Gucci Has Announced Plans To Be Completely Carbon Neutral

The luxury Italian brand is making a big sustainability push

Gucci Milan show

by Grazia |
Updated on

On Thursday, Gucci announced that it will try to achieve carbon neutral status in an attempt to curb how much it contributes to climate change. The luxury brand revealed a strategy that involves everything from its supply chain to its catwalk shows, stating that it plans to reduce, recycle and offset its emissions.

Gucci’s CEO Marco Bizzarritold the Guardian, that the 'reports from the scientists are clear – the planet has gone too far.' This plan by the brand might come as welcome news to experts and activists who have urged large corporations to take responsibility for the impact they have on the environment.

'A new era of corporate accountability is upon us,' said Bizzarri. California-based companies Allbirds andReformation are also working towards carbon neutrality, with the latter claiming to be carbon neutral since 2015. Gucci, however, is by far the largest fashion brand to undertake such an initiative and it’ll be interesting to see if this sparks a trend.

Gucci also announced that it will be team up with REDD+, a UN initiative to reduce deforestation emissions. Over recent months, there has been a lot of discussion about carbon footprints, carbon neutrality and carbon offsetting, not in the least because of the controversy surrounding The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s private jet use and their friend Elton John’s use of NetJets, which has a mandatory carbon offsetting fee. It’s been suggested offsetting isn’t the most effective method as the damage is already done. But Bizzarri told the Guardian he feels that 'offsetting is better than doing nothing', as some of their emissions are unavoidable. Gucci also plans to offset the carbon footprints of the attendees at the spring/summer show next week, and has also pledged to reuse the show's set in Gucci stores.

This isn’t the luxury brand’s first push to be more environmentally responsible. The brand is currently in the middle of a 10-year sustainability strategy with the goal of reducing 50 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

SHOP: The Best Sustainable Fashion Brands To Know

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SHOP: The Best Sustainable Brands To Add To Your Wardrobe

OMNES, Leonie Midi Shirt Dress in Black Orange Check, £691 of 31

OMNES, Leonie Midi Shirt Dress in Black Orange Check, £69

OMNES is a sustainable womenswear fashion brand that builds the bridge between conscious consumption with eco-friendly fabrics and responsible design at its core. Look out for its beyond-pretty prints.

Baum Und Pferdgarten, Ahadi Dress, £1892 of 31

Baum Und Pferdgarten, Ahadi Dress, £189

Baum und Pferdgarten's Responsible Edit are made from organic cotton and recycled fabrics to be 'considerate to the planet, and its people'. The full range starts from £49, and doesn't compromise on the Scandi cool that the brand is known for.

Monika The Label, Camille Animal Print Slip Dress, £2703 of 31

Monika The Label, Camille Animal Print Slip Dress, £270

Monika The Label is a UK brand made in North London. They also produce the majority of the collection in organic cotton or Regenesis Light Satin (a material made out of recycled plastic bottles), and use deadstock fabric to create bandanas and scrunchies.

Mashu, Cassiopeia Cork and White, £4324 of 31

Mashu, Cassiopeia Cork and White, £432

Mashu, a London-based handbag label, uses materials such as recycled polyester, the natural fibre pinatex and repurposed wood from old furniture to make top-handle totes and sleek belt bags in its family-run factory of five artisans in Athens.

Shaina Mote, Lucqa Top In Salt, £142.425 of 31

Shaina Mote, Lucqa Top In Salt, £142.42

This minimalist brand, based in LA, is all about timeless staples with 'made locally' credentials, such as effortless slip dresses and sweaters with added slouch. Tencel, made from eucalyptus trees, rayon, made from wood pulp, and MicroModal, from beechwood trees, are three of its sustainably harvested hero materials.

The Level Store, Linen Blazer, £696 of 31

The Level Store, Linen Blazer, £69

One of the easiest ways to lower your carbon footprint is to buy second-hand. The Level Store, an online marketplace that aims to promote a circular economy, takes the rummage hassle out of vintage shopping. The edit of classic trenches, tailoring, sweaters and handbags is impressively premium, plus it donates €1 from every order to reforestation projects in Portugal.

Sheep Inc, 001 Medium Knit Lupin Lilac, £1607 of 31

Sheep Inc, 001 Medium Knit Lupin Lilac, £160

The clue's in the name. Sheep Inc is a carbon-negative, 100% transparent sweater brand. Each wool jumper comes with a digital tag, meaning you can track its manufacturing journey from New Zealand to your wardrobe. Test out its mantra – 'Strangers will want to pet you' – for yourself.

Hereu, Plaited Padded-detail Shoulder Bag, £3468 of 31

Hereu, Plaited Padded-detail Shoulder Bag, £346

Mediterranean Spain, and its legacy of craftsmanship, is the inspiration behind accessories label Hereu. The shoes (flat loafers, espadrilles and lace-ups) and bags (baskets and woven leather cross-bodies) are all designed and produced in Barcelona.

O Pioneers, Milly Blouse, £1709 of 31

O Pioneers, Milly Blouse, £170

If you can't get enough of prairie dresses, you need to know about O Pioneers. Founded in north London, the limited-edition and one-off designs are handmade using deadstock and vintage fabrics. Fun fact: co-founder Clara Francis made the beaded headress Emma Watson wears in Little Women.

Ssu014dne, Joanie Embroidered Recycled-Cashmere Sweater, £47310 of 31

Ssōne, Joanie Embroidered Recycled-Cashmere Sweater, £473

Fashion insiders are already falling for Ssōne, the London label that specialises in socially-conscious, environmentally friendly statement pieces, each of which comes with facts about its provenance.

Hai, Puff Gina, £12211 of 31

Hai, Puff Gina, £122

So there's never any leftover stock that's wasted, Hai's playful scrunchies and bags are produced in small batches (also minimising your chances of unwanted 'twinning'). Silks are coloured with eco-reactive dye (less damaging than regular versions), and its packaging uses zero plastic.

All Blues, S-link Gold-Vermeil Bracelet, £50012 of 31

All Blues, S-link Gold-Vermeil Bracelet, £500

The weighty chain-link necklace is set to continue its reign as one of the year's most-desired pieces. Join the club the sustainable way with All Blues, which handcrafts its designs in Stockholm from recycled sterling silver. The definition of a forever piece.

Rave Review, Striped Upcycled-Wool Jacket, £71513 of 31

Rave Review, Striped Upcycled-Wool Jacket, £715

All of Rave Review's big personality patchwork coats – a firm street-styler favourite – are made using upcycled garments, resolutely proving that second-hand doesn't mean second-best.

ESSu0112N, Foundation Flats, £14914 of 31

ESSĒN, Foundation Flats, £149

Flat mock-croc Chelsea boots, glove-fit ballet pumps and chunky ankle-strap sandals – all of which are big for SS20 – are all part of ESSĒN's pared-back designs. Collections are designed with a small carbon footprint in mind. Its new styles are produced through a pre-order model, so they're only made when ordered, thereby avoiding overproduction.

Veja, Rio Branca Ripstop Kaki Pearl, £10515 of 31

Veja, Rio Branca Ripstop Kaki Pearl, £105

The Duchess of Sussex is a fan - and you will be too once you hear the roll call of Veja's sustainable and ethical credentials. Founded in 2005, it buys agro-ecological cotton and rubber directly from family producers in Brazil, signing one to three year contracts to guarantee income, its logistics workers are part of Atelier Sans Frontieres, an organisation promoting the professional integration of people who have been excluded from the labour market, and it's the first trainer brand to use B-mesh, a fabric made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. It has also purchased 195 tons of wild rubber, to preserve 120,000 hectares of the Amazon rainforest, since 2004.

Reformation, Mandy Minimal Block Heel Mule, £21516 of 31

Reformation, Mandy Minimal Block Heel Mule, £215

Reformation is as dedicated to sustainability as it is to making Insta hit after Insta hit. Its RefScale tracks its environmental footprint - adding up the pounds of carbon dioxide emitted, gallons of water used and pounds of waste generated - so that the company can then offset those resources. International shipping is now free - and totally offset, naturally.

Allbirds, Women's Wool Runners, £9517 of 31

Allbirds, Women's Wool Runners, £95

This New Zealand sneaker brand's mantra - 'Light on your feet, easy on the planet,' - tells you all you need to know. The trainers - made from superfine merino wool, processed using 60% less energy than materials used in synthetic shoes, tencel lyocell, which uses 95% less water than cotton and sugarcane, a renewable resource transformed into Allbirds's SweetFoam soles - really do feel like clouds for your feet. It also takes its carbon footprint seriously - good news for a shoe label - and is a 100% carbon-neutral business.

Mother Of Pearl, Zariah Belted Ruched Cotton-Blend Poplin Midi Dress, £17518 of 31

Mother Of Pearl, Zariah Belted Ruched Cotton-Blend Poplin Midi Dress, £175

Mother of Pearl isn't just committed to making sustainable clothes, it also cares deeply about its company culture reflecting its ethos. It has a vegetarian lunch scheme for staff, with produce sourced from local producers via Farmdrop, the office itself runs on green energy and it even uses toilet paper from Who Gives A Crap, a charity who donates 50% of its profits to improving sanitation in the developing world.

Peony, Gingham Check Print Swimsuit, £15519 of 31

Peony, Gingham Check Print Swimsuit, £155

This Aussie brand has prettily printed bikinis and swimsuits made largely from Econyl, nylon that has been regenerated from abandoned fishing nets and nylon waste. All its fabrications also meet the Oeko-Tex Standard 100, the highest certifiable standard for ensuring responsible use of chemicals during the fabric construction.

Bassike, Printed Cotton-Twill Shorts, £87.5020 of 31

Bassike, Printed Cotton-Twill Shorts, £87.50

The Aussie brand Bassike, founded in 2006, already has some impressive stats under its (pleasingly minimal) belt. Its organic cotton jersey was developed and is made in Melbourne with 95% certified-organic fibres, which biodegrade and are produced without pesticides, it donates past season samples to a company that turns them into cleaning rags and its paper and cardboard packaging is 100% recyclable and biodegradable.

Fisch, Select Fish-Print Low-Back Swimsuit, £19521 of 31

Fisch, Select Fish-Print Low-Back Swimsuit, £195

Fisch's eco-credentials are as on-point as its scoop-backed, squared-necked cossies. They're made out of Italian Econyl, a 100% regenerated nylon fibre created from fishing nets and other types of nylon waste, which is woven in Lombardy, Italy.

E.L.V, Mid Blue Match Boyfriend Jean, £28522 of 31

E.L.V, Mid Blue Match Boyfriend Jean, £285

The denim sector of the fashion and textiles industry is one of the worst culprits in terms of sustainability because of the amount of water and chemicals involved in the dyeing and production processes. Each pair of zero-waste E.L.V jeans, however, is made from two pairs of discarded jeans that would otherwise end up in landfill and are produced in a five-mile radius between Dalston and Walthamstow.

RE/DONE, Wonder Woman 1984 Cheetah-Print Stretch-Jersey Body, £15523 of 31

RE/DONE, Wonder Woman 1984 Cheetah-Print Stretch-Jersey Body, £155

As its name suggests, the LA-based Re/Done is all about making something new out of something old. That 'something old' is previously worn Levi's jeans that are hand-picked and hand-cut in limited quantities. The result is the perfect straight jeans, bell bottoms and ankle crops.

Everlane, The Utility Barrel Pant, £7124 of 31

Everlane, The Utility Barrel Pant, £71

Everlane, the San Francisco-based start-up that proves sustainable clothes don't have to cost the earth, has a simple mission statement: 'radial transparency'. It has extensive information about each of its ethical factories online - from the loafer factory in Brescia, Italy, to the knitting factory in Fujian, China - and lists where every single garment was made, and from what materials, in the product information.

Adidas By Stella McCartney, Treino Mid-Cut Print Shoes, £17025 of 31

Adidas By Stella McCartney, Treino Mid-Cut Print Shoes, £170

No luxury label has made bigger waves in the sustainable fashion market than Stella McCartney. Some of her most innovative experiments under the adidas by Stella McCartney umbrella involve the 'Infinite Hoodie' - 100% recyclable and created with advanced textile innovation company Evrnu from garment waste - and the biodegradable 'Biofabric Tennis Dress', made in partnership with Bolt Threads, a company specialising in bioengineered sustainable fabrics and fibres. While neither was put into production, both prototypes prove that closed loop clothing is not only possible, but desirable.

Ninety Percent, Tie-Dyed Organic Cotton-Jersey Track Pants, £9126 of 31

Ninety Percent, Tie-Dyed Organic Cotton-Jersey Track Pants, £91

Ninety Percent does exactly what it says on the tin, donating 90% of its profits, and has a platform on its website that allows customers to vote for their chosen cause after making a purchase. Its materials are strictly sourced from reputable suppliers, and features a lot of tencel, a fabric made from renewable wood pulp in a closed loop system.

Lee, Breese in Dark Joni, £52.5027 of 31

Lee, Breese in Dark Joni, £52.50

Every season, Lee find new ways to create with lower impact on the planet, whether it be reduced water, less waste, or using organic fibres. The brand's 'For a World That Works' programme employs multiple innovative techniques and initiatives to make a blue planet greener. This includes recycled fibres, Indigood foam dyeing, Crystal Clear dyeing, organic fibres, recycled hardware, biodegradable back patches and more.

Mercer, W3RD Vegan Wine Sneaker, £22528 of 31

Mercer, W3RD Vegan Wine Sneaker, £225

Dutch sneaker brand Mercer has been a pioneer in sustainability for nearly eight years. Aiming to change the average shoppers perception of sustainable and vegan fashion as cool and contemporary and 'not all socks and sandals', they produced the first-ever sneaker made from pineapple 'leather', and more recently wine leather, cactus leather, and soles from algae and more.

Deadstock, Dickies Lagrange Peach Hoodie, £49.9929 of 31

WEAR DEADSTOCK, Dickies Lagrange Peach Hoodie, £49.99

WEAR DEADSTOCK is a small family run business passionate about sustainability and providing quality deadstock pieces. Deadstock is a term used to describe an item which is no longer in manufacture so all of their pieces are exclusive and limited.

SlowCo, D THE BRAND, Red Tulle Midi Dress, £22730 of 31

SlowCo, D THE BRAND, Red Tulle Midi Dress, £227

SlowCo are a multi-brand slow fashion retail platform, specialising in sustainability and inclusivity. The brand believes in a "less but better" philosophy, and has created a space where everyone is represented.

Damson Madder, Faith Check Fleece Over Shirt, £8531 of 31

Damson Madder, Faith Check Fleece Over Shirt, £85

Damson Madder are passionate about each of their pieces featuring as many sustainable attributes as possible, and being completely transparent it. The brand's aim is to be open about the origin of their fabrics and to the fact that they might not always get it right every time.

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