Fruit of the Environmental Trend Notebooks launched at LVMH in 2004, Matières à Penser has become a virtual materials library all of its own. Directed by French eco-design agency Mu, it now comprises some 500 references, providing the luxury groups’s creative directors with a rich source of inspiration.
Evrnu - regenerated fibers
Evrnu is aiming for with NuCyl: a technology that regenerates fibers from used clothing in a bid to recycle textiles with zero waste. Here’s how it works: used textiles are taken apart, shredded and recomposed into fibers which are then spun into virgin yarn. The molecular block extraction technique allows endless recycling of any textile to create new fibers that will retain the same qualities as their conventional counterparts. An environmental assessment of the process shows 80% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the production of polyester, viscose, or elastane.
Papeteries Léon Martin M&M Luxe - lighter than silk
Developed by Papeteries Léon Martin and distributed exclusively by M&M Luxe, Pyrene is a tissue paper like no other. Made of virgin fibers sourced mainly from sustainably managed forests, it is one of the thinnest on the market (starting at 16 grams per square meter), which means significant savings in raw material and production energy. Made from ECF paper pulp (bleached without elemental chlorine), it is printed with solvent-free inks (prints labeled Imprim’Vert). Pyrene paper is 100% recyclable and biodegradable. Finally, the paper mill is 100% hydroelectric powered.
Kindigo - organic indigo
Kindigo is indigo with a K for Korean. In Korea, master dyer Sou-ou-Jou Jang and her daughter, Euna, grow and process indigo in strict respect of ancestral methods. Theirs is a certified organic farm, and the indigo paste is made without added chemicals, exclusively from fresh plants fermented in traditional indigo jars with alcohol and shell ash—a way to recycle existing equipment while protecting workers from toxic fumes. The indigo dyes obtained are ultra-premium quality and available in all shades of blue. The dyeing is done in an ISO14001 certified site.
