LVMH: Regenerative practices are the future
Luxury group LVMH is convinced that hides sourced from farms practising regenerative agriculture are "the future", according to its raw material supply chain development manager, Guillaine Ipert.
Speaking at the Future Fabrics Expo in London, Ms Ipert explained how the group three years ago had embarked on a project to understand what happens to the skins and form closer connections with farmers, traders and slaughterhouses.
They employed an inhouse team to come up with a definition of ‘regenerative’ and began working on converting some of its materials, which could end up taking five to ten years, she explained. This kind of timeframe is difficult in fashion, when brands are used to working in six-month, or shorter, cycles, and meant a change of mindset.
The next phase of the project will involve forming closer connections to meat companies, which would have greater influence over the farmers, she said. “Farmers won’t change for LVMH, but if we work together we can help them to work towards more regenerative practices.”
The project is now beginning to bear fruit. “We are starting to get the data – and everyone knows companies love data – that shows the costs involved in what we are doing are worth it.”
Image: Panel on regenerative agriculture at Future Fabrics Expo. Ms Ipert is in the centre
