VF Corporation launches materials sourcing maps

VF Corporation currently sources materials for its products from 60 different countries.

Consumers can now check the supply chain footprint for ten of VF Corporation’s products through online sourcing maps, as a part of its focus on responsible and ethical practices. According to the US-based company, this information on the company’s sustainability website has been published to help ensure that every step in the production of VF Corporation’s footwear and apparel meets its standards of quality, sustainability and social responsibility.

The company has admitted that it is not a simple task to fully map the supply chain of a single product and build verified data for each supplier. This includes mapping where raw materials such as cotton and rubber are acquired, to the various factories that manufacture and produce a finished product, and the distribution centres from where the product is shipped. For example, in the supply chain for a single ‘Vans’ product, VF Corporation identified no less than 78 unique suppliers. With the creation of the source map, a consumer can now follow the creation of a pair of Vans shoes starting with the cotton fibres that are woven into material used in the footwear. The interactive maps display the number and locations of suppliers in a region, and users can zoom to examine each supplier, with onsite inspections, verifications and associate interviews.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 2 of the November 2018 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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