Ah, if you are into fashion, you know about Mulberry’s Lily bag. You have seen it, you have touched it, you may even have it.
The classic Lily was first introduced in 2010. Twelve years later, the British fashion brand brought to light its carbon-neutral version. The collection is called Lily Zero and today we are going to dig inside of it!
The new range of handbags comes in a few colors (a spectrum of charcoal, chalk, pink, green and black) and styles (Classic Lily, Top Handle Lily, Medium Lily, Medium Top Handle Lily). What remains from the original line: the chains, the top handles and, of course, Mulberry’s signature Postman’s Lock hardware.
But what is different about this bag? Well, it is crafted from carbon neutral leather. According to Mulberry’s website, this means that the bags are produced in the luxury label’s “carbon neutral factories in Somerset, England, with all carbon emissions inclusive of transport and packaging being offset with World Land Trust, Mulberry’s official carbon offsetting partner.”
The new range of handbags comes in a few colors (a spectrum of charcoal, chalk, pink, green and black) and styles (Classic Lily, Top Handle Lily, Medium Lily, Medium Top Handle Lily). What remains from the original line: the chains, the top handles and, of course, Mulberry’s signature Postman’s Lock hardware.
But what is different about this bag? Well, it is crafted from carbon neutral leather. According to Mulberry’s website, this means that the bags are produced in the luxury label’s “carbon neutral factories in Somerset, England, with all carbon emissions inclusive of transport and packaging being offset with World Land Trust, Mulberry’s official carbon offsetting partner.”
If wondering, the World Land Trust (WLT) is an international conservation charity aiming to protect the most biologically significant and threatened habitats on Earth. Sir David Attenborough, Britain’s best most loved Natural History Filmmaker, is among the organisation’s major supporters.
The carbon neutral leather, as mentioned on the brand’s website, is sourced from tanneries which are members of the Leather Working Group with a Gold Standard rating. The Leather Working Group (LWG) is a not-for-profit community organization dedicated to “driving excellence in sustainable leather production.” Mulbery itself has been a member of the Leather Working Group since 2012.
Lily Zero is part of the brand’s long-term commitment to become net zero by 2035, says Mulberry:
“The Lily Zero collection comprises of our first ever carbon neutral designs, from field to shop floor.”
However, Lily Zero is not Mulberry’s first project that takes sustainability seriously. For instance, in November 2021, the luxury label launched its Lowest Carbon Collection in collaboration with Muirhead tannery. It comprised of a series of bags crafted from the world’s lowest carbon leather. All the pieces were made in Britain from farm to final stitch.
The company is also committed to using low impact materials. For instance, 78% of its SS22 Bag and Small Leather Goods Collection is non-leather. This includes materials like cotton, ECONYL® and Scotchgrain.
Additionally, Mulberry seems very open about its work. The brand is transparent when it comes to materials, packaging, partners and product care. It also offers the Mulberry Exchange, a circular programme in which customers can trade their existing bags for credit towards a new one.
