Nevold — meaning “never old” is a new entity by the luxury brand Chanel to offer recycling waste textiles not only from Chanel itself but from whoever on the market is willing to sell the waste for the circular economy. Chanel officially announced the launch of Nevold on Monday (i.e., June 9, 2025) via private press announcement. This step towards sustainability with the launch of Nevold is not a surprise as Chanel teased this sustainability project last November after hiring former Patou chief executive officer, Sophie Brocart. With an investment of 50- 80 million euros for development, the Circular Materials Hub Nevold is a bold step towards sustainability.
The luxury brand Chanel was looking for a solution for end-of-life disposal of its products and came up with this division to collaborate with other brands and companies as well to extend its contribution towards sustainability. Nevold will run separately from Chanel, and will include expertise like, L’Atelier des Matières(collects deadstock), Filatures du Parc( a wool-spinning mill) and Authentic Material(upcycled natural materials provider). For the renewal of fabric, Nevold will blend textile waste with natural textiles like cashmere, cotton, leather, silk and wool. “For Chanel, it’s the third pillar”, said Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion and president of Chanel SAS.
It was a well thought strategy to create Nevold as a separate company which ensures transparency and traceability of resources. Nevold will be able to collaborate with a wide range of brands and not just Chanel.Nevold’s recycled materials will include all end-of-life materials, unsold product and manufacturing offcuts as well as the new material that will be supplied. Though Chanel is the first one to take a step towards this separate standing entity, soon other brands will focus on circular materials as well. Currently, around 30% of Chanel handbags and 50% of shoes use recycled products.
“At the end of the day, we’re quite happy to say that in a couple of years, we’ll be able to have no plastic at all in our shoes and in our bags. That was the ultimate objective”
-Bruno Pavlovsky
The ultimate aim of Nevold is to fill the current supply gap in terms of sustainability. And therefore, it is important for Nevold hub to operate outside of Chanel and expand its business in the form of an open platform.
Can Luxury be Circular?
Today, we are witnessing the fashion industry, once defined by excess, confronting the environmental costs of overproduction and waste, luxury. With the launch of Nevold by Chanel, our mind wanders towards a critical question:
Can an industry grounded in uniqueness, craftsmanship and exclusivity embrace the circular economy culture without compromising its identity?
At first instance, concepts like luxury and recycling might appear to conflict. And yet, initiatives like Nevold suggest that circular design can coexist with high-end brands. By investing in the reuse of textiles, Chanel proposes that sustainability need not dilute desirability — it can, in fact, elevate it. The brand’s move signals a shift from passive environmental commitments to active structural change. If successful, Nevold could redefine the future of luxury, not just for Chanel but for the entire industry.
