BIODIVERSITY
PRESERVING ECOSYSTEMS
Choosing responsible materials
Whether from animal, vegetable or mineral species, the majority of raw materials used to make Berluti products come from nature. In order to give back what it borrows, Berluti is committed to using supply chains that contribute to the regeneration of biodiversity. The issues at stake are the preservation of resources and the climate, respect for animal welfare, the fight against deforestation, the elimination of hazardous chemicals and the reduction of air and water pollution. Currently, more than 95% of the strategic materials (leather, wool, cashmere, viscose, silk, cotton, exotic leather, wood, and wood by-products) in use are certified to the highest standards. This will apply to all of them by 2026.
Understanding the certifications
97% of the bovine and ovine leather used by Berluti is Silver- or Gold-certified* by the LWG. The Leather Working Group is an initiative that rallies various stakeholders, such as brands and tanneries, who have developed a rigorous audit protocol to ensure sustainable and responsible leather production.
98% of Berluti's crocodile leather is certified by the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) or ICFA (International Crocodilian Farmers Association)*. These two standards are based on four pillars: the preservation of species and respect for local communities; the well-being of animals throughout their lives; the working conditions of the men and women on the farms; and the protection of the environment.
42% of the wool and cashmere that Berluti uses is certified or recycled*. RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) certification guarantees animal well-being, respect of biodiversity, and the protection of natural ecosystems, as well as a socially responsible approach to production.
89% of Berluti's viscose is derived from sustainably managed forests. This type of fiber is principally composed of wood pulp.
*Data as of December 2023
90% of the cotton purchased by Berluti is sustainable* and carries one of the following labels: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OCS (Organic Content Standard), BCI (Better Cotton Initiative), or GRS (Global Recycled Standard). The GOTS label guarantees not only the organic origin of a textile, but also the fair treatment of men and women working in the industry. From harvesting the raw materials to their labeling and processing, this material certification takes into account every step along the way.
The OCS standard is a label created by the NGO Textile Exchange that guarantees the presence of organic material in the composition of a textile. Like the GOTS label, it assures the traceability and integrity of raw materials throughout the production chain.
BCI, which emerged from an international consortium in 2009, supports farmers around the world, teaching them to limit the use of fertilizers and pesticides and to make better use of available water. Prohibiting the most dangerous pesticides, regulating the use of fertilizer, establishing water and soil management plans to optimize their use, and preserving biodiversity are just some of the points that must be verified to obtain the label.
Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international label for products or fabrics made using recycled raw materials. To obtain the certification, at least 50% of the material must be made of recycled fibers. Moreover, the supplier's social and environmental practices must undergo examination. Providers must not only comply with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and environmental requirements in terms of waste and wastewater treatment; they must also have an established surveillance system for the use of dangerous chemical products.
*Data as of December 2023Cutting out chemical products
The LVMH Group is part of the ZDHC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) program, which is designed to eliminate these substances from the textile and leather industry. Maison Berluti is committed to ensuring that all of its strategic leather and fabric suppliers initially meet at least 50% of the ZDHC’s restrictive criteria by 2023.
Currently, 86% of the Maison’s strategic suppliers have signed the PRSL (Product Restricted Substances List), and more than 70% of them have signed the new 2023 version. The update raises the requirements regarding the use of chemicals.
*Data from January 2024 in turnover made
WORKING TO FOSTER BIODIVERSITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO CARBON SEQUESTRATION
One of the principal objectives of our environmental strategy is to reduce greenhouse gases in all three of our scopes. Now going one step further in our approach, we are working to conserve biodiversity while rehabilitating carbon sinks.
BERLUTI IS COMMITTED TO THE ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION IN AGRICULTURE AND BIODIVERSITY
In 2023, Berluti decided to join forces with the mission-driven company Le Printemps Des Terres. By funding an agriforest project that is compatible with climate change, Berluti has rehabilitated 8.5 km / 5.3 mi of hedges at a farm in Calvados. This project was carried out according to the “hedge method” of the Bas-Carbone label created by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition. The initiative should make it possible to sequester 850 tons of CO2 over 15 years while restoring biodiversity.
BERLUTI HELPS COMBAT DEFORESTATION
From the lasts that we use to craft our bespoke shoes to the interior design of our stores, wood is an essential material at our Maison. Today, even though 98% of the wood and wood products that we purchase are derived from sustainably managed forests, we consider it essential to foster forest conservation. Alongside Reforest’Action – a major contributor to the regeneration of ecosystems to combat climate change and the loss of biodiversity –, Berluti took part in a large-scale conservation project for 47,000 ha / 116,340 acres of tropical forest in the Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve on the island of Borneo. The project also protects wild animals, including the endangered orangutan of Borneo, as well as local communities. In particular, it helps develop new, more sustainable economic activities that are compatible with the conservation of the surrounding ecosystem.
Berluti is contributing to this triple-certified project of the voluntary carbon market by financing 3,400 carbon credits. That translates into as many tons of CO2 which have been “avoided”, or not emitted into the atmosphere, thanks to this carbon sink conservation project.
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