As it is vital to rethink fashion, to become responsible and because what we do today affects the future, Claudie Pierlot is launching Claudie Cares, a scheme for committed actions undertaken in order to improve our impact on the planet.
Four cornerstones for more environmentally-friendly fashion without compromising on style:
FOR FABRICS
Aujourd'hui
32% of the ready-to-wear SKUs are eco-friendly in Claudie Pierlot’s Fall/Winter 2020 collection, almost 5 times more than in our Autumn/Winter 2019 collection (7%). These products can be recognised by their Claudie Cares label.
Organic cotton
We have used organic cotton for several seasons: Claudie Loves Green in September 2018, #RiseUpWithClaudie in March 2019 and the Fall/Winter 2020 collection has 11 SKUs as opposed to 6 for Autumn/Winter 2019.
Our cotton from organic farming is GOTS or OCS certified, which means that the fibres are traced and traceable from the field to the finished product.
Gold and Silver LWG Leather
The LWG certification (Leather Working Group) applies specifically to tanneries. It provides guarantees about the production site's environmental management.
All of the following are audited: operating licence, production data, environmental management system, chemical substances, energy and water consumption, air emissions and noise pollution, waste, effluent management, emergency plan and maintenance.
There is a rating system that rates all of these aspects with 4 levels of certification: bronze (65%), silver (75%), gold (85%) and audited (below 65%).
At Claudie Pierlot, we only accept gold and silver certified leather.
All the leather jackets, coats, trousers, shirts and dresses from the Autumn/Winter 2020 collection have this label, which equates to 10 different SKUs.
Pineapple leather
Claudie Pierlot is interested in alternatives to traditional materials, such as pineapple leather which is an eco-sustainable vegan material. It is made from fibres from pineapple leaves harvested from plantations. These leaves are usually burnt, but have now become an additional source of income for farmers. They are then processed to give the material the appearance of leather. Claudie Pierlot's Spring/Summer 2020 collection includes 1 SKU made from pineapple leather, which is the star player in #ClaudiePierlotxAndreaCrews’ capsule collection.
See the productFeathers and exotic leather
We do not use feathers or exotic leathers in our current collections and we promise not to use any in our future collections.
Fur
Claudie Pierlot is committed to no longer using fur from January 2020. Over the last few seasons, a gradual decrease in the number of fur designs has led to this decision, which allows us to join our suppliers in this movement.
See the selectionRDS responsible down
The RDS (Responsible Down Standard) certification applies to duck and goose down production at farm level. It guarantees good animal welfare (no force-feeding and live plucking especially) as well as traceability right up to the finished product because all of the stakeholders in the production chain are part of the certification
See the productJeans
Manufacturing jeans requires a lot of water but Claudie Pierlot has reduced this water consumption for the majority of jeans production by optimising the manufacturing process through the Jeanologia process. For the Fall/Winter 2020 collection, more than 57% of our jeans are eco-friendly, which represents 8 references.
See the selectionRecycled wool
We have used recycled wool in Claudie Pierlot collections since 2015. This material is made from scraps from other manufacturing and reduces the environmental impact in two ways: the residue is not wasted and the new raw material does not consume anything. For the Fall/Winter 2020 collection, 7 items are made of recycled wool.
See the selectionRWS traceable wool
The RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) certification applies to sheep's wool production at farm level. It guarantees good animal welfare, better pasture management as well as traceability right up to the finished product because all of the stakeholders in the production chain are part of the certification. 8 SKUs from the Autumn/Winter 2020 contain traceable wool.
See the selectionEU EUCOLABEL Lyocell
Claudie Pierlot has started including EU EUCOLABEL certified lyocell in our collections. This fibre comes from cellulose, which makes it biodegradable.
The EU EUCOLABEL label certifies that during the process of converting cellulose into fibres, the chemicals are applied in a closed circuit and processed. Exposure to chemicals is thus limited and strictly monitored.
The brand's Fall/Winter 2020 collection includes 3 EU EUCOLABEL lyocell SKUs.
GRS certified recycled polyester
Claudie Pierlot has started replacing polyester with GRS-certified recycled polyester in our Spring/Summer 2020 collection. This material has the same qualities as unrecycled polyester, but boasts numerous eco-friendly advantages. It means non-biodegradable waste be can be recycled (for example P.E.T. plastic bottles or polyester scraps from other textile processes, etc.) and cuts down on the petrochemical resources required for creating classic polyester.
The brand's Fall/Winter 2020 collection includes 24 recycled polyester SKUs.
FSC viscose and triacetate
Viscose and triacetate are materials that come from wood cellulose. They obtain their properties through chemical processing. FSC certification is based on sustainable production of wood (from which cellulose is extracted), via the responsible management of forest resources.
The origin of the cellulose is thus traced from the forest to the product.
Claudie Pierlot's Fall/Winter 2020 collection has 16 SKUs made from FSC-certified viscose or triacetate.
EU Ecolabel viscose
The European Textile EU Ecolabel is essentially environmental. Substances which may be harmful or destructive to the environment are strictly prohibited by the European Ecolabel. Manufacturers must implement measures for energy efficiency as well as processing wastewater and fulfilling certain quality criteria.
In terms of CSR, the Ecolabel requires compliance with ILO's fundamental standards.
As for quality, the clothing must not shrink too much in the first wash, and the colours should be very lightfast and wash resistant.
The application of this charter is verified by independent auditing bodies.
The brand's Fall/Winter 2020 collection includes 3 viscose EU ECOLABEL SKUs.
Tomorrow
We have set ourselves an ambitious but realistic goal: 80% of our ready-to-wear clothes will be eco-friendly by 2025.
for environment
Today
Local sourcing
At Claudie Pierlot, we source and manufacture 63% of our Spring/Summer 2020 collection's SKUs from the Europe-Mediterranean area - we are always eager to make the most of high-quality expertise. All of our shoes are manufactured in Portugal, a country which is known for its expertise in shoes. In order to minimise the environmental impact of the items manufactured in Europe, we opt for road transport only, which pollutes less than air or sea transport.
Sourcing from Asia
For some specific skills, such as knitwear from China, part of the SKUs from Claudie Pierlot collections are manufactured in Asia. In order to minimise the environmental impact of these items, as much as possible is sent by sea rather than air as it causes less pollution. For example, for the pieces delivered at the end of January 2020 from the Spring/Summer 2020 collection, 80% of the pieces sent from Asia to Europe were sent by boat. In 2018, this percentage was 51%.
Zero waste
At Claudie Pierlot, we have a strict zero waste objective for our materials and unsold articles which we started more than 5 years ago. We give unsold items at the end of collections to schools like the Lycée Saint Joseph college in Bordeaux to support educational projects, or to associations like AIDES, Odyssea, M’Panam, Croix-Rouge Genevoise and OhrHanna.
Stores
In order to reduce our environmental footprint for store openings and renovations, we have opted for methods which are more environmentally-friendly, such as LED lighting in order to reduce our electricity consumption. At the end of 2019, 61% of our shops used LED lighting only. This environmentally-conscious shopping movement continues right up to the point of purchase, as the Claudie Pierlot shopping bags are made of recyclable paper and the household products offered in store are environmentally-friendly. We also offer an e-ticket in some stores and we would like to gradually introduce this to our whole network.
Headquarters
The label headquarters in Paris have a HQE (High Quality Environmental standard) certificate at a level 3, which is "Excellent". In other words, the design of this building and the refurbishment management adhered to sustainable development methods. These premises offer a high-quality working comfort for all of our employees.
Promoting the circular economy via a collaboration with Vestiaire Collective
The brand has collaborated with Vestiaire Collective to promote circular fashion and has set up direct shipping to give Claudie Pierlot items a second chance. This latest innovation allows individuals to send items to others and therefore minimises the number of deliveries, which lowers the carbon footprint. In order to promote a circular economy and support this project, Claudie Pierlot will also offer a €10 voucher to people who sell the brand's items during the scheme's initial 3 launch months.
Tomorrow
Carbon footprint
In 2018, Claudie Pierlot launched a full scope carbon footprint, as always with the purpose of reducing its environmental impact and these results were shared at the end of 2019. We are now in the follow-up phase of our action plan for reducing carbon emissions. The key objectives were to identify and rank the label's emission sources and to create a 3 to 5-year roadmap in order to adhere to the global trajectory of 2 degrees, with the aim of reducing global warming. It includes, for example, the renovation of some of our points of sale or the widespread use of more eco-friendly packaging. In parallel, by the end of 2019, specifications were finalised for sourcing environmentally-friendly materials for our store openings and renovations, such as FSC-certified flooring or paint with an A+ rating.
For people
With our factories
Our partners' factories must apply strict specifications in compliance with regulations, norms and local and international standards in terms of hygiene, security, the environmental and labour laws. Audits are carried out in order to ensure these specifications are adhered to. Each season, our Claudie Pierlot teams also travel to ensure the quality of manufacturing and to maintain trust-based relationships, some of which have lasted over a decade.
With our in-house teams
Claudie Pierlot was created by a woman for women and that can still be seen today. 85% of our in-house teams, including some of the highest positions, are women. Steps have been put into place to ensure that they can all flourish throughout their career, including a full salary during maternity leave and a gradual return to work afterwards.In addition to this, the brand's values are built around challenges, listening, kindness, exemplary behaviour and team spirit. Our teams' well-being and development are part of our top priorities. Every year, a 'Happiness Week' is organised around well-being and actions undertaken, with massages, meditation sessions and blood donation. The #eco-friendly value has been added to our brand values. We incorporate sustainable development into our training and create awareness events such as sustainable development week. The CLAUDIECARES newsletter features the project's progress and encourages personal initiatives each month.
With our committed partners
Voluntary work has been part of Claudie Pierlot's DNA since it was created. L’ASAO, UNESCO, TOUTES A L’ECOLE, Anno’s Africa, la chaîne de l’espoir. We have worked with many organisations in recent years, some more than once, around values linked to the environment, education or even female empowerment.
For french “Expertise”
A workshop in the heart of Paris
Claudie Pierlot has its own workshop in the heart of the 1st arrondissement in Paris, where products are created using the label's own method. It is here that designers, pattern makers, cutters, machinists, stylists and sourcers bring the sketches, drawn by the Artistic Director Vanessa Pierrat and her team, to life.
"Made in France" collaborations
Olympia Le-Tan, Le Slip Français, Médecine douce, Albertine, Saint James, Veja, d’Estrëe. So many labels which the fashion house has worked with in recent years to create styles which are designed and regularly manufactured in France.