Designed for and with a new generation of consumers who are increasingly passionate about addressing the climate crisis and determined to drive change, Coachtopia is resetting the paradigm between brand and consumer. It is co-creating a new brand in collaboration with a growing community of Gen Z individuals—from climate activists, designers and upcyclers to journalists, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, and fashion enthusiasts.
A Mission to Make Change
With a mission to help advance a circular fashion system, Coachtopia is built from the outset for circularity. It is grounded in its Made Circular™ design philosophy—three principles that inform how the sub-brand designs, crafts, and reuses products.
Fans of the brand will note in the launch collection that the Ergo and Wavy Dinky bags have been reimagined using a range of different upcrafted techniques, including patchwork, weaving, appliqué, sequins, pressed leathers and scrap binding, that transform Coach waste—from leather cutting room scraps to zipper ends— into unique artisanal styles.
The leathers used in Coachtopia products are either ingeniously upcrafted from Coach production waste or made with at least 50% recycled leather scraps from tanneries. Other materials used across the range include 95%+ recycled cotton for hoodies and T-shirts, a colourful 70%+ recycled resin for bag straps and hardware, 100% recycled polyester for canvas totes and webbing on footwear, and a 40% bio-based renewable Sugarcane EVA for footwear soles.
From removable screw-back hardware, detachable handles and straps, binding or seam-out constructions and mono-material designs, Coachtopia design innovations aim to keep materials in use at their highest value—and out of the landfill.
“We love that the brand is exploring new ways to craft from what already exists. Having a mission to avoid creating new materials and using virgin textiles in making Coachtopia products is commendable and necessary in an industry plagued with waste,“ says Helen Siwak, EIC Folio.YVR.
Additionally, Coachtopia’s at least 75% recycled packaging has been designed to be multi-functional to reduce material use and is printed with renewable Algae Ink.™
Decades of Expertise
Harnessing over 80 years of Coach expertise, Coachtopia reimagines the product lifecycle from end to beginning—reducing the creation of new materials by crafting with waste and designing products that can be reimagined once again, remade and recycled to live multiple lives. In so doing, it is working to create beautiful things with a significantly reduced impact on the planet compared to conventional luxury products.
As part of its mission, Coachtopia invests in the next generation of talent through collaborative programs, harnessing and showcasing new talent to solve the problems facing fashion.
“We were inspired by our shared desire to do better for the planet by inventing new circular ways of dreaming, designing and creating,” said Coach Creative Director Stuart Vevers. “It’s a bigger, bolder step forward in realizing our vision for sustainability at Coach, where we prioritize experimenting and learning and ethical design intentions over cookie-cutter perfection.
Get Involved in Coachtopia Programs!
Coachtopia takes this to a new level by challenging us to ‘design in reverse,’ with the end goal of circularity top of mind, in collaboration with the next generation and their optimistic vision for tomorrow.“ Coachtopia is a world in progress – advancing iteratively towards a continually evolving vision of circularity. It builds upon the investments that Coach is making to improve the end-to-end sustainability of its business, as well as the learnings and capabilities developed through the brand’s Coach (Re)Loved program.
By giving a second life to more than 20,000 Coach products since its April 2021 launch, Coach (Re)Loved takes up this challenge of innovating through rapid prototyping and forming a continuous feedback loop with Coach to drive mutual progress.
To experience this story in glossy magazine format, click through to Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine.
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.
Latest entries
FoF ☆ Charity & PhilanthropyApril 28, 2024Vancouver Opera’s Launches Bizet’s Carmen with 1950s Setting- FoF ☆ PersonalitiesApril 25, 2024Media Expert Dawn Chubai Launches Partnership to Host & Produce Port/Folio.YVR Podcast
- FoF ☆ Culinary, Wine, SpiritsApril 22, 2024Vancouver Vices: ‘Backdraft’ Bourbon-Style Whisky Launched by VFC
- ☆ Issue #24 - April 2024April 19, 2024Experience the [1.] Collection by Canadian Designer Charles Lu
