This article first appeared on British Vogue.
Given that the biggest share of fashion’s carbon footprint comes from the production of materials, it makes sense that there’s been so much innovation in this space in recent years — from mushroom leather to algae sequins. It’s also why Gucci set up a research center in the Tuscan town of San Miniato, where some of the world’s most famous tanneries are based, in 2024. “The centre was created for the research, development and testing of all our innovative materials,” Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer at Gucci’s parent company Kering, tells Vogue.
While a whole host of startups have cropped up (and failed, considering the challenges of scaling up new materials) over the years, Gucci decided to bring its R&D in-house to ensure that any innovations match the Italian fashion house’s necessary specifications. “We [need] to combine, of course, sustainability and superior technical performance, to be sure that at the end of the day, it will be at the level expected for Gucci and in luxury,” Daveu says of the move to establish the brand’s own research center.
A key focus? Leather, which is known for its large carbon footprint — with Gucci exploring more sustainable ways of producing animal leather, as well as vegan alternatives. “The ambition is to shape a tannery model of the future, capable of processing leather plus new materials, increasing quality, versatility and also being more efficient, more sustainable and more circular,” Daveu explains. “When you do that, you tackle climate change, water consumption, water pollution.”
Inside the research lab, which is based within Gucci’s Marbella tannery, hundreds of leather samples hang from a conveyor belt in an assortment of colors, from classic black to zingy lime green. At any one time, scientists are testing numerous iterations of between 10 and 20 new materials, coming up with concoctions for different “recipes” in an airy room nicknamed the “kitchen”. Next door, various machines allow the team to assess how the materials respond to different finishing processes, from dyeing to embossing. Then there’s the impressively high-tech climatic chamber, which tests how the samples will age over time by putting them under tropical conditions.
Before the center was officially established in 2024, it was in this lab that Demetra, Gucci’s vegan alternative to leather, launched in 2021, was conceived. Made from 75% plant-based materials, including responsibly sourced viscose, wood pulp and non-GMO corn-based plastic, Demetra — which was used as part of the brand’s Horsebit 1955 bag line in 2023 — has a lower carbon and water footprint compared to traditional leather. “If we want to reach all our [climate] targets, we need to have innovative raw materials,” Daveu says. “The way that Gucci was able to develop the innovation [means] you have the performance, the quality.”