Louis Vuitton Announces an Eco-Friendly Collection—Plus 5 Other Companies Making Sustainable Moves

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Kristine Nguyen

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Every month, we round up well-known companies that are making big moves toward sustainability. Because when they make eco-moves, others will begin to follow suit.

From Louis Vuitton's new collection that uses recycled materials to Mattel making Barbies out of ocean-bound plastic, here are some of the most newsworthy moments you should know about.

6 Companies That Made Sustainable Moves This Month

1. Louis Vuitton

It seems like tons of luxury brands are coming out with cool new sustainable collections nowadays (Gucci included—have you seen those new vegan sneakers?), and Louis Vuitton is no exception. The company recently revealed it's releasing a new eco-friendly line in mid-July.

"Today, we're furthering our commitments by extending our sustainable development approach to all of raw materials with the goal of reaching 100 percent responsibly-sourced raw materials by 2025," Christelle Capdupuy, Louis Vuitton's global head of sustainability, told WWD.

This new collection, called the Felt Line, will recreate three of Louis Vuitton's most iconic pieces in a more eco-friendly way. The line will consist of a duffle bag, a soft trunk, and a coat that's made of sustainable and recycled materials such as organic cotton, 100 percent recycled polyester, recycled wool-based jacquard, and recycled plastics. Even the leather used is certified for its eco-friendly tanning methods.

2. Disney

Disney has been making many moves toward sustainability lately, from eliminating plastic straws at its owned and operated locations to building a 270-acre solar facility that could power two of its theme parks. Now, Disney is tackling food waste, too.

On top of the trash cans and recycling bins scattered around the park, Disneyland is introducing food waste bins at the Galactic Grill—one of its most popular restaurants. This coincides with its plan to achieve zero waste to landfill for all of its wholly owned and operated parks by 2030. These new bins will capture organic material separate from other garbage and will be disposed of in a more environmentally-friendly way.

3. LEGO

The world's most beloved building block just got more eco-friendly. As part of its aim to make its products more sustainable by 2030, LEGO is in the process of creating bricks out of recycled material.

The popular toy brand has recently created a prototype of a LEGO brick that's made of PET plastic bottles. Though it's still being tested, the company is hopeful that someday bricks made from recycled materials will appear in LEGO sets in the future. (One plastic bottle can make 10 of its 2x4 bricks!)

4. Target

Target has already began implementing more sustainable practices (like carrying more sustainable products and making its brand packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable), but it just took its goals to a new level. Now, Target is aiming to become a net-zero enterprise by 2040, meaning it will create zero waste for landfills and have net-zero emissions in its supply chain.

Target is planning on doing this in a few ways, including increasing its use of renewable energy, driving water and energy management, and investing in innovations that help the transition to a zero-carbon transportation system.

5. Taco Bell

In April, Taco Bell introduced its new "Cravetarian Taco" to the nation—a taco with chickpeas and peas as the protein. Now it's back with a new Naked Chalupa entrée that uses a plant-based shell.

The more planet-friendly vegetarian Chalupa is currently being tested in Irvine, California, and it features a plant-based "chicken" shell on the outside instead of the usual fried chicken.

"We've seen our industry follow patterns of sameness, but we understand that consumers are looking for creativity and craveability in this space," said Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's global chief food innovation officer, in a press release. "So whether someone is craving plant-based protein or crispy chicken or gooey cheesiness, we have something that's not only flavorful, but also uniquely Taco Bell."

6. Mattel

Mattel's new "Barbie Loves the Ocean" line isn't just a tropical-themed playset. This new collection features toys made of recycled plastics.

Teaming up with the recycling company Envision Plastics, the collection features four dolls and four summer-themed playsets that have all utilized recycled plastics. Even the fabrics and accessories are made up of other recycled materials.