Chanel’s new platform will develop scalable solutions for circular fashion
Key Takeaways
- Chanel has launched Nevold as a new, independent company focused on scaling circular materials for luxury and wider industries.
- Nevold is structured to operate separately from Chanel, enabling collaboration with other fashion brands, sportswear companies, and even sectors like automotive and aviation.
- The initiative consolidates several Chanel sustainability investments under one umbrella (including L’Atelier des Matières and Filatures du Parc) with €50-80 million in new funding.
- Chanel may source materials from Nevold but is not required to; Nevold is designed to become a market supplier beyond Chanel’s needs.
- Nevold will focus on transforming end-of-life textiles and manufacturing waste into high-quality new materials — starting with natural fibers like wool, leather, silk, and cashmere — and aims to reach commercial scale.
Chanel is taking its next step in advancing circular fashion with the official launch of Nevold, a new independent entity dedicated to the research, development, and scaling of circular materials. The new initiative, which operates outside Chanel’s core business structure, is designed to collaborate across fashion, sport, and even industrial sectors as the luxury house pushes toward broader sustainability goals.
Structured as a standalone hub with its own resources and management, Nevold will lead Chanel’s efforts to scale circular materials innovation. The platform also invites collaboration from other brands and sectors, moving beyond a strictly Chanel-focused agenda. The new entity is overseen by Sophie Brocart, formerly CEO of Patou, and has been seeded with an initial investment of between €50 million and €80 million.
The initiative builds on Chanel’s prior investments in material reuse and innovation, including its ownership stakes in L’Atelier des Matières (which collects deadstock and unsold inventory), Filatures du Parc (a French spinning mill working with recycled and new yarns), and Authentic Material (which upcycles natural materials such as leather). These operations now sit under the Nevold umbrella.
Nevold’s mission is to develop scalable recycled and circular materials from waste streams such as manufacturing offcuts, unsold product, and end-of-life items — with the ambition of delivering materials viable for both luxury and mass market applications. Key natural fibers such as wool, silk, cotton, cashmere, and leather are in focus.
According to Chanel leadership, the long-term goal is to develop materials that can eventually offer both environmental and economic benefits — making circular materials competitive with conventional ones. The project has already delivered initial products including blended recycled threads (used by Chanel and other brands) and recycled leather reinforcements now featured in 30% of Chanel handbags and 50% of its shoes. Chanel aims to eliminate plastic components in these categories over the coming years.
In parallel, Nevold is also exploring partnerships beyond fashion, particularly in automotive and aviation — sectors that can absorb larger volumes of recycled materials. The initiative signals an intent to influence wider supply chains and drive material circularity across industries.
The timing is strategic. As competition for high-quality raw materials intensifies across the luxury sector—driven by sustainability expectations, climate pressures, and shifting regulatory landscapes—Chanel sees Nevold as a way to safeguard future supply and support industry transformation.
While Chanel will be an important client of Nevold, the platform is designed to serve a broader market. Chanel is also committed to maintaining transparency around its own material sourcing and aims to integrate new circular innovations into its upcoming digital product passports, offering clients deeper insights into product origins and sustainability.
Nevold will add three to five new projects annually as it works to build scale and impact over the next decade. For Chanel, the initiative complements its fashion and manufacturing cores, positioning circular materials as a third strategic pillar of its long-term innovation agenda.