With a goal of having 80 percent of its products certified by Fair Trade by 2025, Arc’teryx has announced plans to get three production facilities in Vietnam converted in order to obtain the label in the coming year. The move comes as part of the company’s response to the global garment workers’ crisis, which has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. In a call to action to fellow brands, Jon Hoerauf, president of Arc’teryx, said that the global apparel industry must do better by its workers, whom he regards as highly valued and skilled craftspeople. He also pointed out that 75 percent of garment workers worldwide are women whose families depend on this industry. Given the rapid and significant impacts being felt in supply chains around the world, Arc’teryx has pledged to join a broader industry conversation by addressing the lack of social protection that exist in many countries where the apparel industry operates. The roll-out of Arc’teryx Fair Trade certified items will begin in 2021 with nearly 60 models manufactured in three factories in Vietnam, representing almost 20 percent of the brand’s total products. For each Arc’teryx Fair Trade product ordered, premiums are being paid directly to garment workers to improve their livelihoods, for example for childcare, gas stoves, health insurance or clean water. Hoerauf noted that Arc’teryx’ parent company, Amer Sports, has signed the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Call to Action. Arc’teryx has also contributed $50,000 to directly support garment workers’ short-term needs in Bangladesh via the 17-year-old AWAJ Foundation.

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