Louis Vuitton Strengthens Its Sustainability Commitment – Here’s How

This article first appeared in British Vogue.

It’s no secret that consistency has fallen on the fashion agenda in recent years. But as we approach 2030 – the date when greenhouse gas emissions must be cut by 45 per cent, to stay on track with the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global warming to 1.5C – all kinds of products are setting new performance records. Last month, Chanel published its first climate change plan, setting its goal of reaching zero temperatures by 2040. That was followed by Ralph Lauren announcing a revised goal to reduce temperatures by 30 percent by 2030 (after lowering its zero goal last year), while H & M revealed in its report a supply chain of 6 percent.

The latest brand to share its revamped operating strategy? Louis Vuitton, which is launching its Regeneration 2030 roadmap today. Going beyond its initial commitment to reduce its environmental footprint, the LVMH fashion house is now committed to making a positive impact on the world. “The question today is no longer how to reduce [our] negative impact,” Christelle Capdupuy, Louis Vuitton’s senior vice president of operations, says Vogue. “The world is under pressure: the climate is changing, biodiversity is declining, and water scarcity is threatening our planet.” At Louis Vuitton, more than 90 percent of our raw materials come from natural materials.

To achieve this, Louis Vuitton is committed to restoring a million hectares of flora and fauna by working in partnership with the conservation organization People For Wildlife, as well as focusing on producing positive results within its supply chain. “[We are] putting renewable agriculture at the heart of our approach, because it will reduce the impact on the soil and restore biodiversity, and capture more carbon,” Capdupuy explains.

As part of the current sustainability strategy, Louis Vuitton has increased the amount of certified and recycled materials from 52 percent to 98 percent in the last five years. Now, this brand is raising its level of ambition, setting the goal of obtaining 100 percent of virgin cotton, wool and leather from renewable sources by 2030. “Renewable agriculture must be limited, and the reduction depends on working with hands and farmers,” Capdupuy continues. “We don’t focus on small numbers.”

Circularity is another important part of the Regeneration 2030 map. At the end of last year, Louis Vuitton launched a brand called Resource, in order to ensure that the brand’s unused and dead materials are reused, while setting a new goal to include at least 20 percent of purchased or bio-derived products. “[The strategy is based on] to reuse, recycle and recycle, and transform existing materials into new resources, ” Capdupuy explains.

At a time when many brands are lagging behind in their climate commitments, Capdupuy says Louis Vuitton is “more than halfway” to achieving its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent, compared to 2018 levels. Since most of the industry is silent when it comes to sustainability, why has the fashion house decided to step up its commitment now? “If we succeed in doing it, everyone can,” replied Capdupuy. “When it comes to performance, collaboration is key. It’s this responsibility that we have to share our vision, to share our successes, [and] to say that everyone can do it – so let’s do it.”