SAVING ANCIENT & ENDANGERED FORESTS

Let’s talk fabric. You probably know all about cotton (so classic, so cool), but what about man-made cellulose fabrics like rayon and viscose? These fabrics are super-soft, breathable, and lightweight, which makes them perfect for drapey tops and dresses, and for blending into the comfy, stretchy jeans you love.

But like so many amazing things, there’s a downside.

We’ve learned that viscose and rayon aren’t quite as sustainable as we’d thought. Sure, they’re made from trees, which are a renewable resource, but every year, 150 million trees are cut down to create fabric. And we want more healthy forests, not less. Forests soak up carbon dioxide, which slows down climate change. Plus, think of all the plants, animals, and people who rely on those ecosystems for food, water, medicine, and more.

That’s why AEO—along with 125 other major brands—has partnered with the environmental nonprofit group Canopy to educate ourselves and our suppliers, and ensure the clothing we make for YOU is free of fibers from ancient and endangered forests.

 

 

2020, we plan to eliminate sourcing from ancient and endangered forests.

 

 

 

By 2025, we plan to shift to more environmentally and socially beneficial fabrics, with a focus on recycled materials, fiber alternatives such as agricultural residues, and products that originate from Forest Stewardship Council-certified forests and plantations.

 

 

 

 

We’ll respect and uphold human rights and the rights of communities. We plan not to source from companies that are logging forests illegally or in violation of indigenous and local people’s rights.

 

 

 

We plan to work with Canopy and our suppliers to protect remaining ancient and endangered forests across the world, including the Coastal Temperate Rainforests on Vancouver Island, the Great Bear Rainforest, Canada’s Boreal Forests, and Indonesia’s Rainforests.

 

 

 

If we find out that any of our suppliers are engaging in practices that are not in line with our values (and YOURS), we plan to educate them and/or re-evaluate our relationships with them.

 

 

 

We ALL have the power to create change. AEO is committed to making sure the raw materials used to make your clothes are sourced in responsible, sustainable ways. How are you changing the world? Tag #AExME @americaneagle and let us know. You could be featured in an upcoming post!

 

 

 

Comments

  1. Byron Risvold

    Another reason why I enjoy wearing and buying American Eagle products. I am not an environmentalist , however I do spend a great deal of my time outdoors in the woods and on our Great Lakes in Minnesota. I will continue to purchase your quality product for myself and my sons. Who also enjoy the outdoors as much as I and someday hope to carrry this tradition on with grandkids.

  2. Claire

    I love your plan and I am sooo glad that you want to help the earth with us and educate people and those who buy your products! I would love if you bumped up your time line a bit so things went faster but I understand it takes time and you have to work with others to get it done. It would be really cool though if you had some merchandise that 10% or something went to Green Peace or WWF it would make me and some other friends and family I have be way more likely to come to your store and get some new clothes instead of going somewhere else. Thank you for starting to implicate change though it makes me want to shop here more often to support what I believe in!😁🌸🌎 Save the earth!

  3. Israel Gonzalez

    This is AMAZING! I love how this company is so diluted to help endangered ecosystems and protect the LGBT community. As a consumer, I’ve never been much aware of what my clothing was made from or where that money leads too. I’m so happy to be well informed that my favorite retail store is making changes to better suit our environment and communities. I love you AE, I really do.

  4. Victoria R

    LOOOVEEEE this! <3 Let's save the trees!

  5. Nancy martin

    That’s great news. Kudos. When sourcing new fabrics please also keep in mind the millions of plastic microfibers that are polluting our waterways and aquatic creatures(and us). The washing of synthetic fabrics is the number one source of plastic microfibers being found in our waterways.

  6. Sabrina Polus

    This sounds great! Can we get updates? Also why is the transition planned so far away as 2025? Is that just a rough estimate?

  7. Donyelle

    Will your prices increase because of the new sourcing/changes? I’ve noticed a lot of brands with these values have more expensive items. Congrats on being more mindful!

  8. Sara

    Amen 👌🙌 💕

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