At a time when sustainability carries cachet with consumers, companies known for top-quality products are putting their money into the farms and ranches that provide their raw materials, says Business of Fashion. “From tanneries and nature preserves to reptiles and vicuna, companies are buying up raw supplies and rare skills necessary for their survival as part of a trend that also caters to increased consumer demand for transparency.”
The French apparel retailer Hermes, for example, bought a tannery in France early this decade and “now owns an alligator farm in Louisiana and two crocodile farms in Australia,” says Business of Fashion. The company’s chief executive said in 2009 that it takes three or four crocodiles to produce a Hermes bag and “the world is not full of crocodiles.” Prices of calf leather, fine sheep wool, and exotic skins have risen in recent years, lending a sense of urgency for luxury firms to assure a dependable supply.
“Managing their own animal stock also gives luxury brands the potential to better maintain animal welfare standards,” said the news site. “An added bonus of vertical integration is the perception of exclusivity and being a market leader.” An Australian sheep farmer who allowed an Italian firm to buy a majority share of his operation says this trend is about both a sincere interest in the environment and shrewd business calculation in the race to control luxury materials.