VP Corp, the company that owns famous apparel and footwear brands such as Timberland, Vans, and The North Face, is halting its purchase of leather from Brazil as a way to protest the fires in the Amazon rainforest.
The US firm's move is one of the first major corporate responses to the tragic incident, which has now caught global attention.
According to VP Corp, all of its orders of leather from the South American country will be canceled until it is confident and assured that the materials used are in no way contributing to the environmental harm in the country.
The rising demand for leather and beef is reportedly one of the contributing factors that have pushed domestic companies to clear out large swaths of forest to make way for massive cattle ranches.
VP Corp is currently one of the biggest buyers of Brazilian leather, the material the company uses for its various brands such as Eastpak and JanSport. The company's activewear and outdoor products have managed to generate $13.8 billion in earning for the company as of July this year.
The ongoing blaze in the world's largest tropical rainforest has devastated much of the flora and fauna in the area. Various indigenous communities living within the forest have also now been displaced by the fires. Scientists have argued that the fires, which are still growing at a record rate, could further accelerate global climate change.
Since January, there have been a record 70,000 separate fires detected in the Amazon rainforest. According to the National Institute for Space Research, this was an 84 percent increase in the number of fires recorded in 2018.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has called for international aid to help in putting out the fires and to help those who have been affected by the blaze. Bolsonaro is popularly known to have lobbied to the development of the Amazon rainforest.
The official had reportedly even defunded various agencies responsible for putting a stop to illegal activities in the area. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied that his administration was involved in the starting of the fires.
At the recently held G7 summit, members countries had pledged to give around $20 million in aid. The UK government has also already given around $12 million in aid to Brazil.
The Amazon rainforest, which is often referred to as the planet's "lungs," covers around 40 percent of South America. Scientists estimate that the rainforest provides close to 20 percent of the planet's entire oxygen supply. The forest is also vital in providing water to the atmosphere and is a known regulator of global temperatures.
