Ruinart Rewilds High Line, Sanuk Teams With Surfrider, Grounded People’s New Shoe: Short Takes
Seeding Change: In an unlikely pairing, LVMH-owned Champagne house Ruinart partnered with New York City’s High Line this month for its “Wild” Native Plant Program.
The partnership is an effort to showcase native plants, ecosystem balance and biodiversity. For the program, Ruinart has been giving out New York’s native milkweed seeds at its Maison 1729 pop-up and will continue to do so with its biweekly tours with the High Line.
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The partnership aligns with Ruinart’s launch of a new Champagne with sustainability at the forefront called “Blanc Singulier,” launching in the U.S. later this month. It marks the brand’s first cuvée release in two decades specifically adapted to the ever-changing nature of today’s climate.
“The climate crisis has directly affected the Champagne industry as a whole, shortening the vine cycle which has led to a modification of the wine’s profiles,” said Ruinart president and chief executive officer Frederic Dufour. “As the Ruinart winemaking team crafted Champagne and pursued their mastery of Chardonnay over the last several years, they noticed that their base wines gained a stronger maturity and aromatic profile, due to climate change. The urgent situation is pushing us to question how we use resources, how to adapt our savoir faire and reinvent the way we work.”
In pursuit of sustainable viticulture, Ruinart’s moves included a 2 million euro investment in its second skin packaging, the elimination of planes for commercial deliveries and a global agroforestry project in its Taissy vineyard to foster biodiversity with more than 20,000 trees planted in 40 hectares.
The High Line partnership will be continued in years to come, according to Ruinart.
Foot Forward: Footwear brand Grounded People launched a new sustainable style Wednesday.
Made with 49.99 percent recycled materials and 50.1 percent virgin materials (including cotton), the shoe retails for $189 to $199 and is available on GroundedPeople.com and Amazon.
As far as certifications go, the brand is PETA approved (using no animal byproducts) and sources textiles from B Corp-certified facilities. Additionally, the brand touts a five-year warranty program and Retraced technology detailing the shoe’s full product life cycle.
A Vancouver, Canada-based brand, Grounded People looks to prioritize a harmonious relationship with the industry and nature by prioritizing the responsible use of natural resources.
“Being from Vancouver and experiencing the destruction caused by uncontrolled wildfires, I understand our collective responsibility lies in taking immediate action, prioritizing sustainability and implementing effective measures to combat climate change,” founder Max Justus told WWD. “We can only safeguard our precious environment through unified efforts, ensuring a brighter and greener future for generations to come.”
Ocean Month: Brands from Prada to Sanuk are engaged in ocean conservation conversations this Ocean Month.
Earlier this month, Deckers-owned Sanuk partnered with the Surfrider Foundation, for its third year in a row. The brand produced a limited-edition coastal footwear collection in honor of National Ocean Month and donated $45,000 to Surfrider to aid in ocean and beach cleanup efforts. Ocean advocate and designer, Nadine Marchal, designed the two-piece capsule. The styles include a jute slip-on flip flop with a 100 percent Repreve recycled polyester webbing toe post for $55 and an artisanal woven blanket slide for $65.
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