Gucci Pledges to Become Carbon Neutral By October

Green is permanently the new black on Gucci’s runway. Yesterday, the company pledged to make its operations entirely carbon neutral by the end of the month.

The game plan: Beginning with its show at Milan Fashion Week next week, Gucci will cut carbon-emitting processes from its direct operations and those in its supply chain. Where carbon emissions can’t be reduced, Gucci says it will pay to offset them with tree plantings and other initiatives.

There’s a long road ahead. Currently, over 90% of Gucci’s emissions come from its supply chain, all the way down to sourcing the raw materials used in its products. Offsetting those emissions is expected to cost millions.

Why it matters: Gucci is one of the most in-demand fashion labels operating today. In 2018, it did over 9 billion euros in sales.

Zoom out: Promises to go carbon neutral are a big trend in sustainable fashion—but they often take a while to achieve. In late 2018, several companies including H&M and Zara owner Inditex signed a pledge that they’d also go carbon neutral...by 2050.