CanopyStyle: 125 Brands Now United for the World’s Forests

Transformation of the Viscose Supply Chain Underway as 20 New Brands Join the Movement

Berlin, Stockholm, Sydney, Toronto, Vancouver. February 6 ^th , 2018 – Environmental not-for-profit Canopy is thrilled to announce 20 new brand commitments to eliminate the use of endangered forests in their textile supply chain by 2020. With the addition of companies zLabels, MQ Retail, Koala, TAMGA Designs and Spell & The Gypsy Collective, the CanopyStyle initiative has now surpassed 125 brand partners representing over $134B USD in annual revenue. All partner brands have committed to eliminate their use of ancient and endangered forests, as well as advance conservation solutions in landscapes of hope such as Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem, Vancouver Island’s rainforests and Canada’s Boreal forest.

The Leuser Ecosystem is the last place on earth where the Sumatran elephant, rhinoceros, tiger and orangutan co-exist within one area. Vancouver Island is ground zero for many of the last remaining stands of thousand year old cedars, ancient Douglas Fir and spruce which store vast amounts of carbon and support biodiversity, while the Boreal forest is the largest source of unfrozen fresh water on Earth.

With today’s announcement, 125 brands are now part of the CanopyStyle initiative and will be working for the long-lasting transformation of the rayon-viscose supply chain to protect these ecologically-rich forests. CanopyStyle partners are also prioritizing the development of next generation solutions such as alternative fibres and circular economy sourcing.

This latest cohort of fashion brands and retailers taking leadership on saving forests includes Canadian ethical clothing brand TAMGA Designs, zLabels, a subsidiary of Zalando that develops its in-house brands, leading Swedish clothing chain MQ Retail, high-tech mattress and home furniture producer Koala, and Australia’s modern bohemian fashion brand Spell & The Gypsy Collective.

“Spell & The Gypsy Collective is committed to not source from the world’s ancient and endangered forests, and to encourage our suppliers to shift to more innovative recycled fibres,” said Lizzy Abegg, Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer of Spell & The Gypsy Collective. “Our company cares about the plight of forests and the species that live in them. We look forward to working with Canopy to make the world’s forests a safe home for them.”

“The addition of 20 brands and designers from three continents is a clear signal of CanopyStyle’s continued and strengthening momentum around the world,” said Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director at Canopy.  “The transformation of the viscose supply chain is going to be a game changer for our climate, for the lasting protection of forests, and for the advancement of traditional communities’ rights.”

In recent months, Canopy and its brand, retail and design partners have catalyzed significant transformation of the viscose supply chain. Through work with producers and other industry stakeholders, 25% of the global viscose supply has now been verified at low risk of originating from ancient and endangered forests.  An additional 35% of rayon supply is currently in the CanopyStyle Audit process and six next generation solution enterprises are working with Canopy to bring their innovative technologies to market at scale.

For a more comprehensive look at the CanopyStyle initiative see our Fourth Anniversary Report. Media inquiries: Canopy Laura Repas, Communications and Marketing Specialist +1 416 729 7484 zLabels Kirsten Siegler, Corporate Communications MQ Retail TAMGA Designs Lindsay Graham, PR Manager +1 647 703 1588 Koala Matthew Overington, Head of Communications +61 0409967332 Spell & the Gypsy Collective Sarah Cargill, Marketing Manager About Canopy Canopy is a not-for-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting the world’s forests, species and climate. Canopy collaborates with more than 750 companies to develop innovative solutions, make their supply chains more sustainable and help protect our world’s remaining ancient and endangered forests. Canopy’s partners include H&M, Sprint, Penguin Random House, Stella McCartney, Zara, TC Transcontinental, The Guardian and Scholastic. Canopy’s work relies on the support of individual donors who share our passion for the planet. www.canopyplanet.org About zLabels zLabels is a Multi-Brand-Fashion Company. As daughter of Zalando SE since 2010 international fashion brands are developed in the heart of Berlin. The team creates textile, shoe and accessory collections with a focus on lifestyle and trend. From kids brands and young fashion to classic apparel zLabels reaches various customers and offers a broad range of different products. The 17 brands of the zLabels offering are represented globally in 17 markets. You can find an overview on zlabels.com/brands.

View the zLabels CanopyStyle commitment here . About MQ Retail MQ Retail is one of Sweden’s leading retailers of fashion brands. Through a selected mix of proprietary and external brands, MQ offers men’s and women’s clothes with a high fashion content in attractive stores. The store chain currently comprises about 120 stores. The MQ share is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm since June 18th, 2010. MQ Retail is a modern fashion and retail company. It has a long history that is testament to continuous development with the aim of achieving growth and creating sustainable values. The customer offer is based on brands, quality and personal service in all channels.

View the MQ Retail CanopyStyle commitment here . About TAMGA Designs TAMGA Designs creates free-spirited clothing from the world’s most innovative and sustainable materials. Based in Toronto, Canada the brand believes in telling the true story of every garment through full traceability and expressive design. Founded in Bangladesh by two aid workers, the company is on a mission to prove that fashion can be part of a brighter future for people and the planet.

View the TAMGA Designs CanopyStyle commitment here . About Koala Koala was founded in 2015 with a singular mission: to take the pain out of buying a mattress and to help humans of all shapes and sizes sleep better. With a promise of prompt delivery, a focus on customer service, and a 120-day money-back guarantee, the agile start-up has surged ahead to become Australia’s highest rated and reviewed mattress in all categories. The business is also passionate about giving back, and adopts a Koala for every mattress sold with a programme of symbolic adoption with the WWF. The adoptions help with the rescue and treatment of sick and injured koalas with the goal of releasing them back into the wild while also helping with habitat protection and regeneration.

View the Koala CanopyStyle commitment here . About Spell & The Gypsy Collective Byron Bay label Spell & the Gypsy Collective is a modern-Bohemian offering of signature gypsy prints, vintage-inspired gowns and flowing feminine silhouettes that trail behind customers as they walk. Founded by Melbourne-born sisters Elizabeth Abegg and Isabella Pennefather, Spell is the go-to brand for music festivals, road-trips and island getaways around the globe. The brands focus other than creating beautiful collections is their People + Planet project ensuring they are creating consciously by offering customers the most sustainable and ethical products through artisan partnerships, sourcing sustainable fibres and reducing their environmental footprint.

View the Spell & The Gypsy Collective CanopyStyle commitment here .