Burberry stops destruction unsold clothes

British fashion brand Burberry has pledged to stop destroying clothes that were not sold, and – at the same time – also stop using fur. Contemporary luxury must be socially and ecologically responsible, they say.

“Socially and ecologically responsible luxury”

“Contemporary luxury means being socially and ecologically responsible“, explains CEO Marco Gobbetti in a press release: “In the long run this is the key to success. We, at Burberry, are convinced of that.” The British brand is to stop destroying unsold stocks, a practice that is widespread in the luxury sector. In July, Burberry caused outrage when its annual report showed that the luxury retailer destroyed 100 million euro worth of surpluses of clothing, accessories and perfumes. Instead, the items will now be recycled or donated.

Burberry also stops using fur: probably as a part of a new strategy by Gobbetti, who has been at the helm of the luxury company since last year. Gobbetti wants to evolve more towards targeted collections, which are more frequent and smaller. “There is no point in continuing to produce a lot. By designing meticulously, we can make and sell more focused,” says the CEO in Business of Fashion.