The initiative will be launched at all of Gucci’s 284 directly operated global stores starting in June 2010.

Through Gucci’s new eco program, the company expects to reduce 35 tons of plastic waste, 1,400 tons of paper, about 10,000 tons of CO2 emissions and about 4 million liters of gasoline by the end of 2010.

All of Gucci’s suppliers participating in the launch of the new packaging are FSC certified. The FSC certification verifies that all trees used to create the paper for the shopping bags and gift boxes come from well managed forests and that every stage in the production chain meets the FSC standards, says Gucci.

The inside of the shopping bag features the sentence: This shopping bag is FSC certified and made of 100 percent recyclable material. All plastic laminated surfaces have been removed from the shopping bags and boxes. Tissue paper is no longer coated and both ribbon and garment bags have been switched from polyester to cotton.

Gucci has committed to purchasing all FSC-certified forest products by the end of 2010 to ensure that no paper is being sourced from endangered forests including the rainforests of Indonesia. The company also will continue to seek alternative fiber options to use in its packaging products, include biodegradable bags made of corn, bamboo and cotton.

To read full article, click on http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/06/14/gucci-aims-to-reduce-packaging-co2-emissions/