to safeguard forests by assuring that forests are managed responsibly in line with challenging environmental, social, and economic requirements to provide their entire suite of ecosystem benefits, globally and locally.

Chain of Custody certification tracks wood from sustainable sources to the final product. It demonstrates that each step of the supply chain is closely monitored through independent auditing ensure that unsustainable sources are excluded. Certification is only awarded after independent third party audits have verified compliance with PEFC’s globally recognized Sustainability Benchmarks.

The PEFC label is exclusively available on PEFC-certified products, enabling consumers to clearly recognize and distinguish products made from responsibly source draw materials