Although for some brands sustainability might seem just like a trend, this is not the case for Amour Vert. The “Paris-chic-meets-California-cool” brand was founded in 2010 by Linda Balti and Christoph Frehsee “out of desire to transform our future.” In fact, the Amour Vert’s commitment to sustainability is so serious that Balti has stated that it is almost always the last thing she’s willing to sacrifice.
Based in San Francisco, California, Amour Vert is committed to creating both stylish and environmentally friendly clothing. How does it do it? Let’s take a closer look at the steps the brand has taken so far to become more sustainable and see if it lives up to its words!
Production
To avoid overproduction and, hence, massive amounts of waste, Amour Vert pieces are made in limited quantities and with more care. The brand manufactures locally to reduce its carbon footprint and hand draws, cuts, and sews all of its samples at its Atelier HQ in San Francisco.
Fabrics
Amour Vert partners directly with mills to develop their “own fabrics that are sustainable, soft, and stand the test of time.” They work with sustainable, traceable, and eco-friendly raw fibers and materials, namely:
- Bluesign® Silk: Amour vert sources its Washable Silk from bluesign® factories and mills to guarantee safer, higher-quality, more traceable, and more ethical silk, and only uses OEKO-TEX® dyes. By using this type of silk, garments end up being of a higher quality and lasting longer. The brand also reduces its carbon footprint by sourcing its silk in China (which leads the world in silk expertise and innovation).
- Tencel: Tencel is a highly sustainable material that is made in a closed-loop production process that transforms wood pulp into cellulosic fibers (learn more about Tencel here). Amour Vert uses Tencel in some of its collections to reduce its environmental impact, taking the right step towards sustainability.
- Ethical wool: Amour Vert only used harm-free, non-mulesed Merino wool from mills in Italy and Australia to create exceptionally soft, zero-waste sweaters. The brand’s wool is recyclable and 100% biodegradable.
- Cottonseed Cupro: Apart from using the sustainable variant of real silk (see above) Amour Vert uses a washable and biodegradable fabric that looks and feels like silk, but is made from repurposed cotton plant seed fiber. This material is also known as the luxe “vegan silk.”
Tree planting program
For every t-shirt sold, Amour Vert plants a tree in North America through its partnership with the non-profit organization American Forests. To date, the brand has planted over 370,000 trees. According to its founder, Christoph Frehsee, Amour Vert wants “to put as many trees in the ground as [it] can and […] want[s] everyone to be able to be a part of it!.”
ReAmour
“ReAmour” is the dedicated resale marketplace for pre-loved Amour Vert clothing where customers can browse, buy, and sell high-quality pre-loved styles at lower prices. The idea behind the program is to reduce waste and, because the brand’s garments are designed to be timeless and versatile, Amour Vert’s clothes are very capable to staying out of landfills for a while.
Final thoughts
Undoubtedly, Amour Vert takes sustainability very seriously and has taken some interesting steps into the right direction. However, there are a few things the brand could improve, namely:
- Code of conduct: the brand doesn’t currently have a code of conduct. Codes of conduct’s main purpose is to promote fair and ethical practices along the whole supply chain, from raw materials to completed goods, so it is quite a loophole that the brand does not have one in place yet.
- List of manufacturing and processing facilities: Amour Vert does not provide a comprehensive list of all of its manufacturing and processing facilities on its website. Neither does it discloses any audits are carried out to guarantee fair working conditions, livable wages, workers’ health and safety, and other crucial rights in its supply chain.
- Science-based targets: Amour Vert lacks clear sustainability goals, science-based targets and a timeline to improve in the future. The brand doesn’t track its energy or water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, chemical release, pollution, or waste across its supply chain.
By focusing on the listed issues, Amour Vert’s statements will become more tangible and consumers will feel more assured that the products they are purchasing are truly sustainable and not just the result of greenwashing. Founder Christoph Frehsee says that Amour Vert is “committed to making the world a greener, more beautiful place, one garment at a time,” yet, there is still a long way to go.
What do you think about Amour Vert? Have you ever shopped at Amour Vert? If not, would you give it a try?
