As activists set the bar by grading luxury brands on sustainability, it seems Gucci has their finger on the pulse. Yesterday at Paris Fashion Week, the label, together the powerful Livia Firth, founder of Green Carpet Challenge, announced the launch of the first “zero-deforestation” collection of handbags.
The beautiful line of ethical handbags, made in three styles, will no doubt “set new standards in traceability and ecological certification” for luxury name brands and encourage other to follow suit.
“This is a breakthrough moment for sustainable style. Once again, our collaboration with Gucci spotlights this fashion house as a genuine leader. Working together to utilize on-the-ground research by the NWF means that we have created a chain of custody that brings real change to the fashion industry,” says Firth.
Transparency and ethics are at the heart of this collaboration. Accompanying each bag is a passport detailing the product’s cradle to sale journey—tracing the cow from birth to the final commodity. Leather used is sourced from Brazilian cows raised on Rainforest Alliance certified land. The certification, mostly used for coffee or chocolate, guarantees land management practices that uphold specific ecological criteria in line with healthier environments. This exciting co-operation marks the first leather collection to be stamped with this accreditation.
“I believe that today more than ever before, customers want to be associated with brands that are thoughtful and responsible,” said Gucci creative director Frida Giannini. “This project with the Green Carpet Challenge was conceived to show how we can be proactive on environmental issues, by raising awareness and demonstrating action on the subject of deforestation.”
In addition to the new line, Gucci will donate $65,000 to the National Wildlife Federation to fund further work on zero-deforestation leather from Brazil.
It seems this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership.
Hat-tip to British Vogue.