Ralph Lauren wants to make products more responsible and circular. Part of this orientation is the Cradle-to-Cradle certification that the US fashion group is introducing for certain products.
The first piece to be certified with this more circular and responsible production standard is a cashmere sweater, announced Halide Alagöz, Ralph Lauren’s chief product and sustainability officer, at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen on Tuesday. Each component of the sweater will receive Cradle to Cradle certification, the company said on Tuesday.
The cradle-to-cradle cashmere sweater is slated for release later this year. A total of five pieces are planned for certification by 2025. In addition, certain products are to be made entirely from recycled cotton.
Ralph Lauren drives circular economy forward
Ralph Lauren has committed to extending the lifespan of products by 2025. This includes a repair and recycling service at selected locations.
The company also wants to invest in the US Regenerative Cotton Fund and in innovative technologies such as those from the start-up Natural Fiber Welding, which deals with sustainable materials science.
Ralph Lauren’s goal is to inspire the dream of a better life through a perfect and timeless design, Alagöz said at the conference. Even when the designer of the same name founded the label, the focus was on timeless design. Now the circular economy is being integrated into the company’s DNA, which the sustainability chief summarizes as “timeless”.