Not sustainable: Over 300 million trees a year are logged to produce viscose

The global fashion industry is under increasing scrutiny for its environmental impact, particularly its role in deforestation. Each year, over 300 million trees are logged to produce cellulosic fabrics such as viscose, with ancient forests in Indonesia, Canada, and Brazil bearing the brunt of this demand.

Environmental non-profit Canopy is spearheading efforts to transform supply chains through its CanopyStyle initiative. The organisation is working with fashion brands, retailers, and viscose producers to develop alternatives that preserve endangered forests.

Endangered forests

A promising avenue for sustainability is the development of "Next Generation Solutions". These include fabrics made from recycled textiles and agricultural waste, which could significantly reduce the industry's environmental footprint. According to Canopy, these alternatives consume 75 percent less energy and up to 90 percent less water than conventional wood-based fabrics, while using greener chemicals in production.

Several major Man Made Cellulosic Fibres (MMCF) producers are already adopting these technologies. However, scaling up remains a challenge. Canopy has proposed an ambitious ten-year action plan aimed at removing 50 percent of wood fibre from the pulp for paper and MMCF supply chains by 2030.

“Deforestation continues to be a problem,” Nicole Rycroft, founder of Vancouver-based Canopy, told The Guardian. “It’s 2024 – surely we are smarter than mowing down 1,000-year-old trees to make T-shirts.”

As consumer awareness grows and regulatory pressures mount, the fashion industry faces a pivotal moment. The adoption of these sustainable alternatives could not only preserve critical forest habitats but also offer new revenue streams for farmers and reduce textile waste in landfills.

“It’s 2024 – surely we are smarter than mowing down 1,000-year-old trees to make T-shirts.”

Nicole Rycroft, Canopy Founder, via The Guardian

The industry's ability to pivot towards these innovative solutions will likely shape its future sustainability credentials and market positioning in an increasingly eco-conscious global market.