Canopy Unveils New Hot Button Criteria to Guide the Next Decade of Viscose/Rayon Fibre Transformation

Updated framework puts greater weight on Next Gen scale-up, traceability, and conservation, while keeping the importance of responsible sourcing.

Canopy, an environmental non-profit, today unveiled new criteria for the Hot Button Report, its annual assessment of Man-Made Cellulosic Fibre (MMCF) producers. The updated framework raises the bar while reducing the criteria from seven to five, rewards producers that are focusing efforts on Next Gen Solutions, and simplifies the shirt rating system to three colours.

The past ten years have seen a significant and positive shift in understanding forest risk in textile supply chains. As the climate crisis deepens and the regulatory landscape changes, it’s time to build on the progress made and enter a new phase of transformation. The updated criteria will start a second phase of the Hot Button work with greater emphasis on Next Gen uptake, improving transparency, and strengthening forest protection through landscape-level conservation projects.

What’s changing:

• The new criteria include clear goals and expectations, defined in both volumes and percentages, and tailored to acknowledge the varied capabilities of small, medium, and large companies.

• The number of shirt colours available for the ratings has been reduced to just three: green, yellow, and red.

• Producers with known high-risk sourcing will be rated with a red shirt.

• The criteria have been streamlined by reducing categories from seven to five.

The Hot Button Report rates producers of viscose and other MMCFs such as lyocell and acetate on their forest sourcing and their leadership on scaling Next Gen fibres, like those made from recycled textiles. Producers earn buttons for meeting the criteria and receive a shirt colour rating. A Green Shirt signals low or no known risk of Ancient and Endangered Forests or controversial fibre in a producer's supply chain. Over 550 brands in the CanopyStyle initiative use the Hot Button Report to inform their purchasing decisions. 

Ramirez added, “Hot Button is a system that must feel fair, equitable, and consistent year-to-year so producers can plan with confidence. At the same time, it must remain flexible enough to credit diverse pathways to impact​”

Canopy will apply the new criteria in the 2027 Hot Button Report. The criteria were developed by Canopy. All 28 rated MMCF producers were consulted in the process, along with select brand partners. Canopy also completed a legal review to align the framework with international legislation.