Yulex Announces Equitable Agriculture, a Smallholder Profit-Sharing Program for Natural Rubber
Yulex is investing in smallholder rubber farmers in Vietnam and Thailand by sharing premium profits back to the smallholders. Yulex LLC is a U.S. based company with operations in the U.S. and Southeast Asia has created Deforestation-Free supply chains for leading US | EU brands in consumer products. Yulex has proprietary technology and patents directed to natural rubber products which are replacing equivalent petroleum-based products.
Globally, 85% of natural rubber is produced by small holders managing a 2-to-3-hectare farm where the annual income is less than $3,000 per annum. With this income it is unrealistic to expect the smallholder to invest monies in the education, materials, and certification programs necessary to expand sustainable natural rubber production when economic survivability is their basic need. Thus, the nature of rubber production makes it difficult for smallholders to sustain livelihoods even in the absence of certification compliance pressure and costs.
The Company was the first to develop and introduce Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified supply chains for natural rubber to the sporting goods and apparel industries in a partnership with Patagonia. Yulex has now expanded its supply chain to include the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Yulex partners with PEFC in Southeast Asia because of the high-level of in-country support. Yulex and PEFC work in-country to help create linkages between smallholder groups, private enterprise forest management entities, traders, and rubber processors.
Yulex' response to understanding smallholder hardships is to create our Equitable Ag program. By sharing profits directly to the smallholders and traders, Yulex will improve wages, support rural livelihoods, and contribute to the economic development of smallholders and their communities. In addition to our Equitable Ag program, the Company will collaborate with small holders to increase biodiversity and income on plantations through regenerative agriculture programs.
Dr. Liz Bui, Yulex's Chief Business Officer, stated, "Yulex wants to inspire consumers and brands to connect and contribute to smallholders via the Yulex Equitable Ag Program. We were the first company to introduce certified Deforestation-Free supply chains to consumer brands and now, with another first, we are working directly with PEFC and small holders to solve social inequity issues in the supply chain."
Richard Laity, PEFC Southeast Asia Manager, stated, "Smallholder communities encounter significant challenges when it comes to establishing connections in the market. Yulex' dedication to aiding smallholders in Vietnam and Thailand will have a profound impact on the natural rubber community and consumer brands in various industries will benefit tremendously from Yulex' program. PEFC urges others to join them in enhancing the natural rubber value chain to provide support to smallholder rubber farmers."
Responsibility is at the core of Yulex. True sustainable outcomes in deforestation-free products and supply chains must be inclusive of investments in the form of profit-sharing with smallholders, the first and primary producer in the supply chain. Yulex' has over three decades of know-how in natural rubber spanning agronomy, medical, automotive, protective devices, apparel, and footwear. Our YULEX foams and YULASTIC fibers made from renewable, certified, and deforestation-free natural rubber and suitable for many applications.
