During the recent open session of the International Council of Tanners meeting in Hong Kong, held on March 11, the day before the APLF exhibition, David Wright, the vice president of advanced technological development at Tapestry, the parent company of Coach and Kate Spade, discussed the company’s approach to traceability.
He emphasised that the primary motivation for this work is regulatory compliance, particularly in relation to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), rather than consumer demand. Mr Wright stated that Tapestry does not plan to implement product traceability for consumers at this time.
Noting that it is only a matter of time before the EUDR regulations could be applied to finished products, requiring a complete traceability map to sell products in Europe, he provided an overview of Tapestry's new traceability project, highlighting the collaborative nature of the leather industry, while also stressing the need for greater integration among different sectors of the supply chain.
In his presentation, he pointed out that the leather industry has faced unfair challenges over the years and faces significant challenges in traceability due to the fragmentation of the supply chain. This includes multiple stakeholders, from cattle ranchers to tanneries and manufacturers. The lack of standardised traceability practices compounds the difficulties in achieving transparency.
Through the philanthropic organisation Tapestry Foundation, the company has granted $12 million to support traceability initiatives.
For more information about the traceability efforts being undertaken by Tapestry, you can read the latest issue of World Leather magazine.
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