Gucci Unveils Steps to Meet its Eco Promises

Gucci has announced the launch of a worldwide eco-friendly program designed to progressively reduce the company's impact on the environment, which includes following through on a commitment it made to Rainforest Action Network in November.

The centerpiece of this new initiative is packaging newly designed to reduce materials, exclusively use FSC Certified paper and to be 100% recyclable. The initiative will be introduced in all of its 284 directly operated stores around the world from June 2010. The new packaging concept not only represents an important action towards environmental responsibility, but also reinforces Gucci’s heritage as the company approaches its 90th anniversary in 2011. It is within this dual context that Gucci’s new packaging has been conceived by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini pairing past with present and luxury with responsibility.

Patrizio di Marco, President and CEO of Gucci, said: “The world's leading brands are rightly judged today not just on the quality of their products and services, but also on the way they act in the community and towards the environment.

Gucci has committed that by the end of 2010 all of its purchases of non-recycled forest products will be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified products to ensure that no paper is being sourced from endangered forests including the rainforests of Indonesia, one of world’s hotspots of deforestation and climate change. Furthermore, it will continue to seek alternative fiber options to use in its packaging products, include biodegradable bags made of corn, bamboo and cotton.

Through these various initiatives Gucci aims to achieve the following targets by the end of 2010:
- a reduction of 35 tons of plastic waste;
- a reduction of 1,400 tons of paper consumption (coming from the implementation of the new packaging, the replacement of a cardboard box with a recyclable bag and the optimisation of paper consumption from catalogs and promotional materials);
- a reduction of about 10,000 tons of Co2 emissions;
- a reduction of about 4 million liters of gas oil consumption.

Lafcadio Cortesi, Forest Campaign Director of the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) an Environmental Paper Network member, commented, "We are impressed with Gucci's actions to improve its environmental footprint. The company’s decision to reduce its paper and wood consumption and only buy FSC Certified products will help protect Indonesian and other endangered forests around the world and sets an example for other companies in the luxury sector.”