As the world reels under a severe “biodiversity crisis” leading to what scientists call the “sixth mass extinction”, Textile Exchange has come up with a Biodiversity Landscape Analysis for the fashion, textiles, apparel and footwear industry to help spur companies forward with methods and actions relevant to their biodiversity and nature journey, and point them to key guidance, resources, and tools.
BIODIVERSTY LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS: The Biodiversty Landscape Analysis for the Fashion, Apparel, Textile and Footwear Industry has been prepared by Textile Exchange in collaboration with the Fashion Pact, Conservation International, and Biodiversify.
- The report focuses specifically on biodiversity impacts at the raw material extraction and initial production stages of the industry’s supply chains. However, it also recognises that material processing, production, and finished product assembly stages are also responsible for biodiversity impacts.
- From fossil fuel-derived synthetics to natural fibres produced through cropping, grazing, and forestry, the textile industry’s fibre and raw material production systems are varied, with differing areas of impact and opportunity. For the purposes of this report, the focus is on the industry’s key land-based fibre and raw material categories: plant-based (i.e. cotton, rubber); animal-based (i.e. wool, leather, cashmere, mohair, alpaca); manmade cellulosic fibres (i.e. viscose)—and their impacts at the raw material production stage.
- The report aims to clarify the process of taking action to protect and restore biodiversity and align companies on their biodiversity journeys. It does this by consolidating and condensing the wealth of tools, methods, frameworks, and standards that are out there.
- To fully understand the challenges and opportunities that companies face in taking action to protect and restore biodiversity, this report draws on interviews with a range of people across the industry. These include farmers, suppliers, supplier groups, brands, certification organisations, consultants, and more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS: In 2023, biodiversity loss was recognised as the fourth-biggest long-term global risk by the World Economic Forum. Some key insights from the report:
- Biodiversity refers to our planet’s vast variety of lifeforms—including animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms—and how they interact within habitats and ecosystems.
- Nature is a broader term, encompassing all the world’s biodiversity as well as non-living elements like mountains, water, and weather. When thinking about environmental impacts, “climate” and “nature” go hand-in-hand.
- Fashion, textiles, apparel and footwear companies are intrinsically responsible for protecting biodiversity. That’s because over a third of the materials they use come from land-based ecosystems, produced through cropping, grazing or forestry. Without healthy ecosystems, we can’t produce materials like cotton, wool, mohair, leather, viscose, and many more.
- Fashion depends on nature. While sourcing decisions directly impact biodiversity, companies have an opportunity to protect, restore, and regenerate it too. Doing so is vital to securing a more resilient future—not just for the sake of the industry and the fibres and raw materials it sources, but for Earth’s ecosystems too.
- Companies need to come together and take a holistic approach for improved biodiversity outcomes and healthy, resilient ecosystems. This means not only aiming to reduce harm and mitigate risk, but also actively working to protect, restore, and regenerate the lands and waters that support our planet, our people, and our businesses.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS: Key recommendations for brands as they take action on biodiversity in their sourcing and use of raw materials:
- Take a science-based approach to inform decisions;
- Recognize the need to act on a landscape level;
- Accept that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for biodiversity;
- Build strategic collaborations at all levels to enable impact at scale; and
- Take action, monitor, and adapt.
ABOUT THE COLLABORATORS: Textile Exchange is a global non-profit driving beneficial impact on climate and nature across the fashion, textile and apparel industry. We guide a growing community of brands, manufacturers, and farmers towards more purposeful production, right from the start of the supply chain.
- The Fashion Pact is a CEO-led organization, representing companies from the fashion and textile industry across the entire value chain, with a focus on creating meaningful, large-scale change to improve industry practices for the good of our planet. The initiative is committed to accelerating action on nature, climate change mitigation and the protection of our oceans by addressing key tipping points that will help shift the industry for the better.
- Conservation International has long believed that corporations have a responsibility not only to embrace environmentally and socially sustainable business practices, but to invest in the conservation of the nature their business depends upon.
WHAT THEY SAID:
It is not just about nature, but also our relationship with nature—we need to understand this. Everyone’s relationship is going to be different.
— Mirjam Hazenbosch
Senior Consultant
Biodiversify
