SUSTAINABILITY
At HERVÉ by Céline Marie, we like to redefine luxury as being sustainable. Sustainability is no longer a choice but the fundamental responsibility of every fashion house. Each decision we make carries the aim to create stunningly beautiful pieces that fit the world we live in, now and in the future. We are committed to providing full visibility of our actions, no compromises.
FROM CARBON NEUTRAL TO CLIMATE POSITIVE,
ONE TREE AT A TIME.
When founding HERVÉ by Céline Marie, we committed ourselves to putting long term sustainability before shot term solutions with every action and step we take. To further continue our mission towards a sustainable fashion future, we have dedicated ourselves to becoming a carbon neutral, and ultimately climate positive business by offsetting our carbon footprint. But what does that actually mean and how are we achieving this milestone?
OFFSETTING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
With the fast fashion industry ranking amongst the world's second largest polluters of our planet and accounting for 10% of global carbon emissions, our call to action to innovate and break the fast fashion cycle and the way we consume is way overdue. We need to take responsibility and start giving back to our planet to make up for the damages caused. To put this into perspective: An average person in the EU produces roughly seven tons of CO₂ per year. To offset this carbon footprint alone, an approximate amount of 112 - 224 trees, depending on its type and size, are needed to absorb the amount of CO₂ emitted.
BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL
But what does the term carbon neutral actually mean? If enough trees are planted to absorb at minimum the same amount of CO₂ emissions that have been released into the atmosphere, a company can become carbon neutral.
When calculating the scope of HERVÉ's ecological footprint for our first year, we took in consideration CO₂ emissions caused both on local company level and staff as well as product level. This means we calculate all carbon dioxide produced directly by and in the atelier as well as trace back the fabric and material production and its impact on the environment upon original creation. We further add any emissions caused by order shipments, photoshoots and external content creators. Please beware that we have made this calculation in as much depth and accuracy as traceable.
PLANTING TREES WORLDWIDE
In order to reach our first milestone in becoming carbon neutral, we have planted our first trees in October 2021 and continuously support organizations around the globe, allowing us to complete our first goal of becoming Climate Neutral in October 2022. With our call to action, we do not only intend to create more awareness, but encourage you all to take responsibility for your own ecological footprint, one tree at a time. Together we can make a difference. Projects supported include 'The Greening Schools Project' in Kenya, the 'Embangweni Indigenous Reforestation Project' and 'Trees Where Needed the Most' by One Tree Planted. Over 600 Trees have been planted so far.
CLIMATE POSITIVE SINCE 2022
But what is the key difference? Climate positive, or carbon negative, takes the idea of being carbon neutral one step further: Instead of solely making up for the amount of CO₂ released into the air, we are actively contributing towards a better climate by planting even more trees than needed to balance the difference. As we continue to strive to be leaders in sustainable fashion, we aim to inspire and motivate you to follow our footsteps.
ETHICAL MATERIAL SOURCING
ECO-FRIENDLY
BAMBOO COTTON
All our briefs and bodies use antibacterial and certified bamboo cotton, made from bamboo fibres. The eco-friendly and hypoallergenic alternative to jersey is not only as soft as silk, breathable and the most sustainable alternative to use.
HERITAGE
FRENCH LACES
We work exclusively with the world’s finest Leavers laces, traditionally crafted in Calais in northern France. By doing so, we proudly help preserve this heritage craft and French savoir-faire dating back to the 1830s, while supporting the many family-run lace manufacturers who keep it alive.
ITALIAN
SILK
We are committed to incorporating the highest quality Italian silk within our creations. Whilst Italian's expertise in the silk industry roots back over 1,000 years, local manufacturing enables strict quality control throughout the entire silk production process.
HIGH QUALITY
FRENCH COMPONENTRY
All our golden hardware and components are crafted in close proximity, in the heart of France, by one of the last remaining European lingerie specialists — preserving rare expertise while minimizing the footprint of production.
RECYCLED
GIFT BOXES & TISSUE PAPER
Both our eco-friendly matte black signature gift boxes and tissue paper are made from recycled materials and can be either reused or fully recycled. Our boxes are made, finished and shipped from a certified supplier based in Southern England.
RECYCLED
BOTTLE SATIN RIBBON
Our gift boxes are adorned with ethical ribbon made from 100% post-consumer waste in form of PET plastic bottles. 90% of the water has been recycled during their production whilst 20% of the energy used is solar powered.
EUROPEAN-MADE
LINGERIE ELASTICS
Our signature elastics are crafted in small quantities on demand—partly just outside Barcelona by a family-owned business with over 130 years of expertise, and partly in the heart of France by a small-scale manufacturer dedicated to innovation.
SUPPORTING
LOCAL BUSINESSES
We are proud to support small businesses and local fabric stores here in Spain to boost the local economy. All our haberdashery and studio supplies are purchased locally.
SURPLUS
LACES & MATERIALS
We believe the most sustainable approach to material sourcing is to give new life to fabrics that already exist. That’s why we proudly source a variety of lingerie fabrics and components that would otherwise have gone to waste, salvaged from other design houses and fellow creators.
ONE-WAY SUPPLY CHAIN
We are committed to sourcing our raw materials as close to our atelier location as possible to minimize greenhouse gas emissions caused through unnecessary aerial distance traveled. Further, we operate under a one-way-supply-chain, meaning all our materials are delivered directly to the atelier, where every garment is being created and directly shipped to each client.
RAW MATERIALS
SPAIN/ FRANCE/ ITALY
BARCELONA, SPAIN
WORLDWIDE
ATELIER
END CONSUMER
HANDMADE
IN OUR ATELIER
Every piece is hand made in our Barcelona atelier to ensure highest quality to couture standards. Our small scale local production eliminates overproduction and significantly reduces emissions and energy usage.
ONE-WAY
SUPPLY CHAIN
By streamlining our supply chain and having all materials and components shipped directly to our atelier, we minimize unnecessary emissions and energy waste. Each piece is created in-house and delivered straight to our clients — without any offshore manufacturing.
ON DEMAND
PRODUCTION
We do not pre-produce collection items and create each order upon request to avoid the production of potential dead stock. We also keep a very limited number of photo samples and re-purpose as many fit samples as possible for show pieces and editorials.
CONSCIOUS CONSUMERISM
We are an advocate for conscious consumerism who encourages to question what lies beneath our clothes, a strong believer in slow fashion celebrating the richness in long-lasting quality and an appreciator of the timelessness a garment can provide.
Our mission at HERVÉ by Céline Marie is not only to educate and create greater awareness in developing a more ethical consumer behaviour, but to provide a sustainable alternative unique in its rich aesthetics. Lingerie that is truly timeless and versatile, not bound to any season. Lingerie that is fully transparent in its creation process and origin of its raw materials whilst supporting a small independent woman-led business. Lingerie that is ethically hand crafted to size and exclusively made upon demand, valuing its raw materials whilst diverting waste from landfill. Lingerie that can be treasured for a life time. Through your support, we can make a difference together.