Volvo Collaborates with Iconic Fashion Designer Phillip Lim To Launch Luxury Vegan Bag
The new limited-edition, weekend bag uses the car brand’s new sustainable material, Nordico.
Volvo Cars have partnered with fashion designer Phillip Lim to produce a new, limited-edition, weekend bag using the car brand’s new sustainable material called Nordico.
Consisting of textiles made from recycled material such as PET bottles, bio-attributed material from sustainable forests in Sweden and Finland, and corks recycled from the wine industry, Nordico was created by Volvo in its drive to use more sustainable materials.
“We have a vision of where we need to go in the future, with the first step to ensure we harness sustainable, natural, and recycled materials,” Volvo Head of Design Robin Page said in a statement. “The collaboration with 3.1 Phillip Lim to create a bag inspired by tomorrow’s materials, solidifies both our ambitions to challenge the wider design industry to reconsider the materials we use”.
The eco-friendly bag - inspired by Scandinavian design and featuring discreet storage, a double strap, and a special signature pouch - will not be available for purchase due to the exclusive limited edition run. However, people may have opportunities to get hold of a limited number of bags through local market initiatives such as competitions, charity auctions, and giveaways.
From a carbon-neutral dress made from algae to elevated recycled materials, this isn’t the first time Phillip Lim has sourced alternative materials to create conscious-led fashion.
“Sustainability has been a part of the 3.1 brand from the beginning; working to achieve a sustainable balance in everything we do. Our brand mantra is to make less, mean more,” Lim said in a statement. “Connecting with Volvo on this sustainability project was an instant alignment of values.”
The collaboration follows Volvo’s announcement earlier this year that starting with the C40 Recharge, all battery-electric models that it offers will be leather-free. The automaker describes the move as an ethical stand in favor of animal welfare and the environment.
"Being a progressive car maker means we need to address all areas of sustainability, not just CO2 emissions," said Stuart Templar, director of global sustainability at Volvo Cars. "Responsible sourcing is an important part of that work, including respect for animal welfare. Going leather-free inside our pure electric cars is a good next step towards addressing this issue."
Volvo joined other leading car manufacturers who are making more and more of their cars leather-free. MINI, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and Tesla are among those who also offer leather-free car interiors.
More stories:
Species Unite
A collection of stories of those who fight the good fight on behalf of animals.
The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.