NEW YORK (AP) — The owner of Timberland, Vans and several other shoe and clothing brands said Thursday that it has stopped buying leather from Brazil as fires continue to destroy the Amazon rainforest in that country.
VF Corp. said it won’t purchase leather and hide from Brazilian suppliers until it’s assured that the materials “do not contribute to environmental harm in the country.”
The current fires in the Amazon were set by those who are clearing the forest for cattle ranching and crops.
About 60% of the Amazon rainforest is in Brazil.
VF, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, said 5% of the leather it purchases for its products comes from Brazil.
“We do uphold our values and our commitment to the planet and its people no matter how small the volume is from a region or supplier,” the company said in a statement.
Besides Timberland boots and Vans sneakers, VF also makes The North Face jackets, Eastpak backpacks and Dickies clothing.
Closer to home, a very small, but vocal protest was held outside the Brazilian Consulate in Toronto near Bay and Bloor Thursday afternoon.
NEWSTALK1010/Heather Seaman
About a dozen or so Toronto activists with the Climate Save Movement and Animal Rebellion showed up to stage a "die-in" outside the consulate.
Some of the protestors, dressed in costumes to bring attention to what they call "out-of-control animal agriculture, logging and mining industries in Brazil" lay across coal to represent the burning Amazon.
Newstalk1010 spoke to protest co-organizer Meghana Rajanahally, with Animal Rebellion Toronto.
"We're out here today because the Amazon Rainforest has been burning for weeks and the governments are doing nothing about it and the world is not acknowledging the real reason for the Amazon Rainforest burning."
Rajanahally adds that they believe it's not just an accidental forest fire.
"It's being set on fire by the animal agriculture industry that's clearing the forest, so that cattle can graze, so that they can grow food to feed the few cattle that will be feeding very few people."
"They're torching the homes of the Indigenous people of the Amazon that have lived there for thousands of years."
Many pedestrians and shoppers making their way along Bay and Bloor seemed oblivious to the group's efforts, while others did stop to show their support and ask about the protest.
Despite resistance they may get from some passersby, the group says they don't believe in "blaming and shaming".
Rajanally says they want to get their message across to people that "we're all part of this problem and we can all be part of the solution."
With files from Heather Seaman