Asia Pacific Rayon’s (APR) “Follow Our Fibre” blockchain-based tool, launched in May 2019, has been refreshed to include information of its suppliers’ conservation and biodiversity efforts, offering greater transparency.
The update allows users access to information in real time on the source of the raw materials in their garments and the origination of the fiber, and comes at a time when the fashion industry, through the Fashion Pact, is embracing biodiversity more as a core focus on its agenda, the Jakarta, Indonesia-based company said.
Follow Our Fibre now maps APR’s supply chain down to locations of forest plantation concessions and conservation areas. The textile fiber producer’s suppliers are collectively responsible for the conservation of more than 3.12 million hectares of forests around the world, including boreal and peat swamp forests. These protected forests host rich biodiversity like the elusive Sumatran tiger and Canadian boreal caribou, and provide ecosystem services, including 22 rivers and tributaries covering more than 900 kilometers.
Forestry conservation organization Canopy said while it is encouraged by the progress to date, it noted this is the first step in a long-term process. APRIL’s ongoing operations on peatlands have significant climate and ecological impacts, Canopy said, and the company continues to be mired in ongoing social conflicts that need to be satisfactorily addressed, while its “legacy of harm to both the environment and communities requires serious long-term investment in redress and restoration.”
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“Despite the work that remains to be tackled, Canopy is encouraged by the initial steps taken by Sateri and is committed to continued, constructive discussion and actions,” the group said.
“It is vital that we work with our supply partners to protect and strengthen forest landscape conservation areas rich in flora and fauna, and home to threatened and endangered species for today and future generations,” Cherie Tan, APR’s vice president of sustainability and communications, said. “These efforts are part of APR’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) 13 on Climate Action, and 15 on Life on Land.”
By providing a snapshot of the forest landscapes and biodiversity, APR said it hopes to quantify its ecological footprint and look for opportunities to partner with stakeholders to further strengthen forest conservation and enhance biodiversity in areas where it sources. APR said Follow Our Fibre reflects its long-term objectives for sustainable pulp sourcing and responsible manufacturing.
APR is a fully integrated viscose rayon producer. Its factory in Riau, Indonesia has a 240,000 ton per year capacity and uses the latest production technology to produce high-quality rayon. APR is part of the RGE (Royal Golden Eagle) group of resource-based manufacturing companies that includes viscose manufacturer Sateri.