Chanel is stepping into the recycling business with the launch of Nevold, a new venture aimed at transforming unused materials into valuable resources. The initiative, which stands for “never old,” is part of Chanel’s strategy to address the growing problem of resource scarcity in luxury fashion. Nevold will process fabric offcuts, surplus textiles, and unsold products to create recycled materials at scale.
Leading the project is Sophie Brocart, former CEO of Patou, who joined Chanel in January 2025. Under her direction, Nevold will operate as a business-to-business open platform, collaborating with other brands to find sustainable uses for excess textile materials. This comes at a time when the industry’s most prized resources—including cashmere, silk, and leather—face rising threats from climate change.
Rethinking Waste in Luxury Fashion
The fashion industry, particularly fast fashion, has long faced criticism for its waste. However, luxury brands are also contributing to the issue. Industry leaders like Kering and LVMH have seen their unsold inventory values reach billions over the past decade. Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion at Chanel, explained the brand’s new direction:
“At Chanel, we didn’t destroy unsold products. But we also didn’t yet have a real system to understand their full potential. Nevold is that system.”
Nevold includes three key entities under its umbrella:
- L’Atelier des Matières – Chanel’s in-house recycling firm connecting brands with textile waste solutions.
- Filatures du Parc – A top European spinning mill known for recycled wool yarns.
- Authentic Material – A French specialist in recycled leather.
These companies will work in unison to support Chanel’s aim of rethinking the product lifecycle. The plan involves fostering new craftsmanship, promoting sustainable production methods, and helping shape a circular economy in high-end fashion.
Not Just Chanel Waste—A Marketwide Approach
Importantly, Nevold won’t only process Chanel’s own waste. Pavlovsky emphasized that the venture is open to materials from across the industry:
“It’s not about Chanel recovering her waste to do Chanel,” he said. “It’s Chanel recovering waste from Chanel and from whoever on the market who [is] ready to sell us the waste to recreate a new kind of materials.”
This initiative represents a strategic pivot as Chanel responds to sustainability pressures while facing slowing sales and global economic headwinds. By investing in a long-term recycling infrastructure, the brand is laying the foundation for a more responsible and regenerative future in luxury fashion.