The Tamesis
This article first appeared in British Vogue.
It’s no secret that sustainability has fallen off the fashion agenda in recent years. But as we get closer to 2030 – when we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45% to meet the Paris Agreement’s mission to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius – many brands are now releasing new sustainability reports. Last month, Chanel released its first climate transition plan, setting the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. Ralph Lauren subsequently announced a revised target of reducing emissions by 30% by 2030 (having abandoned its net-zero emissions target last year), while H&M revealed in a report that it had reduced emissions across its entire supply chain by 35.6%.
The latest brand to share its relaunched sustainability strategy? Louis Vuitton today released its “Regeneration 2030″ roadmap. The LVMH-owned fashion house has gone beyond previous commitments to reduce its environmental footprint and now aims to have a positive impact on the planet. “The question today is no longer how to limit [our] negative impact,” said Christelle Capdupuy, senior vice president of sustainability at Louis Vuitton Fashion. “The world is under pressure: the climate is changing, biodiversity is declining and water shortages threaten our planet. At Louis Vuitton, more than 90% of our raw materials come from nature. That is why we have decided to shift our commitment from conservation to regeneration, in order to actively contribute to the restoration of ecosystems.”
To achieve this, Louis Vuitton has committed to restoring 1 million hectares of plant and animal habitats in partnership with conservation charity People For Wildlife, and seeks to have a positive impact within its own supply chain. “[We are] Putting regenerative agriculture at the heart of our approach as it will reduce the impact on soil and restore biodiversity, as well as capture more carbon,” explains Capdupuy.
As part of its current sustainability strategy, Louis Vuitton has increased the amount of certified and recycled materials it uses over the past five years from 52% to 98%. Now the brand is ramping up its ambitions, setting a target of 100% of its virgin cotton, wool and leather coming from renewable sources by 2030. “Regenerative agriculture has to be scalable, and scalability lies in working hand in hand with farmers,” Capdupuy continued. “Our goal is not small batches.”
Circularity is another key part of the Regeneration 2030 roadmap. Late last year, Louis Vuitton launched an initiative called “Resource” to ensure that the brand’s own unused materials and deadstock are reused, while also setting a new goal to include at least 20% recycled or biosourced ingredients in its products. “[The strategy is based on] “We can reuse, rework and recycle and transform existing materials into new resources,” explains Capdupuy. When it comes to extending the life of its products, the brand hopes to expand the services of its 11 repair centers to cover all product categories beyond leather bags.
Capdupuy said that Louis Vuitton is “more than halfway” to achieve its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared with 2018, at a time when many brands are failing to meet their climate commitments. Given that much of the industry has been silent on sustainability issues, why has this fashion house decided to step up its commitment now? “If we succeed in doing this, everyone can,” Kapudupui replied. “When it comes to sustainability, collaboration is key. It is this responsibility that we must share our vision, share our achievements, [and] Says everyone can do it – so let’s do it. “
