How Ethical Is Louis Vuitton? - Good On You (2024)

Category: Luxury

Published: 16 Mar 2022

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Louis Vuitton is one of the world’s most recognised luxury fashion brands thanks to its distinctive monogrammed accessories and clothing. Unfortunately, the brand isn’t doing enough when it comes to its impact on people, the planet, and animals. So, how ethical is Louis Vuitton exactly? Let’s take a look. This article is based on the Louis Vuitton rating published in January 2022.

Is Louis Vuitton ethical or sustainable?

The appointment in 2018 of Virgil Abloh as Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of menswear shook up the 164-year-old French fashion house, as well as the whole fashion industry. The late American designer, DJ, and stylist was originally known for being Kanye West’s creative director, before making waves with his own luxury streetwear label, Off-White—worn by the likes of Jay-Z, ASAP Rocky, Beyonce, and Rihanna.

The designer’s appointment was seen as democratising luxury fashion and bringing youth culture to an elite brand, but did the house of Louis Vuitton also address ethical and sustainable fashion concerns of the younger generations?

In this article, we take a look at the luxury brand’s impact on people, the planet, and animals, to answer the age old question: how ethical is Louis Vuitton?

Environmental impact

Unsurprisingly, luxury label Louis Vuitton is simply “Not Good Enough” for the planet. While it has set an intensity target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated from its own operations, there is no evidence it is on track to meet said target. There is no evidence it minimises textile waste, and it uses few eco-friendly materials. It complies with its own Restricted Substances List and has eliminated some hazardous chemicals from its supply chain, but the brand has not set a time bound target to eliminate all hazardous chemicals. Like numerous other luxury fashion houses, Louis Vuitton also regularly burns unsold stock, contributing even further to the damaging fashion industry that values exclusivity over sustainability at every turn.

Labour conditions

The brand also scores “Not Good Enough” for its treatment of workers across the supply chain. It received a score of 21-30% in this year’s Fashion Transparency Index, and its final stage of production is undertaken in medium risk countries for labour abuse. Sadly, the brand discloses inadequate policies or safeguards to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19, and there is no evidence is ensures payment of a living wage in any part of its supply chain or that it implements practices to support diversity and inclusion also in its supply chain. People are the backbone of the fashion industry and Louis Vuitton needs to do much better and provide safe and fair working conditions for all.

Animal welfare

Louis Vuitton is rated “Very Poor” for the animals because of its use of fur, down, leather, wool, exotic animal skin, and exotic animal hair, though it has a basic formal policy to protect animal welfare. Such a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of the sentient creatures we share the planet with is outdated, and with so many vegan fabric innovations out there, using them in such a way simply isn’t necessary any more.

Overall rating: Not Good Enough

Louis Vuitton has been rated “Not Good Enough” overall based on information from the research done by our team at Good On You. Note that Good On You ratings consider 100s of issues and it is not possible to list every relevant issue in a summary of the brand’s performance. For more information see our How We Rate page and our FAQs. Consumers deserve to know who made their clothes, and what impact their clothing choices have on the planet and animals. Louis Vuitton needs to become much more transparent, and do far more to reduce its impact on people, the planet, and animals in order to meet the expectations of a new generation of fashion lovers.

See the rating.

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Editor's note

Feature image via Pexels, all other images via brands mentioned. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet and animals. Use ourdirectory to search thousands of rated brands.

How Ethical Is Louis Vuitton? - Good On You (2024)

FAQs

Is Louis Vuitton ethical or sustainable? ›

Environmental impact

There is no evidence it minimises textile waste, and it uses few eco-friendly materials. It complies with its own Restricted Substances List and has eliminated some hazardous chemicals from its supply chain, but the brand has not set a time bound target to eliminate all hazardous chemicals.

Is Louis Vuitton environmentally friendly? ›

It uses fur, leather, wool, down, exotic animal hair and exotic animal skin. It does not use angora. It traces some animal products to the first stage of production. Louis Vuitton is rated 'Not good enough' overall.

What is Louis Vuitton doing for sustainability? ›

“Our commitment is that sustainable development is the DNA of our brand now.” Louis Vuitton says the upcycling-themed logo, which designates items containing at least 50 per cent recycled or “environmentally-certified” materials, will be featured on more and more products.

Is LVMH an ethical company? ›

The LVMH group has always been strongly committed to exemplary integrity and ethics in the conduct of its business and in its relations with all stakeholders.

What is the most ethical brand? ›

What is the most ethical clothing brand? The most ethical clothing brand is Patagonia. This company is one of the earliest flag carriers of environmental ethics in the industry best known for its Fair Trade outdoor clothing. It was one of the first to use recycled materials and organic cotton.

How is Louis Vuitton socially responsible? ›

The art of staying ahead in a time of crisis. On 15th March, Louis Vuitton announced that creating and donating hand sanitizers for hospitals to help tackle the COVID-19, 3 days after the government announced that they needed help from big companies.

Is Louis Vuitton animal cruelty free? ›

Louis Vuitton's animal rating is “Very Poor”. It has a basic formal policy to protect animal welfare. It uses fur, leather, wool, down, exotic animal hair, and exotic animal skin.

Which designer brands are most ethical? ›

Top luxe brands, including the famed Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood, are just a handful of the high-fashion houses producing ethical clothing ranges today – creating trends that not only complement our wardrobes, but our planet too - focusing on embracing quality working standards, organic materials or the ...

Which bag is the most environmentally friendly? ›

Paper bags have some advantages over plastic bags when it comes to sustainability. They are easier to recycle, and, because they are biodegradable, they can be used for purposes like composting.

Why are people protesting Louis Vuitton? ›

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Chants, signs, and loud sirens filled a Louis Vuitton store in downtown Charleston on Tuesday as several people protested in favor of animal rights at the high-end merchandiser.

Are luxury brands really sustainable? ›

Luxury products are set up for sustainability

51.7% of fashion waste ends up in landfills. Luxury products are fundamentally durable. With a focus on high-quality materials, luxury products are set up to last longer than the average product, requiring less need for incineration and textile waste.

Can luxury brands be ethical? ›

Luxury brands are perceived as highly sophisticated and hence as less ethical. In the pilot study, we show that luxury brands are perceived to have the highest levels of sophistication and the lowest score of sincerity.

What is the least ethical brand? ›

The most unethical clothing companies are mainly popular multinational and e-commerce brands like Victoria's Secret, GAP, Fashion Nova, Uniqlo, Forever 21, Nike, Adidas, Disney, H&M that have been exposed to multiple unethical practices – including labor exploitation and/ or forced labor.

What luxury brands are not ethical? ›

Did you know that even high end fashion brands use unethical labor? It's not just cheap fast fashion brands. In fact, studies found that luxury brands like Prada, Fendi and Dior were some of the worst at protecting their workers from exploitation.

Are Gucci products ethical? ›

But despite having a robust policy to ensure animal welfare in its supply chain and not using exotic animal skin, angora, or fur, the brand still uses leather, down, and exotic animal hair, as well as wool (from non-mulesed sheep).

How do you know if a company is ethical? ›

Most companies have a Code of Conduct or Code of Ethics available for their customers to read on their website. Again this is usually placed at the bottom of their home page next to or under their “About Us,” “Help” or other links. With some companies this information can be harder to find.

How do I know if my clothing brand is ethical? ›

Here's what we look for when evaluating brands for ethics and sustainability:
  1. A lot of specific, well-organized, and clear information. ...
  2. Third-party certifications. ...
  3. Where they are and where they want to go. ...
  4. Labor transparency. ...
  5. Accurate information and promises. ...
  6. Cultural awareness.
28 Apr 2020

What brands are the most socially responsible? ›

Refinitiv's social top 100
1International Business Machines Corp97.76
2SAP SE97.6
3Tata Consultancy Services Ltd97.52
4Microsoft Corp97.4
5Johnson & Johnson97.21
86 more rows

What are the benefits of Louis Vuitton? ›

Louis Vuitton Employee Benefits
  • Health & Wellness. Dental Benefits, Company-Paid Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Vision Benefits, Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Workplace Culture. Professional Development.
  • Financial Benefits & Perks. ...
  • Life Outside of Work.

What is a socially responsible brand? ›

Brands can be socially responsible by ensuring employees have a safe work environment and are paid a living wage, charitable giving to programs that give back to the community, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, sustainable business practices, — the list goes on.

What animal skin does Louis Vuitton use? ›

Louis Vuitton's crocodile skins come from farms certified by the Crocodile Standard, a certification launched by LVMH. Louis Vuitton is also one of the last remaining luxury brands to still sell animal fur.

Does Louis Vuitton still use fur? ›

“Brands talk the talk about caring for animals, but dig a little deeper and you'll often find weak or patchy animal welfare policies or none at all.” Here are some of the major brands that still sell fur: Dior. Louis Vuitton.

What luxury brands dont test on animals? ›

Cruelty-Free Brands: PETA Names 12 Of The Most Ethical Fashion Companies
  • Biggest fur-free moment: Kering. ...
  • Best luxury moment: Valentino and Armani. ...
  • Progress award: GANNI. ...
  • Best vegan shoes: Allkind. ...
  • Innovation award: Gucci. ...
  • Best vegan bag: Stella McCartney. ...
  • Vegan glow-up: Adidas. ...
  • Best wool-free knitwear: House of Sunny.
22 Apr 2022

Do consumers care about ethical luxury? ›

Findings indicate that consumers' propensity to consider ethics is significantly lower in luxury purchases when compared to commoditized purchases and explores some of the potential reasons for this reduced propensity to identify or act upon ethical issues in luxury consumption.

What is the most sustainable fast fashion brand? ›

1. UNIQLO. Though it operates on the traditional fast fashion model, UNIQLO's brand focuses on timeless basics that can outlast passing trends. The brand is relatively older, and it is actually one of the most committed to meeting its sustainability goals.

Which bag is harmful from the environment? ›

Big black bin liners, plastic carrier bags carrying advertising logos, clear sandwich bags and a variety of other forms are all polluting our environment. They're lightweight, handy and easily discarded. Too easily discarded.

How would you describe Louis Vuitton? ›

Famed for being one of the most recognised luxury brands in the world, Louis Vuitton is synonymous with high-end leather goods, legendary steamer trunks, iconic monogram handbags, sublime watches and jewellery and cutting edge fashion.

Who is Louis Vuitton target audience? ›

Louis Vuitton caters to both men and women, ages 16 to 80, who are rich. High-income and disposable-income businessmen and women. Psychographic Segmentation: Louis Vuitton employs psychographic segmentation based on such as lifestyle and reasons.

What is Louis Vuitton culture? ›

WORK CULTURE

Louis Vuitton is more than a name. It's a mindset. Our employees are pioneers crafting unique journeys. Join our Maison to experience an environment where passion, creativity, and enthusiasm meet exceptional savoir-faire and each employee is empowered to take on challenges, together.

What are the weaknesses of Louis Vuitton? ›

Weaknesses
  • Overly expensive product prices.
  • Lack of product innovation over the years.
  • Weak online presence and online sales.
  • Limited distribution channel – selling products through own stores only.

Does Louis Vuitton have TikTok? ›

Louis Vuitton (@louisvuitton) Official TikTok | Watch Louis Vuitton's Newest TikTok Videos.

Why are so many Louis Vuitton bags unavailable? ›

Based on everything I've read and seen, though, the simplest explanation is probably the right one: The bags have become notably more popular, so there are fewer of them available, and that will probably be true until Vuitton expands its manufacturing capacity in a meaningful way.

Is Chanel ethical or sustainable? ›

Sustainability Goals

Chanel has set science-based targets to decrease its carbon footprint (scope 1 and 2) by 50% by 2030 and decrease emissions from its value chain (scope 3) by 40% per unit sold by 2030. Chanel also aims to shift to 100% renewable electricity in its own operations by 2025.

Why is luxury not sustainable? ›

Here's the thing: luxury brands can be sustainable, but they're not automatically so just because they have higher price tags. As we've seen, some of them rely on extremely polluting synthetic materials, and some others are still using sweatshop-style factories.

Is Dior an ethical brand? ›

Dior's animal rating is “Very Poor”, our lowest rating. Dior is one of these luxury brands that are still harming animals for profit. The brand has a basic formal policy to protect animal welfare. The brand still uses fur, down, leather, wool, and exotic animal skin and hair.

What is ethical branding and examples? ›

What Is an Ethical Brand? In simple words, an ethical brand leaves behind a legacy of values, strategies and actions that can be perceived as morally right and ethical. An ethical brand doesn't harm people, animals or the environment, and it contributes to the society responsibly, positively, and in a sustainable way.

Do consumers care about ethical brands? ›

Ethical Sourcing in the Modern World

A recent study into consumer intent carried out by OpenText suggests that these policy changes are not misplaced. It found that 9 in 10 (88%) of global consumers surveyed would choose to buy from companies with ethical sourcing structures in place over ones that did not.

Can fashion be sustainable ethical? ›

Ethical and sustainable fashion has been gathering momentum globally in the past decade. Ethical and sustainable fashion is an approach towards sourcing, manufacturing and designing clothes which maximizes the benefits to the industry and society at large, at the same time minimizes the impacts on the environment.

Is Saint Laurent an ethical brand? ›

Yves Saint Laurent doesn't use any exotic animal skin, or hair, fur, angora. But it uses leather, wool, silk, and down feathers to manufacture many of its clothing pieces. These animal-derived materials are cruel and unethical and harm the environment by producing greenhouse gases and wastes.

Can cheap fashion ever be ethical? ›

Yes, it absolutely can. In many ways, sustainable fashion is already affordable, especially when one considers how thrifty secondhand shopping is. Thrifting has become incredibly popular these days, not just because of its affordability, but because it encourages reuse.

Is Burberry an ethical brand? ›

It received a score of 31-40% in the 2021 Fashion Transparency Index. It implements practices to encourage diversity and inclusion in its direct operations but not its supply chain.

Why is Chanel not ethical? ›

Animal welfare

Like many luxury brands, Chanel has stopped using fur, exotic animal skin, and angora. But it still uses leather and wool, as well as exotic animal hair and silk, which is why Chanel's animal rating is “Not Good Enough”.

Is Gucci ethical or sustainable? ›

Gucci also uses some more eco-friendly materials, like in its circular line, “Gucci Off The Grid“. The brand says it “uses recycled, organic, bio-based, and sustainably sourced materials”. The brand's genderless collections also included items made from ECONYL, organic cotton, recycled steel, and regenerated polyamide.

Does Louis Vuitton test on animals? ›

Although Louis Vuitton itself doesn't participate in animal cruelty, they conduct business with sources that do engage in the mistreatment of animals.

Is Dior ethical? ›

Dior's animal rating is “Very Poor”, our lowest rating. Dior is one of these luxury brands that are still harming animals for profit. The brand has a basic formal policy to protect animal welfare. The brand still uses fur, down, leather, wool, and exotic animal skin and hair.

Is Nike considered ethical? ›

Environmental impact

Nike uses some eco-friendly materials, including organic and recycled cotton and polyester, and has water reduction initiatives in its supply chain. The brand has also set a deadline to eliminate hazardous chemicals by 2025 and the good news is that it is on track to meet its target.

What is an ethical fashion brand? ›

For fashion to be considered ethical, it must be produced with environmental and social responsibility. Ethical fashion brands ensure that the people who make their garments are paid fairly, and work in discrimination-free, empowering and safe environments.

Why luxury brands are not cruelty-free? ›

Luxury brands are notorious for their use of cruel animal-based fabrics like fur and exotic skins. And while the anti-fur and vegan fashion movements have helped reduce some of the harm, there are still a bunch of high end brands that vegans should avoid.

What luxury brand is animal cruelty-free? ›

Over the years, a growing number of luxury fashion houses like Gucci, Saint Laurent and many others have announced a commitment to adapt to more ethical fashion practices by going fur-free, opting for eco-friendly and cruelty-free options.

Is Louis Vuitton vegan friendly? ›

Are there any Louis Vuitton vegan bags? It doesn't appear that there is a single Louis Vuitton vegan bag – further, Louis Vuitton still uses exotic animal skins in its designs and is the target of campaigns by animal activists.

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