Timberland enforces its circular targets

To keep up with the current shift into circularity the brand Timberland has announced its products will have a net positive impact on the environment. The brand wants to give back more than it takes by 2030.

The brand has set two specific measurable goals in line to achieve a net positive impact by 2030. Its first goal is to ensure 100% of the products are designed for circularity in order to achieve zero waste. Its second goal states that 100% of natural materials are to be sourced from regenerative agriculture to move past net-zero and ensure a positive impact over the environment.

Colleen Vien, the director of sustainability for Timberland stated that the environment in today’s time is in the state of degradation and as a fashion brand, they were a part of the problem. He said that for decades Timberland has worked to minimize their impact however he felt it was time to do better. He stated that the company is to focus on circular design and regenerative agriculture as it aims to have a positive impact by following nature’s lead. He further added that they were excited about the journey and hope to inspire the industry as a whole to work together and change the trajectory for their collective future.

To enforce nature’s closed-loop, zero-waste process the brand thrives to make all its products across footwear, apparel and accessories to be designed for circularity. Timberland’s original Earthkeepers® boots introduced in 2007 were made out of recycled PET linings and recycled rubber soles. In 2010 the brand projected its first step into the circular design with the Earthkeeper 2.0 boot which was designed to be fully completely disassembled for recycling at the end of its life cycle.

Today the brand aspires to expand on the concept with products to be made using materials that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Many CPG brands are committed to ensuring their materials are produced through regenerative practices to ensure restoration of soil health and maximize its ability to sequester carbon. Timberland’s latest goal includes organic materials used in its products to be sourced through regenerative agriculture by 2030.

The company as a founding member of the Leather Working Group has led the change around production and sourcing practices in the fashion industry. As a part of a long-term effort to build a network of early-adopter in regenerative ranches with its large scale tanner partner to help build a regenerative supply chain in the US, Australia and Brazil for apparel and footwear.

This fall Timberland is expected to reintroduce its Earthkeepers platform as evidence of its continued commitment towards innovation around product sustainability and launch its first collection of Regenerative Leather boots made from leather sourced from Thousand Hills through their sourcing partner Other Half Processing. The company is also working to cultivate regenerative supply chains for rubber, cotton, wool and sugarcane.