Today, environmental not-for-profit organization Canopy, third-party auditor NEPCon, and Kelheim Fibres released the results of Kelheim’s CanopyStyle Audit. The company’s current supply chain is confirmed as low risk of sourcing wood from Ancient and Endangered Forests or other controversial sources.
“Canopy congratulates Kelheim Fibres for its low risk audit results,” said Nicole Rycroft, Canopy’s Executive Director. “Producers are increasingly hearing from brands that they will no longer source Ancient and Endangered Forest textiles by the end of 2020. This audit result is a validation of Kelheim’s efforts in that direction and positions it well in a competitive market place.”
“Future-oriented fibre materials cannot come at the cost of Ancient and Endangered forests and other valuable resources. Therefore, we are committed to focus on sustainability at every step from raw material sourcing and state-of-the-art closed-loops production processes,” said Craig Barker, CEO of Kelheim Fibres. “As a small producer, we are proud to have accomplished low-risk audit results. We welcome the recommendations the audit report has given us for further improvements and we will actively work towards implementing them.”
NEPCon is pleased to be the independent auditing body for the CanopyStyle initiative and in particular making it possible to meet the growing demand for CanopyStyle audits throughout Europe,” stated Jon Jickling, Director, NEPCon Solutions. “Kelheim Fibres was committed to this third-party assessment of their raw material sourcing.”
Key findings of the audit include:
• The company is at low risk of sourcing from Ancient and Endangered Forests;
• The company has a limited fibre basket and uses a significant proportion of FSC-certified fibres in its viscose products; and
• The company has begun supporting forest conservation solutions in key areas of Ancient and Endangered Forests.
In the spirit of continuous improvement, Canopy recommends that the company increase the proportion of FSC-certified fibre, and make efforts to source 100% FSC, as well as continue to invest in research and development of low-impact alternative fibres, with the goal of launching a fibre line that contain these products.
This audit, which reflects a snapshot in time, is to be conducted annually to ensure that the company continues to meet the expectations of the CanopyStyle initiative. The audit findings contribute to Hot Button Issue Report.
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