Longchamp's Iconic Le Pliage Gets A Green Update
This sustainable line is made from recycled nylon canvas.
Since its launch in 1993, Longchamp's iconic Le Pliage has attained cult status, spotted on the likes of celebrities and style stars including Kendall Jenner, Alexa Chung and Kate Middleton. As part of the brand's ongoing efforts to source eco-conscious alternatives to its durable nylon canvas, the beloved foldable bag is now sustainable.
Enter the Le Pliage Green—the first Le Pliage made with recycled nylon. This marks the start of Longchamp's transition to using this new sustainable textile throughout the entire Le Pliage collection by 2022, “an evolution, rather than a revolution” for the brand.
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Photo: Longchamp
Longchamp Le Pliage Green line
The recycled nylon not only has the same look and feel as the original material, but also offers the same level of durability while retaining its waterproof, washable, and foldable properties. It can even be repaired in-house, generally free of charge, which further contributes to a circular, economical use of resources.
This sustainable line of bags comes in nature-inspired colours of Forest, Ocean, Earth, and Snow (limited edition), and is updated with subtle details—including tonal Russian leather trim, an embroidered Longchamp racehorse logo, and light green edges on its famous “ears” at each end of the zip closure.
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Each individual component of Le Pliage Green has been given careful environmental considerations—it's estimated that the bag’s environmental impact, measured in CO2 emissions, is “six times less than a pair of jeans." Here's how:
The canvas
The body of the bag comprises recycled polyamide (nylon) canvas gathered from a range of sources such as fishing nets, carpets, pre-consumer waste from items like nylon stockings and scraps from textile production. The waste is recovered, analysed and treated, then reprocessed into polyamide canvas—containing between 70% and 100% recycled fibres—that is Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified.
The leather
The Russian leather—a cowhide leather and signature of the Le Pliage—is a by-product of the food industry. 90% of the leather used for Le Pliage Green comes from tanneries holding the Leather Working Group (LWG)'s highest certification. LWG certification is based on factors of environmental performance including water and energy consumption and waste treatment. Longchamp aims to achieve a 100% proportion by 2023.
The straps
The shoulder straps of the backpack and travel bag are made from GRS-certified, recycled polyester mainly derived from plastic bottles. A similar recycled polyester containing 90% recycled fibres is used for the zip tales and the Longchamp racehorse logo embroidered on the bags.
The hardware
The minimal hardware contains recycled metal—30% for the bag’s signature brass press-stud.
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Accompanying the launch is a tongue-in-cheek campaign that explores the multiple facets of the bag's enduring influence through a series of videos.
Le Pliage Green is available at longchamp.com and Longchamp boutiques. Check out the in-store pop-up at ION Orchard from now till August 10.