Moncler launches a carbon-neutral puffer jacket

Italian outerwear maker Moncler said on Thursday it had launched a carbon-neutral down jacket made with plant-based fabrics, reflecting luxury customers’ increased interest in environmentally friendly products.

The jacket, made of derivatives from castor beans, will sell for 1,300 euros ($1,433), broadly in line with other Moncler items, in the latest move by the Milan-based company to match the quickly changing tastes of younger customers.

According to consultancy firm Bain, 80% of luxury customers, particularly Millennials, say they prefer brands that are socially responsible.

As well as using castor beans, which the company said were plants cultivated in arid regions not intended for agriculture, emissions were offset through REDD+ certified projects, focused on preserving the Amazon rainforest, Moncler said.