Proof that sourcing plays a major role in the implementation of sustainable strategies, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) is providing the American footwear industry with a dedicated guide on the raw materials to be preferred.
Designed as a decision-making tool focused on raw materials and associated certifications, the organisation hopes to mobilise the entire industry and help it begin its transition to more responsible production.
Specific guidelines on material sourcing but also a more general call to action since, as the FDRA itself explains, the document only targets a part of the value chain (environmental or chemical risks and transformation processes are of out-of-scope) and does not always impose particularly binding objectives in its minimum requirements.
Nevertheless, a first step that we hope will be widely adopted!
