Textile Insight

IN THE MARKET | ECO UPDATE Leveling Up Industry Conversation on Circularity and Climate Change Call to Arms textileinsight.com euse, recycle and renew continue as key elements of today's approach to environmental stewardship, but now execs are urged to focus on corporate climate strategies and putting responsible practices to work into modern supply chains. Patagonia sees this pivot to intensifying efforts around carbon sequestration and regenerative agriculture as the way to lead change. So much so, that the company hosted back-to back seminars at the recent Outdoor Retailer show, a two-hour long program, to raise awareness and speak about the urgency of climate change so brands can get on board and work to "save our home planet together." "We are in a climate crisis, and 'crisis' is the language we should be using," stated Jenn Swain, global senior sustainability manager at Burton, during the panel discussion. Burton began focusing on the impact on its supply chain earlier than most, in 2012, leveraging a LCA approach with hardgoods and apparel and outerwear. Swain noted the challenges especially as a company with a diverse product set. "We need to look at how we work with suppliers, which are in Asia, to bring changes, and that's hard if you are not the manufacturer." Patagonia has set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2025 and within that is another goal of using 100 percent renewable electricity by April 2020. Cara Chacon, Patagonia's VP social & environmental responsibility, described four ways the company looks to achieve goals: Switch out virgin for 100 percent recycled and renewable materials –which is in the final stretch of completion; convert suppliers and brands to over to renewable energy over the course of 20 years and get as many suppliers on board by 2025; work with Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) and sequestering carbon; and the launch of a re-forestation project. Lewis Perkins, the inaugural president of the Apparel Impact Institute (AII), formed last October, served as panel moderator. "Levels of CO2 have exceeded crucial benchmarks," stated Perkins who was most recently president of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. According to the UN, we have 12 years to limit our climate change catastrophe, according to Perkins, who added, "Thankfully there are solutions." Currently the AII is focusing on mill improvement, one of the most environmentally impactful segments of clothing production. The Scaling Mills Initiative is committed to reducing energy, chemical and water use to scale mill improvements in the textile industry. Perkins stated that the organization is establishing similar efforts around green chemistry and clean air. He encouraged brands to take a diversified approach to achieving sustainable goals, as "there is no one silver bullet." This includes setting targets. Specifically "Science Based Targets," or "SBTs," an approach being explored by companies on the leading edge of the climate issue. Science-based targets are a set of goals developed by a business to provide it with a clear route to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An emissions reduction target is defined as "science-based" if it is developed in line with the scale of reductions required to keep global warming below 2C from pre-industrial levels. "We're all seeing the effect of climate change, in our own communities so you can imagine the supply chains in the global south," said Swain. "Factories are getting hotter, sea levels are rising and this is having an impact both socially and environmentally." She added, "Snowpack has declined in the west by 23 percent since 1955; there is two weeks per year less snow cover in the Northeast. According to the 2018 Protect Our Winters report, in the U.S. alone a low snow year generates a one billion dollars less value for the SnowSports industry which translates to 17,000 fewer jobs compared to average snow years." Chacon stressed that while measuring is important, it's challenging. "Environmental metrics are still evolving," said Chacon, adding, "We don't own the mills, so there is only so much influence we have to get them onboard. It costs money to invest in renewable energy." Chacon along with Swain and Perkins agreed that forging partnerships is critical to bringing change, as is recognizing the urgency of climate change. "If your company is not having these conversations internally, there's a problem," Swain concluded. "It needs to be addressed." l R "We're all seeing the effect of climate change, in our own communities so you can imagine the supply chains in the global south. Factories are getting hotter, sea levels are rising and this is having an impact both socially and environmentally." Jenn Swain, global senior sustainability manager, Burton

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