V F : VF Announces Achievement of Traceability Mapping Goal

Responsible sourcing and sustainability are at the core of how we design, develop and manufacture our products at VF and this extends across the entirety of our family of brands. This commitment encompasses a focus on minimizing our footprint, while also positively affecting the communities and environments in which our materials are produced, as well as the people who make them.

Transparency is at the heart of our Sustainability & Responsibility efforts and in 2017, we introduced the VF Traceability Program in order to identify our upstream supply chain to track all of the points of impact in creating our products. Today, we're pleased to share that as of December 2021, we have traced over 100 products, and produced traceability maps for many of our flagship products from the Timberland® Waterproof Boot to the Jansport® Big Student Backpack and The North Face® ThermoBall™ Eco Hoodie.

What is a Traceability Map?

Complete traceability goes beyond the factories that produce our goods. It starts at a farm, ranch or a facility where raw materials used in our products are grown, extracted and sourced. Included in this process are high-impact goods such as cotton, wool, leather, rubber and polyester. The purpose is to understand the origins of these raw materials that enables us to identify how these materials are processed and the impacts they have on the environment and the people who live in communities supporting these processes. Through supplier outreach, surveys and continued research, we are gaining a better understanding of our entire supply chain.

With this data, we have created Traceability Maps to understand where our suppliers are operating, identify areas of concern and address them - for example, if they are in locations at high risk for deforestation, or if there is an opportunity to recycle water in a more sustainable way. These maps also incorporate data on human rights, furthering our commitment to people.

Why this Matters

The maps allow us to then take a critical look at our processes and adjust as needed. This particular act of tracing identifies problems we may have not been able to see at the surface, while uncovering issues and allowing us to address them. With this data, we've implemented policies around the ethical sourcing of supplies. For example, in 2019, we discovered that our leather sourcing in Brazil was not up to our standards, so we discontinued working with those suppliers for international distribution until we have confidence and assurance that the sourcing of these materials does not cause environmental harm. Currently, we are tracing our polyester to ensure that both our recycled and virgin polyester originate from places with fair labor laws, where there is no forced labor, child labor or unpaid wages.

Living Our Purpose

When someone buys a product from a VF brand, we know we can back up our commitment of giving back and doing better for the planet. Sharing these maps validates the sustainability of our brands and solidifies our mission.

By 2030, our goal is to create a purpose-led supply chain, only partnering with producers who meet our standards, and have 100% of our materials be recycled, regenerative or responsibly sourced. Today's milestone of 100 traceability maps, which completes our three-year goal, is just the beginning as we continue to drive the industry and ourselves to do even more.