French luxury brand LVMH is aiming to cut the carbon footprint associated with its water consumption by 30% over the next seven years.
The company plans to unveil its plan by the end of 2023, which it expects to help achieve a “qualitative objective to reduce its water consumption footprint and improve the quality of discharges into natural environments.”
LVMH’s efforts to cut its water consumption aim to solve a problem that has long tainted the fashion industry. It is estimated that the global fashion industry, on average, consumes a stunning 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, 2019 data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows.
The company is, in particular, looking to reduce the water usage associated with the extraction of minerals for manufacturing products, as well as irrigation of vineyards in Australia, Argentina, California, and New Zealand, and in tanneries and crocodile farms.
And last but not least, the company is looking to tackle water pollution emanating from the discharge of substances by the wines and spirits, fashion and leather goods and perfumes, and cosmetics businesses that cause eutrophication.
According to France’s National Center for Scientific Research, eutrophication is a form of aquatic pollution resulting from excess nutritive matter in the environment, causing the proliferation of algae and damaging aquatic ecosystems.
The company is reportedly putting specific action plans in place to reuse wastewater and restore the natural environment in places suffering from water stress and support local communities.
Photo credit: LVMH
