Fashionistas around the world know that when it comes to luxury down jackets, Moncler is one of the most prominent names in the niche. The luxury fashion brand serves up a signature blend of top-quality down insulation and fashion-savvy style in their jackets.
Moncler jackets are undeniably expensive but a large part of the cost is associated with their European manufacturing. Moncler jackets are only made in Europe, not in China where there is greater potential to reduce manufacturing expenses.
Quality manufacturing costs money, even more so in Europe than in China. However, Moncler’s European manufacturing does offer a lot of sustainability benefits for the environment and employees alike.
From mountain treks to catwalks
Moncler was founded by René Ramillon and Andrè Vincent in 1952 in a small French mountain village called Monestier-de-Clermont. The brand actually takes its name from a shortening of the village name.
Though the brand is now famous for its luxurious jackets, initially Moncler made mountain equipment including tents, sleeping bags, and a hooded cape. It was in 1954 that they made their first down jackets to help keep their factory workers warm.
French mountaineer Lionel Terray took note of the jackets and collaborated with Moncler on a specialist range featuring down jackets, sleeping bags, salopettes, and gloves. The gear was used in extreme environments and honed through a variety of expeditions.
The 1954 Italian expedition to K2 made use of Moncler down jackets and the brand provided equipment for diverse expeditions over the following decades. The brand also began to embrace a more fashion-friendly aesthetic in their apparel.
When Italian entrepreneur Remo Ruffini bought Moncler in 2003, their apparel entered a new era of dialed-in fit, stylish aesthetics, and considered material choices to elevate quality even further. Moncler’s HQ is now based in Milan and all of their apparel is made in Europe.
European construction for a European luxury fashion brand
Though Moncler was founded in France and is now based in Italy, the brand only makes some limited collections in Italy. The large majority of their offerings are made outside of these two countries, though still within Europe.
Moncler’s jackets are mainly made in countries including Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria, as well as Armenia, Georgia, and Hungary. Consumers can utilize this knowledge to spot fake Moncler jackets, as jackets that state they are crafted in Italy or France are likely counterfeit.
Moncler’s European manufacturing is more costly than if they were to manufacture jackets in China. Additionally, Moncler is committed to responsible business practices in its manufacturing facilities, as well as reducing its environmental impact.
Sustainable business practices
Moncler has implemented a variety of health and wellbeing initiatives for employees at its Romanian production site. These include offering annual blood tests, free eye tests, financial assistance towards purchasing glasses, and evaluating the ergonomics of workstations to reduce fatigue and enhance productivity.
The production site features an LED lighting system that not only improves working conditions but is eco-efficient too. Moncler has also implemented LED lighting in its Italian logistics hub and in 98% of its stores worldwide.
Moncler carries out annual noise measurements at the Romanian production site to verify they are within permitted limits. The production site also has a range of microclimates as a result of different processing stages, so Moncler installed ventilation systems to regulate temperature, humidity, and air quality.
Moncler implemented their DIST Protocol (Down Integrity System and Traceability) for down suppliers in 2015. The protocol regulates the entire supply chain, including farming standards and animal welfare.
Suppliers are independently audited to verify that they are adhering to the protocol. The down comes from white geese and is a by-product of the food chain, with no force-feeding or live-plucking of the animals allowed.
Every Moncler jacket has a ‘down certified under DIST’ tag confirming the down in the jacket has been responsibly sourced.
Moncler also aims to meet and exceed a range of sustainability targets to reduce its environmental impact. For instance, in 2019 they reduced CO2 emissions from electricity at their Romanian production site by 21% compared to 2018 emissions. Additionally, 100% of the electricity Moncler’s Italian offices, stores, and logistics hub consumed in 2019 came from renewable sources.
Moncler aims to be carbon neutral in its own operational sites worldwide by 2021 including offices, production sites, and the logistics center. By 2023, they want 100% of their worldwide electricity consumption to come from renewable sources.
A luxury price tag for superior quality
There’s no denying that Moncler jackets are expensive. However, their commitment to quality manufacturing, sustainable business practices, and employee wellbeing necessitates spending more to achieve these aims, so their production costs will naturally increase.
For the consumer, these factors might lessen the sting of the luxury price tag just a little bit, knowing their Moncler jacket is responsibly made in Europe.