Luxury fashion house Gucci has introduced a new luxury material ‘Demetra’, which contains more than 77 per cent plant-based raw materials. The brand launched three sneaker models to mark its first products made with Demetra, organic cotton and recycled steel and polyester.

Gucci has been researching on the material for two years, it is developed by the brands technicians and artisans. Produced entirely in Gucci Italian factory, the new material is created using the same expertise and processes for tanning thereby achieving characteristics that give Demetra a distinctive, pliable and resilient performance, with a supple and luxurious finish.

The eco-innovation behind it combines efficient processes with animal-free raw materials that are primarily from sustainable, renewable, and bio-based sources. It is made of viscose, from sustainably managed forest sources, wood pulp compound and bio-based polyurethane.

“In our 100th anniversary year, Demetra is a new category of material that encapsulates Gucci’s quality and aesthetic standards with our desire to innovate, leveraging our traditional skills and know-how to create for an evolving future,” said Marco Bizzarri, President and CEO of Gucci.

“Demetra offers our industry an easily scalable, alternative choice and a more sustainable material that also answers the needs of animal-free solutions.”

Gucci will also make Demetra available to the fashion industry as a new material source that can be customized to offer exclusive finishing, further facilitating application and differentiation. Meanwhile, as a next step to support a circular economy, Demetra scraps during manufacturing will be upcycled and reused by the brand through an extension of its Gucci-Up program.

The Gucci Basket, Gucci New Ace and Gucci Rhyton sneakers are the first products made with Demetra, including the majority of the upper and part of the linings. They are animal-free and other components contain organic cotton, recycled steel, and recycled polyester.

Meanwhile, it published its inaugural Impact Report which revealed that the brand surpassed its 2025 reduction target four years ahead of time: 44 per cent reduction of total environmental impacts and 47 per cent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions (2015 baseline). In 2020, the Italian house achieved a 17 per cent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and a 9 per cent reduction of its total footprint versus 2019.

The Gucci New Ace and Gucci Rhyton models are available in stores and online; and the Gucci Basket will retail starting June 18, 2021.