We are committed to creating sustainable pieces that are authentic, timeless and enduring. We design our products around circular principles and partner with our suppliers to source more sustainable materials without compromising quality.
Sustainable Materials
Our sustainable material strategy is driven by our ethos of creating positive environmental and social outcomes through the products we make.
Chemical Management
We monitor and reduce hazardous chemical use and discharge in our supply chain, guided by our Sustainable Chemical Management Policy. We’re working to eliminate all hazardous chemicals from our product manufacturing.
Responsible Design
We challenge ourselves to think differently about each stage of the design and development process to create quality products that are authentic and responsible.
Sustainable Spaces
We are committed to designing and building Ralph Lauren stores with materials that minimize environmental impact and maximize occupant health.
Circularity
The spirit of timelessness has been core to Ralph’s creative vision for more than 50 years. Our circularity approach reinforces his belief that Ralph Lauren products should not only endure the test of time, but have endless lifecycles.
Case Study
Creating Timeless Style Through Circularity
When Ralph founded our company in 1967, he did so with the conviction that whatever we create is meant to be worn, loved and passed on for generations. Grounded in this philosophy, in FY21, we announced our comprehensive circularity strategy—aimed at designing out waste and keeping products in use longer.
When Ralph founded our company in 1967, he did so with the conviction that whatever we create is meant to be worn, loved and passed on for generations. Grounded in this philosophy, in FY21, we announced our comprehensive circularity strategy—aimed at designing out waste and keeping products in use longer. The new strategy has three focus areas:
Design for Circularity
In partnership with McDonough Innovation, we set a 2025 goal to achieve Cradle to Cradle certification™ for five of our iconic products, from polo shirts and chinos to denim and sweaters. This certification is a globally recognized measure of safer, more sustainable products. Looking ahead, we will bring circular design principles to other key product categories.
Create Circular Consumer Experiences
In FY21, we announced the introduction of The Lauren Look, our first subscription apparel rental initiative, with the Lauren Ralph Lauren brand. This initiative will reduce clothing waste by expanding the lifespan of garments that might otherwise be purchased and worn only a few times. To further extend product life, the collections will be donated once they reach their rental cap. In FY22, we will begin product collection to support resale and recycling options for beloved Ralph Lauren products.
Advance A Circular Product Economy
To help the fashion industry meaningfully shift from a linear to a circular product economy, we will continue to invest in scalable technologies to improve the quality of recycled materials so they can be used in place of virgin material. And by 2025, we commit to producing 100 percent recycled cotton products of high quality. As part of this commitment, in FY21, we invested in Natural Fiber Welding, a leading sustainable material science startup that is scaling a new industry standard for natural fiber recycling.
Read more about our comprehensive circularity strategy here.