VANCOUVER — September 5, 2024 — Global outdoor apparel company Patagonia is taking another step forward in its environmental commitments by joining Pack4Good, a sustainable packaging initiative from Canopy, a solutions-driven non-profit organization dedicated to protecting forests, species, and climate.
Building on a strong foundation of working with Canopy to eliminate the destruction of Ancient and Endangered Forests caused by the production of viscose textiles since 2013, Patagonia is now focusing on Next Generation (Next Gen) packaging solutions that come from more sustainable sources such as agricultural waste instead of trees. The company has committed to ensuring none of their packaging comes at the expense of the world’s most climate- and biodiversity-critical forests.
Paper packaging — like delivery boxes, hang tags, and shoe boxes — is responsible for 3.1 billion trees being logged annually, many from climate-critical forests. The pressure on the world’s forests is intense, and using alternative sources of fibre for paper and packaging, that doesn’t use trees, is a priority for Canopy and Patagonia.
“Patagonia is excited to announce its partnership with Canopy’s Pack4Good initiative,” said Jennifer Patrick, Packaging and Branding Director, Patagonia. “As part of our goal to build the best product and constantly improve everything we do, we are taking steps to review and develop new, more-responsible packaging materials in partnership with Canopy.”
Since its initial partnership with Canopy, Patagonia has been at the forefront of shifting the viscose and rayon supply chain, being among the first brand leaders to source exclusively from producers rated as “green shirt” in Canopy’s annual Hot Button Report. In its ongoing efforts to minimize their environmental impact, Patagonia has been using 100-percent recycled content for all its packaging and catalogues.
The next phase of Patagonia’s sustainability journey will involve collaboration with Canopy to develop and scale up Next Gen packaging solutions. Next Gen Solutions utilize innovative materials such as agricultural waste and non-forest alternative fibres, significantly reducing reliance on primary forest resources.
“We are so pleased to be welcoming Patagonia to the Pack4Good family,” said Nicole Rycroft, founder and executive director of Canopy. “This commitment comes at a crucial time when the need for low-carbon alternatives to forest-based packaging is more pressing than ever. By supporting the scale-up of Next Gen materials, Patagonia is not only contributing to the preservation of Ancient and Endangered Forests, it is leading the outdoor apparel sector towards a more sustainable future.”
Today’s announcement brings the Pack4Good initiative to 445 brands worth more than $249 billion in annual revenue.
Posted: September 5, 2024
Source: Canopy
