YULEX Deforestation-Free Natural Rubber Supply Chains

This insight is a follow-up from our first one on European Union Deforestation Regulation (“EUDR”).  

This insight relates specifically to our new natural rubber supply chain (we’ve named it YULEX2.0)  in Southeast Asia and how it meets “deforestation-free” criteria as defined by EUDR.

To learn more about what the EU Comission requires from brands - visit the EUDR Deforestation Due Diligence Registry.

The EUDR defines deforestation as products that are made with natural rubber, whereby the natural rubber product suppliers need to show the following:

1. More than 0.5 hectares (1.2 acres) of forest land has been converted to rubber tree plantations; and
2. The natural rubber plantation trees are at least 5 meters (16 ft) tall; and
3. Have a canopy cover of more than 10%; and
4. (i), (ii) and (iii) were in existence before December 30, 2020.

Yulex partners with smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia, with registered land-use rights and geolocation coordinates of each plantation, through their legally recognized smallholder cooperative.

Yulex’ “Deforestation-free” natural rubber supply meets the EUDR definition (i) – (iv).

1. All plantation sizes are greater than 0.5 ha (1.2 acres), except for 84 plot sizes in Thailand that are less than 0.5 ha; and
2. The average mature Hevea rubber tree is well over 5 meters; and
3. Hevea rubber tree plantations create at least 10% canopy cover (describes the level of obstruction of the sky by tree canopies); and
4. All smallholder rubber plantations were in existence LONG before December 30, 2020.
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Our partner smallholder rubber farmers in Thailand own less than 0.5 and up to 6 hectares of rubber trees.  The average plot size being a little over 1 hectare (2.47 acres).  Some smallholders have over the years purchased more plots of land.  Each plot is registered and recorded individually.

All smallholder plots in Thailand were first planted with rubber trees dating back to 1940 through 2020, with the average being first planted in 2004. Five plots have second plantings after 2020, but their first planting was in the early 1990s.  

Our partner smallholder rubber farmers in Vietnam own less than 0.5 and up to about 22 hectares of rubber trees.  The average plot size being a little over 1.97 hectares (4.87 acres).

Our smallholder partners are from 2 communes in Vietnam.  Each commune is further divided into cooperatives over 7 villages. All smallholder plots in Vietnam were first planted with rubber trees dating back to 1996 through 2013, with the average being first planted in 2007. All plots are still harvesting rubber from the first planting.

All current Yulex Products such as our foam, filaments and specialty-grade rubbers, are harvested from the above Thailand and/or Vietnam smallholder rubber plantations as described above including Yulex100 wetsuit foam produced by Decathlon and their manufacturing partners as well as Yulex foam from Sheico.

Rubber plantation trees have about a 30-year lifespan and produce rubber after about 6-8 years post planting.  The same tree continues to produce rubber for about 22-24 years.

We currently partner with over 240 smallholders in Thailand and over 1500 in Vietnam.  Both Thailand and Vietnamese cooperatives are easily scalable based on demand.

Yulex only works with PEFC^® and/or FSC^®-certified natural rubber plantations and processors, the leading 2 international forest management organizations promoting responsible forest management and certification.

Also due to the cost of EUDR compliance, our natural rubber processor partners will be charging a EUDR documentation (tracing) fee based on the volume (weight).

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