Gucci Introduce New Luxury Material Demetra

Fashion's relationship with sustainability doesn't exactly have the best track record. As an industry that's known to produce 13 million tons globally per year - it's received harsh criticism from outsiders and insiders alike, consistently being told to 'do better'. And even despite efforts from many designers worldwide, pledging to change their ways and act now, the term 'greenwashing' has been all too quickly fired; no one is safe from being accused of insincerity when it comes to their actions towards the planet, especially when in fashion. Saying this, fashion as an industry does care, and it cares now, more than ever. This year has seen many brands come up with new eco-friendly materials to help with fashion's mass waste problem with Alessandro Michele of Gucci up next in developing a new innovative material called Demetra that's as stylish as it's planet-friendly.

The new material doesn't sacrifice quality either; it combines quality, softness, durability, and scalability with an eco-friendly ethos. Made in Italy in Gucci's factory, Demetra has been in the works for two years thanks to the house's own researchers, technicians and artisans. Marking the creation of Demetra and proving its versatility as a material, Gucci have designed three different trainers in the luxury material.

Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci commented on the importance of introducing Demetra to the Gucci family saying:

'In our 100th anniversary year, Demetra is a new category of material that encapsulates Gucci's quality and aesthetic standards with our desire to innovate, leveraging our traditional skills and know-how to create for an evolving future. Demetra offers our industry an easily scalable, alternative choice and a more sustainable material that also answers the needs of animal-free solutions.'

Not too long ago, Stella McCartney also introduced a material called MYLO™️ to her collection - cementing her irrefutable reputation as a designer who puts sustainability first above all else - McCartney became the first designer to make a garment using the lab-grown Mushroom leather from Bolt Threads. Vegan leather has become something of a success in recent years - on the high street and on the catwalk. Brands like Stella McCartney, Doc Martens, Nanushka and even Hermès have incorporated the fabric into their own designs.

Wanting to make sure that the fashion industry continues its efforts to make the planet greener, Gucci will make Demetra available to the fashion industry as a new material source that can be used for various products and styles. Wanting always to be a step above, any scraps of Demetra that aren't needed during the manufacturing process will be up-cycled and reused by Gucci through an extension of its Gucci-Up program, supporting a circular fashion system for everyone to enjoy.

The Gucci Basket, Gucci New Ace and Gucci Rhyton sneakers are all tried and tested products that have been made using Demetra and are available in Gucci stores and online now.