The fashion industry’s long-standing dependence on water-intensive practices—ranging from cotton cultivation to denim finishing and leather tanning—has exacted a heavy environmental toll. Freshwater systems have suffered widespread contamination from chemical dyes and industrial runoff.
In response, Kering—the luxury group behind Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Bottega Veneta—has launched a pioneering Water-Positive Strategy. This bold initiative commits the company to achieving a net water-positive impact across its entire value chain by 2050, with tangible progress targeted in its most water-stressed basins by 2035.
Marking a strategic advancement in Kering’s science-based sustainability approach, the strategy directly addresses water-related risks across its operations. Acknowledging the interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity, it focuses on regeneration, collaboration, and resilience across ten key water basins within Kering’s global supply network. In these critical regions, Kering will work with local stakeholders to improve water quality, availability, and equitable access.
The strategy is built on three interconnected pillars. First, Kering will transform its material sourcing by prioritising recycled fabrics, next-generation alternatives, and regenerative agricultural methods that ease pressure on ecosystems and restore watersheds. Second, operational water stewardship will be enhanced through innovative manufacturing practices, including chrome-free tanning and water-saving technologies that cut pollution and usage. Most notably, Kering will establish Water Resilience Labs in all priority basins by 2035, starting with the Arno Basin in Tuscany in late 2025. These collaborative hubs will unite suppliers, Indigenous communities, and government actors to rehabilitate freshwater systems using an integrated Climate-Nature-Water framework.
This strategy reinforces Kering’s broader commitment to nature-positive outcomes, setting a new industry standard for environmental leadership in luxury fashion. Given that agriculture, energy, and textiles account for 80% of global freshwater withdrawals, the initiative responds to a critical ecological imperative. Unlike traditional reduction-based models, Kering’s approach actively restores hydrological systems through regeneration and cross-sector innovation.
Implementation will roll out in phases. It begins in 2025 with the launch of the Water-Positive Stewardship Programme and the inaugural Resilience Lab. By 2030, sustainable sourcing practices will be fully scaled, followed by the establishment of Resilience Labs across all priority basins by 2035. This phased roadmap culminates in Kering’s 2050 goal of net water-positivity, positioning the group as a leader in environmental resilience.
“The need for responsible corporate water stewardship to stay within the planetary boundaries has never been more urgent. It is crucial that water commitments evolve from a reductions-only approach to become water-positive, regenerating and replenishing water and ecosystems associated with all business activities. Accordingly, Kering’s Water-Positive Strategy has been designed to be transformative, and we will collaborate with local stakeholders to deliver measurable water-positive outcomes to enhance social, environmental and economic resilience, and ultimately contribute to making clean water available to everyone,” said Marie-Claire Daveu, Kering’s Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, underscoring the initiative’s transformative ambition.
This initiative builds on Kering’s 2024 achievement as an early adopter of science-based targets for nature, validated by the Science Based Targets Network, which includes specific commitments to freshwater conservation throughout its supply chain.
Kering’s water-positive strategy marks a decisive shift in how the fashion industry approaches water sustainability. Through regenerative practices, advanced technologies, and collaborative basin-level restoration, Kering not only minimises its water footprint but also actively contributes to the renewal of natural ecosystems—setting a new standard for the sector.
By prioritising circular materials, innovation, and systemic partnerships, Kering illustrates how luxury can operate within planetary boundaries without compromising on quality or craftsmanship. Its comprehensive model calls on the wider industry to move beyond incremental action and adopt bold, science-led approaches that connect water stewardship with climate and biodiversity goals.
Traditionally treated as an operational risk, water is reframed by Kering as a strategic asset—key to ecosystem regeneration, supply chain resilience, and long-term sustainability. In doing so, the brand underscores fashion’s potential to drive systemic environmental change, placing ecological integrity ahead of short-term gain.
Kering. (n.d.). Water strategy.
https://www.kering.com/en/sustainability/safeguarding-the-planet/water-strategy/
Kering. (2023, March 28). Kering unveils its first dedicated water strategy for a net positive impact by 2050.
https://www.kering.com/en/news/kering-unveils-its-first-dedicated-water-strategy-for-a-net-positive-impact-by-2050/
Fashion Network. (2023, March 28). Kering deploys water strategy to achieve net positive impact by 2050.
https://ww.fashionnetwork.com/news/Kering-deploys-water-strategy-to-achieve-net-positive-impact-by-2050,1724451.html
ESG Today. (2023, March 28). Kering launches new water sustainability strategy.
https://www.esgtoday.com/kering-launches-new-water-sustainability-strategy/
Fashion United. (2023, March 28). Kering bets on water positivity in sustainability pivot.
https://fashionunited.uk/news/fashion/kering-bets-on-water-positivity-in-sustainability-pivot/2025043081360
