NEW YORK – Ralph Lauren has launched a cashmere recycling programme for 100 per cent cashmere in partnership with Re-Verso™, the Italian textile recycling and production business. The programme, initially available in North America and Europe, will allow consumers to ship their 100 per cent cashmere items – from any brand – to Re-Verso in Prato, Italy to be recycled.
The move is part of Ralph Lauren’s commitment to sustainability through its ‘Timeless by Design’ philosophy to ensure its products are re-used across generations. As part of this, Ralph Lauren has set a goal to implement circular principles into its design and development process by 2025.
Ralph Lauren has also launched a Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Certified Gold Cashmere Sweater. Available in Men’s Purple Label and Women’s Collection brands, the first-of-its-kind luxury sweater is the first of five iconic Ralph Lauren products the Company has committed to have C2C Certified by 2025.
Woven from fine cashmere fibres, dyed in rich hues and featuring a transformed signature label cut from organic cotton, the C2C Certified Gold Cashmere Sweater was developed through a multi-step certification process with the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute , a circular economy non-profit. The C2C Certified Gold crewneck sweater will replace the original icon, and the certification will be expanded to include additional cashmere styles.
The C2C Certified Gold cashmere sweater will be highlighted in a multi-media consumer marketing campaign featuring models Andreea Diaconu and Simon Nessman, a “real-life couple who have a personal commitment to preserving and protecting the environment.”
The campaign will be shared across Ralph Lauren social channels and RalphLauren.com, where consumers will find more information about the sweater, recycling program and the company’s efforts to support a circular economy.
“The kind of luxury we stand for at Ralph Lauren has always been about timelessness, authenticity and a life well-lived,” said Katie Ioanilli, chief global impact and communications officer. “Today more than ever, we believe true luxury encompasses not only a product’s beauty and quality, but how it was made and how it will endure. That’s why we’ve created the industry’s first-ever Cradle to Cradle Certified luxury cashmere product, with plans to deliver four more verified icons by 2025.”
