Gucci joins other fashion players in committing to protect rainforests

(AFP PHOTO / Christophe Simon)

The Rainforest Action Network announced on November 3 that the Gucci Group--which includes fashion houses Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Balenciaga--has joined a growing list of major companies who are pledging to change their paper policies.

Since the beginning of fall 2009, the Rainforest Action Network has been encouraging fashion industry players to examine their paper supply chains, avoiding suppliers who use resources from endangered rainforests, specifically those in Indonesia.

According to RAN, the Gucci Group has decided to reduce the amount of paper it uses, to eliminate fiber from high-conservation-value forests, and to purchase only recycled paper products or those certified by the Forest Stewardship Council by December 2010.

With its pledge, the Gucci Group joins a growing list of major companies--including Tiffany & Co., H&M Group, Staples, and Unisource--who are working with the RAN to ensure that all paper they use, from copy paper to shopping bags, does not come from endangered forests.

The Rainforest Action Network reports that tropical deforestation is responsible for 20 percent of all annual greenhouse emissions, with about eight percent of global carbon emissions resulting from Indonesia's rapid deforestation.