A first overview of the concrete actions involved in the VoltAIRe Programme
After assessing its societal and environmental practices and global greenhouse gas emissions, in September 2021 Zadig&Voltaire launched VoltAIRe in order to give structure to its global Sustainable Development efforts and define strategic objectives it wished to fulfil by 2025.
With #WorkInProgress, Zadig&Voltaire proposes a first review of its actions and the progress it has made in achieving its goals.
provides for the use of 100% eco-friendly certified key raw materials and 100% packaging made from traced materials certified as sustainable and recyclable and the elimination of virgin plastic made using fossil fuels.
Air quality and climateseeks to reduce CO2 emissions from all of the brand’s activities, in order to bring it into line with the Paris Agreement.
Made In Respectplaces transparency at the heart of the brand’s ambitions, with a target of 100% traceability for products.
Collective commitmentseeks to unite and mobilise the entire Zadig&Voltaire community in its efforts to move towards more sustainable luxury.
· More than 70% of our Jersey styles in the Spring/Summer 2022 collection are made from cotton composed of fibres obtained from organic farming.
· 100% of the viscose used for the Spring/Summer 2022 collection is made from fibres certified as coming from sustainably-managed forests.
· For its shopping bags, e-commerce boxes, tissue paper and shoe boxes, ZADIG&VOLTAIRE only uses paper and cardboard made from fibres certified as traced, from sustainably-managed forests, or recycled and 100% recyclable.
· Since Autumn/Winter 2021, all of the brand’s polybags have been made from bio-based materials and/or recycled and 100% recyclable materials.
Aware of the major role played by raw materials in its overall environmental footprint, Zadig&Voltaire made it a priority to use certified raw materials.
Cotton, one of the key raw materials most used by the brand, generally requires large quantities of fertiliser and pesticides. Consequently, the brand initially decided to focus on using organic cotton.
Thanks to our teams’ efforts, the Spring/Summer 2022 collection shows the first concrete results of this acceleration: more than 70% of our Jersey styles are now made from cotton composed of fibres from organic farming.
Zadig&Voltaire has also made changes to the viscose it uses. This material is used in particular to make printed skirts, dresses, tops and trousers. 100% of the viscose used in the Spring/Summer 2022 collection is made using fibres certified as coming from sustainably-managed forests.
Finally, efforts made regarding products go hand-in-hand with work to improve packaging.
For a number of years, Zadig&Voltaire has been using only paper and cardboard made from fibres certified as traced, from sustainably-managed forests, or recycled and 100% recyclable . This includes shopping bags, e-commerce boxes, tissue paper and shoe boxes.
As part of our “zero virgin plastic made from fossil fuels by 2025” objective, we have reduced the use of plastic in packaging and, since Autumn/Winter 2021, all polybags have been made from bio-based and/or recycled materials, and are in any case 100% recyclable.
While using materials and fibres certified as coming from organic farming or more sustainable channels is a preliminary and important step in the VoltAIRe programme, the brand fixed itself the goal of gradually proposing certified finished products.
The certification of finished products notably makes it possible to ensure product traceability and transparency right up to the end customer, as well as the origin of the raw materials used by Zadig&Voltaire, whether organic, recycled or from channels guaranteeing animal welfare.
To obtain certifications for its finished products, Zadig&Voltaire works hand-in-hand with its suppliers and also made the decision to respect the following standards:
In parallel to these certifications, Zadig&Voltaire also made a commitment to accelerate the development of sustainable channels. The brand is therefore:
- A Good Cashmere Standard certificate holder and strives to develop a more sustainable cashmere industry by improving the working conditions of farmers, animal welfare and farming practices.
- A member of the Leather Working Group (LWG) which developed a programme of audits to certify leather manufacturing sites based on their environmental impact.
- Zadig&Voltaire has made a commitment to use 100% leather from LWG-certified tanneries and 100% Good Cashmere Standard-certified new cashmere.
The Spring/Summer 2022 collection is just a first step, but it has given the Voltaire programme a strong, tangible impetus. The Zadig&Voltaire teams are working hard to ensure that the 2023 collections are made from certified key raw materials (cotton, cashmere, wool, leather) and to offer certified and 100% traced products by 2025.