With its first solar panels installed at its supplier facility in Portugal, Ganni is making the shift to carbon insetting as part of its sustainability commitments.
Danish luxury label Ganni has not been shy about its sustainability commitments. The brand has announced a number of key efforts including circular materials, a shift away from animal leather, and its recent B Corp certification, which earned it the highest score for a luxury fashion label.
Ganni is now tackling its carbon emissions head-on with a shift to carbon inserting, including the first solar panels at its supplier Ramil in Portugal. Rodrigues, another Portuguese supplier, is in the process of constructing a new facility that integrates renewable energy and energy-reducing technology into the design.
‘Tangibly tackling our carbon footprint head-on’
“We’ve been mapping and off-setting our carbon footprint from 2016-2021 levying our own carbon tax to guide our behaviour — the carbon tax that politicians still today haven’t had the guts to introduce,” Nicolaj Reffstrup, Ganni’s founder, said in a statement.
“Whilst it was somewhat progressive at the time, it’s starting to feel more and more abstract. Instead, we’ve moved to carbon insetting, tangibly tackling our carbon footprint head-on by investing directly in our own supply chain which in turn will reduce Ganni’s carbon footprint,” he said.
The new scheme follows an announcement earlier this year that put Ganni on a path toward reducing its carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2023. The company says carbon insetting will allow it to invest in decarbonizing its own supply chain rather than buying carbon offsets elsewhere — still the most common practice.
According to Ganni, carbon insetting not only reduces its overall environmental impact, but it also builds long-term partnerships with suppliers, something the brand says is critical to its suppliers development and shift to low-carbon operations.
A new climate strategy for Ganni
Part of the new commitment involves efforts to protect local biodiversity near the two Portuguese facilities. Ganni is working with the biodiversity consultancy Strix on regional efforts.
The fashion label is also working with Plan A, a climate action consultancy and software provider. Plan A is assisting Ganni in developing its insetting strategy. Ganni says it wants to take “a more holistic approach” in dealing with its environmental footprint. A new climate action strategy is aimed at future-proofing the company “by committing to progressive targets and a 50 percent reduction of absolute total emissions by 2027.”
Ganni has taken one of the most aggressive positions on tackling the fashion industry’s carbon footprint. Last year it announced it would drop cow leather and lambskin despite the materials being among its top sellers. Reffstrup likened leather to cigarette smoking. A co-product of the meat and dairy industries, leather is a leading producer of carbon emissions and deforestation.
Material sourcing is a big part of Ganni’s commitment; it says more responsible fabrics now make up at least 50 percent of garments across 90 percent of production. The goal is 100 percent responsibly sourced materials.
Reffstrup and the Ganni team say they’re on a journey to become a more responsible version of themselves, driven by a moral obligation to do better every day. In 2020, Ganni launched its Responsibility Game Plan, which comprises 44 Goals across People, Planet, Product, and Prosperity to reach by 2023.
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