Ralph Lauren kicks off green initiative with new Earth Polo

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Apr 18, 2019

Ralph Lauren is launching its own green initiative, beginning with a new version of the fashion house's iconic polo shirt made from recycled bottles and dyed with a waterless process. 

The Ralph Lauren Earth Polo launched in global retail stores and on the label's e-commerce platform on April 18. Available for men and women, the shirt comes in four colorways: green, white, navy and baby blue. The polos were made in partnership with First Mile, an organization that converts plastic bottles into yarn, with each shirt is made from an average of 12 plastic bottles.

The shirt's debut comes in conjunction with the label's announcement that it will commit to removing 170 million plastic bottles from landfills and oceans by 2025. 

The company plans to take these bottles and “convert the use of all virgin poly-fiber to recycled poly-fiber by 2025," said David Lauren, chief innovation officer. "Plastic waste is a major issue threatening the environment—we want to be part of the solution and utilize an innovative approach to create something valuable."

Ralph Lauren's full global citizenship and sustainability report, including its comprehensive strategy and goals, will be published in June.