Inspired by Amber Valletta: Putting Pulp & Paper Mills on the Catwalk
At the recent Sustainable Brands conference we had the pleasure of hearing from Amber Valletta, actress, supermodel, mom and creator of Master & Muse. Fully acknowledging that sex still sells, Valletta delivered a compelling presentation on how she is using her status as far more than a pretty face or an empty endorsement to make a difference. By linking a responsible brand to a product story through her position as a valued influencer, she is able to educate consumers to #BuyBetter and make more environmentally and socially responsible choices.
In reflecting on her presentation, I couldn’t help but consider Sappi’s role in the fashion industry. Three of our four business units are directly connected:
Our coated graphics papers are used in a number of leading fashion magazines and catalogs. I was once told that if you took the seating chart from a Fashion Week and populated each seat with the brand of paper their respective magazines or campaigns are printed on - Sappi brands would populate the entire front row. As our mills have the lowest reported carbon footprint of domestic producers of coated freesheet, readers of fashion magazines can be assured that their paper was sourced and produced responsibly.
Sappi is also the world’s leading supplier of specialty release papers for the automotive, fashion and engineered films industries. Our release papers provide the surface aesthetics for synthetic fabrics used in footwear, clothing, upholstery and accessories, as well as the textures for decorative laminates found in kitchens, baths, flooring and other decorative surfaces. We make the texture. Texture makes the difference.
We are also a leading global producer of dissolving wood pulp – the building block for viscose staple fibers used in textiles. Fabrics made of rayon or viscose are derived from trees making it a renewable resource. As a smooth fiber, viscose is routinely used in blends or applications that seek to have a silky feel. The good wicking properties of cellulose also make viscose a popular choice in athletic apparel. Our Cloquet, MN pulp mill is certified to the leading global forestry standards (FSC, SFI and PEFC) so if you spot a supermodel strutting some viscose on the catwalk – there is a good chance they are sporting a garment made from our responsibly-sourced fiber.
Sappi, the brand behind leading fashion magazines and catalogs, renewable fibers as well as textures that make the difference for coated fabrics. We, like Valletta, are much more than what you may consider at face value. We are a responsible manufacturing company doing our part to help support a more sustainable fashion industry.














