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M&S Commitment on Protecting Forests through
Fabric Choices
M&S is a leading international, multi-channel retailer. We sell stylish, high quality, great
value clothing and home products, as well as outstanding quality food, responsibly sourced
from around 3,000 suppliers globally. M&S is committed to ensuring our fabrics do not come
from the world’s remaining ancient and endangered forests and supporting lasting
restoration and conservation solutions for these regions.
Conservation of Ancient and Endangered Forests and Ecosystems
With an increase in the use of forest fibres in fabrics there is a need for business to make
sure the impact of fabric sourcing on forests is understood and addressed. M&S supports a
future that does not use ancient and endangered forest to make cellulose-based textiles,
including but not limited to rayon, viscose, lyocell and modal.
M&S is committed to working with industry and NGO partners to shift the fabric s upply chain
towards sourcing practices that ensure protection of the world’s remaining ancient and
endangered forests and endangered species habitat.
To do this, M&S will:
Assess our use of cellulose-based fabrics and work to eliminate by 2017 fabrics made of
dissolving pulp from endangered species1 habitat and ancient and endangered forests
areas such as the Canadian and Russian Boreal Forests; Coastal Temperate
Rainforests; tropical forests and peat lands of Indonesia, the Amazon and West Africa.
Work to eliminate by 2017 fabric made with dissolving pulp from companies that are
logging forests illegally2, from tree plantations established after 1994 through the
conversion of natural forests; or from areas being logged in contravention of indigenous
peoples’ rights.
Work with stakeholders to support collaborative and visionary solutions that restore or
protect remaining ancient and endangered forests in the Coastal Temperate Rainforests
of Vancouver Island and Great Bear Rainforest3, Canada’s Boreal Forests4, and
Indonesia’s Rainforests5.
Should we find that any of our fibres are being sourced from ancient and endangered
forests, endangered species habitat or illegal logging we will engage our suppliers to
change practices and/or re-evaluate our relationship with them.
