** Video interview available to watch at the bottom.
Canopy is an award-winning, solutions-driven non-profit founded in 1999. Their mission is to end deforestation and degradation of the world’s critical forests. They work collaboratively with brands, producers, local NGOs, Indigenous leaders, and decision-makers. Their approach brings the power of the global market to secure large-scale, and just conservation for the world’s climate-critical and biodiversity-rich forests.
Canopy joined the CCTC to drive forward the development of robust textile recycling and sorting infrastructure in Canada, which is critical for scaling next-generation materials.
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Tell us a bit about your organization, and your role within it.
Hello, my name is Joshua Katcher, I am the North America Hub Strategist at Canopy where my focus is catalyzing the conditions to scale next-gen manufacturing in North America across the fashion, paper and packaging sectors to take pressure off ancient and endangered forests.
Canopy is a solutions-driven environmental organization with a mission to protect the world’s vital forests and biodiversity. We work collaboratively with global brands, producers, local NGOs, innovators and indigenous leaders to transform the textile and paper packaging supply chains.
To-date, we’ve worked with over 900 global brands, 28 producers, and close to 40 nextgen solutions innovators to reduce pressure on vital forests.
What circularity initiatives is Canopy currently tackling?
The circularity initiatives that Canopy participates in tackling are underpinned by the fact that every year 5.1 billion trees are cut down for paper, paper packaging, and man-made cellulosic fiber. Many of these trees were from the world’s most vital forests. Keeping these forests standing is absolutely critical to counteract climate change, and reverse biodiversity loss. We have low-carbon, low-impact alternatives to forest fibers called next-generation solutions.
These next-gen solutions transform discarded textiles into new garments, and turn agricultural residues into new paper and packaging. Next-gen solutions use less water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they divert waste, create jobs and keep vital forests out of paper, packaging, and textiles.
With the help of our brand, producer and innovation partners, we’re looking to galvanize over 60 million tonnes of next-gen alternatives by 2033 to reduce pressure on forests by strengthening market demand, and scaling next-gen solutions.
Why did you join the Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC)?
Canopy joined CCTC to drive forward the development of robust textile recycling and sorting infrastructure in Canada. This is critical for scaling next-gen materials. This collaboration aligns with Canopy’s mission to protect forests and biodiversity by creating market conditions that support circular solutions and accelerate sustainable practices across industries.
What projects are you working on within the CCTC?
The projects that we’re working on with the CCTC are several. We’re a strategic partner of CCTC, so Canopy collaborates on resource sharing, on the Future’s Framework which contextualizes the need for policies, sets the stage for conditions in Canada in respect to textile recycling, identifying gaps, policies and other needs for infrastructural buildup.
We work on the opportunity assessments, on pilot projects, and participation in education efforts like the learning series. We also participate in knowledge sharing, of data and research, and leveraging our extensive network.
What takeaway would you like to leave people with about the future of circularity in the fashion and textile space?
The takeaway that I’d like to leave with CCTC is that I actually feel optimistic about the future of circularity for the fashion and textile space. WIth data-driven solutions, with collaboration, investments, laws, policies and a shared vision for circularity, the solutions needed at a systems level are not just essential, I think they’re achievable. And, I hope you do too.
Thanks!
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