Virgil Abloh and Louis Vuitton continue their eco-friendly approach to luxury goods with the upcoming release of the “Felt Line” – a collection of three bags, a coat and a suit crafted from a mix of recycled and organic materials. 

First teased in Abloh’s Fall/Winter 2021 show, the men’s artistic director looked towards moving blankets — thick coverings used as furniture padding to protect large items — as his source of inspiration. The result is a unique surface that leaves the LV monogram shining at one angle and disappearing into the eco-felt design at another. 

The effect was achieved by tufting Lurex — a fabric with glittering metallic threads incorporated throughout — over felt made up of 43% organic cotton, 20% recycled wool, and other fibers. The lining of the bags use 100% recycled polyester sourced from the brand’s existing stock of materials, while details like chains and bag corners were constructed with 70% recycled plastic. 

Louis Vuitton did not take a full vegan approach as it used leather for its straps and handles. However, the luxury house does note that the leather was manufactured with an environmentally-conscious method of tanning certified by the Leather Working Group.

“Felt Line” consists of: a reimagined version of the full-sized weekender, called the Keepall (€4,100 EUR); an extra-small Keepall (€2,000 EUR); a Soft Trunk (price undisclosed), which Aboh introduced in his first show for LV; and a tailored overcoat (€4,100 EUR) that uses the same fabric. There’s no word on the release of the suit however. 

What’s more is that the bags also feature a new Abloh-designed monogram logo inspired by the universal recycling symbol. 

“We also target the use of existing stocks of raw materials, in order to preserve natural resources. This is often done by Virgil Abloh in his collections,” said Louis Vuitton Global Head of Sustainability, Christelle Capdupuy, to WWD. “Today, we’re furthering our commitments by extending our sustainable development approach to all raw materials with the goal of reaching 100% responsibly sourced raw materials by 2025.”

Capdupuy also mentioned that by the end of last year, 52% of the house’s raw materials were sourced responsibly, including 80% of leather coming from Leather Working Group-certified tanneries, and 67% of cotton certified by the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) or Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The house claims that 70% of its materials are already engaged in a certification process as of 2020. Additionally, the house is working towards a goal of recycling or reusing 100% of materials used for its fashion shows – last year it reached 93%. 

Louis Vuitton’s sustainability efforts are part of LVMH’s evolving environmental strategy for all of its brands. The house’s global parent holding company unveiled the LIFE 360 initiative in April 2021 with traceable targets for the coming years of 2023, 2026, and 2030. This includes creating eco-conscious products with “creative circularity,” ending the sourcing from deforestation areas and regenerating areas where brands have already taken from, and providing all employees with environmental training, in partnership with suppliers.

Discover the full “Felt Line” in all Louis Vuitton locations and online on July 16.

In other fashion news, check out Robyn Lynch’s upcycled Columbia collection.