Environmental non-profit Canopy has unveiled new criteria for its annual Hot Button Report, increasing the emphasis on next-generation fibre solutions and forest conservation as the textile industry seeks to reduce its reliance on climate-critical forests.
The updated framework assesses manufacturers of man-made cellulosic fibres (MMCFs), including viscose, lyocell and acetate. It reduces the number of assessment categories from seven to five and simplifies the rating system to three shirt colours: green, yellow and red.
Canopy said the changes mark the next phase of its Hot Button work, building on a decade of progress in raising awareness of forest-related risks in fashion supply chains.
The new approach places greater weight on scaling next-generation fibres, improving supply chain transparency and strengthening forest protection through landscape-level conservation projects. These next-generation solutions include fibres made from recycled textiles.
The framework also introduces clearer targets, expressed in both volumes and percentages, while taking account of differences in the capabilities of small, medium and large producers. Manufacturers with known high-risk sourcing will receive a red shirt rating.
The Hot Button Report awards buttons to producers that meet specific criteria and assigns an overall shirt colour reflecting their performance on forest sourcing and next-generation fibre development. A green shirt indicates low or no known risk relating to ancient and endangered forests or controversial fibre in a producer’s supply chain.
More than 550 brands participating in Canopy’s CanopyStyle programme use the report to inform purchasing decisions, giving the assessment influence over sourcing choices across the global fashion industry.
Maryann Ramirez, senior lead at Canopy, said the report had helped change industry attitudes towards the environmental impact of textile fibres.
“The Hot Button helped change the conversation about where fashion’s fibres come from,” she explained.
“Ten years ago, the industry was asking whether viscose could be sourced without destroying the world’s most vital forests. Today, we have the opportunity to build a fibre system that is circular, resilient, and keeps forests standing.”
Ramirez added that consistency and fairness were important to ensuring manufacturers could plan investments with confidence, while allowing the framework to recognise different routes to achieving environmental improvements.
Canopy developed the revised criteria following consultation with all 28 MMCF producers assessed under the report, alongside selected brand partners. A legal review was also conducted to align the framework with international legislation.
The new criteria will be applied in the 2027 Hot Button Report, providing fibre manufacturers and the brands sourcing their materials with an updated basis for assessing progress.
Canopy works with more than 1,000 global brands, producers and innovators to transform supply chains and scale next-generation solutions that reduce dependence on climate-critical forests. The White Company and L’Oreal are among the companies to have strengthened their partnerships with Canopy in 2026.
‘Transition to more sustainable fibres’: The White Company partners with Canopy
[image credit: Green Retail World]
