LWG delays hit Tapestry targets but confidence remains
27/01/2022
In 2021, the owner of Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman used 85.3 million square feet of leather.
Its target of sourcing 90% of leather from silver- and gold-rated Leather Working Group (LWG) tanneries by 2025 was affected as LWG certifications and recertification audits were delayed due to COVID-19.
This meant 85% of tanneries were audited by the LWG, and 60.3% received a gold- or silver rating, compared with 67% in FY20. However, Tapestry commented, “We believe we are on track to achieve our goal by 2025.”
Tapestry is working with the LWG Traceability Working Group to support the development of a system to substantiate claims of deforestation-free leather supply chains. The group’s director of materials planning sits on the technical subgroup (TSG) of the LWG, helping with development of the LWG Audit Standards.
In FY2021, the company also began using leathers that are retanned and finished using bio-based chemicals. This reduces the amount of petroleum-based chemicals used in product development.
During the year, Coach launched products using Upwoven leather, which is made from salvaged leather scraps that are used to create a new woven leather. Since the launch of Upwoven leather, Coach has repurposed 3,228 pounds of scrap leather, equivalent to 732 yards of woven leather.
In April 2021, Coach launched (Re)Loved, a program that gives bags a second life by allowing customers the opportunity to trade pre-owned Coach bags for store credit. These bags are then remade as part of the Coach (Re)Loved collection. Coach (Re)Loved consists of Coach’s Upcrafted collection and Coach Restored bags.
Over the last three years, its teams have managed approximately 266,000 repairs for customers.
Tapestry CEO Joanne Crevoiserat said: “Tapestry’s approach to corporate responsibility is based on driving real, measurable change towards a more sustainable, equitable and inclusive world. I am incredibly proud of the great strides that we made in fiscal year 2021 that are detailed in Our Social Fabric Corporate Responsibility report.
“Among them are the announcement of an ambitious expansion of our 2025 goals and signing the Science Based Targets initiative’s Business Ambition for 1.5°C, committing to set science-based targets to limit global warming to 1.5°C and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, remaining steadfast in our efforts to make a difference and create a better world.”
Credit: Coach
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