At the center of Gucci's new eco program is the company's 'green' packaging initiative that aims to reduce materials consumption, exclusively use paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and be 100 percent recyclable. The initiative will be launched at all of Gucci's 284 directly operated global stores starting in June 2010.
Through Gucci's new eco program, the company expects to reduce 35 tons of plastic waste, 1,400 tons of paper, about 10,000 tons of CO2 emissions and about 4 million liters of gasoline by the end of 2010.
All of Gucci's suppliers participating in the launch of the new packaging are FSC certified. The FSC certification verifies that all trees used to create the paper for the shopping bags and gift boxes come from well managed forests and that every stage in the production chain meets the FSC standards, says Gucci.
The inside of the shopping bag features the sentence: This shopping bag is FSC certified and made of 100 percent recyclable material. All plastic laminated surfaces have been removed from the shopping bags and boxes. Tissue paper is no longer coated and both ribbon and garment bags have been switched from polyester to cotton.
Gucci has committed to purchasing all FSC-certified forest products by the end of 2010 to ensure that no paper is being sourced from endangered forests including the rainforests of Indonesia. The company also will continue to seek alternative fiber options to use in its packaging products, include biodegradable bags made of corn, bamboo and cotton.
As part of the initiative, Gucci is reducing the use of packaging materials. As examples, shoes will be packed in one flannel instead of two and gift boxes will only be given out when requested. Gucci also will replace all of its mannequins with a new eco-friendly version made with shockproof polystyrene, which is a long-lasting and 100 percent recyclable raw material, made in Italy and finished with water-based paints.
Other sustainability measures include the substitution of printed collateral materials with E-Cards and E-Catalogues, with customers offered a "go green" option when registering. The company also is making the switch from solid wood to using composite veneer for furniture production.
Gucci is implementing a transportation load optimization policy aimed to reduce truck transportation by 30 percent, and is introducing an energy-saving program for the retail store network that includes reduced lighting after hours, the installation of light detectors, and the switch to 35 W halogen bulbs. The company will also review the use of composite stone versus marble and test LED lighting.
