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Canopy Supports Groundbreaking Lifecycle Assessment

Canopy, a Vancouver not-for-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting forests, species and climate, announced its support for a Lifecycle Analysis produced by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, which is noted as the world’s largest producer of tissue paper.

Kimberly-Clark is also the global producer of Kleenex, Huggies and many other major brands sold in over 175 countries.


The company’s Lifecycle Analysis, described by Canopy as a cutting-edge study of the existing and potential raw materials for its products, was authored by the Georgia Institute of Technology, with assistance from Canopy, which provided independent expertise on the study’s advisory board.

Canopy, best known for helping J.K. Rowling steer millions of her Harry Potter books onto environmentally sound paper, works with industry and environmental groups to build policy and procedures for progressive supply chains. Founded in 1999, Canopy currently works more than 700 companies, such as Sprint, EILEEN FISHER, TC Transcontinental, Quiksilver, Random House/Penguin, The Globe and Mail, Scholastic and The Guardian, to develop progressive supply chains. 


“With an eye to protecting our planet’s remaining ancient and endangered forests – and not trading off one environmental issue for another – we have reviewed countless lifecycle assessments related to traditional forest products,” stated Amanda Carr, Campaign Director with Canopy. “The key to our endorsement of Kimberly-Clark’s report is that this study includes measurements for biodiversity and carbon stored in our global forests as part of the environmental considerations.”

With the inclusion of eight key environmental indicators, such as land occupation, human toxicity, climate change and water depletion, the study concluded that recycled paper along with alternatives such as leftover wheat straw had reduced environmental impacts when compared with traditional use of forest fibre. “Canada’s ancient and endangered Boreal Forests continue to be made into toilet paper and incontinence products,” stated Carr. “This study is exciting because it weighs the other options for a global company that had over US$20 billion in sales last year. That is a lot of purchasing power exploring what is best for our planet.”