Brands need to go beyond forests and their associated risks and consider the chemical emissions and waste that come from viscose production in factories, which can cause health problems and safety risks to workers and have a detrimental effect on surrounding communities. Factories may need to invest in their processes and swap viscose for lyocell where possible to reduce the risk from chemicals. Brands can accelerate these improvements by prioritizing responsible suppliers.

Moving to cleaner, closed-loop materials options such as lyocell is a good starting point, but more work needs to be done around deforestation and chemicals. The leading companies are working together to come up with new solutions and getting involved in industry-wide initiatives, like our Manmade Cellulosic Fibers Round Table. There’s also real potential for wider change by working with organizations in other sectors affected by deforestation, such as those working with wood or leather.