Water Replenishment Initiatives
Kering Launches Fashion’s First Water-Positive Strategy
Georgia Wray Norsten — May 6, 2025
Luxury conglomerate Kering -- owner of brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, and others -- announced an ambitious water-positive strategy to replenish more water than it consumes by 2050. Unveiled just after Earth Day 2025, the strategy commits Kering to achieving a net water-positive impact across its operations and supply chain, with interim goals for 2035.
Key initiatives include sourcing more recycled and regenerative raw materials to ease water stress (e.g. using organic or rain-fed fibers, chrome-free tanning to cut water pollution), and collaborating with suppliers on water stewardship programs. Kering will also establish Water Resilience Labs in ten priority river basins where its manufacturing has a significant impact- in areas such as Italy, India, and China- to support local water projects and improve watershed health. The first such lab is slated to open in Tuscany later in 2025.
Kering’s move sets a new benchmark in the fashion industry, going beyond carbon neutrality to address water, a critical resource for textile production.
