It seems that almost every company nowadays lays claim to the virtue of sustainability. Whether it is “made from post-consumer recycled goods,” or stamped with the triangular triple arrows, what does it mean for a product to be recyclable, besides being able to be discarded in a blue bin?
For Lexus, it means a product that can be remade into others. Through the engineering and development of highly renewable materials like kenaf fibre, castor oil and “infinitely recyclable” plastic, Lexus has produced the 90% recyclable CT Hybrid. To prove this, the automotive manufacturer challenged four innovative fashion designers to recycle it in the Lexus Fashion Workshop, using a completely dismantled model.
Why is it that companies try so hard nowadays to put their greenest face forward? Is it not enough to produce goods of superior quality and durability? Simply, no. To stay relevant, a never-ending hurdle in the most competitive industries like fashion, a new criterion has arisen, as important, if not more so, as marketing to a company’s vitality. Consumers today not only expect more of the products that they buy, but also of the companies that produce them. It is not as important to sell a product as it is to sell a lifestyle – that means a sustainable one.
Lexus has been on the cutting edge of this concept for a while, while others are just starting. Not to say that Lexus is the greenest automobile producer in the world, but it is the farthest-reaching in terms of the lifestyle that it sells. Lexus Hybrid Living is an endeavour that promotes not only driving a hybrid, but also inspires consumers to experience the lifestyle that Lexus vehicles represent. Its slogan “Desire Luxury, Aspire Eco” is echoes through its many projects and initiatives, including the CFDA Eco Fashion Challenge, eco architecture and interior design, environmental social media awards, organic spa and salon products, and countless art, food and wine channels. Talk about selling a lifestyle.
Lexus has raised the bar for sustainability and thus, for luxury, promising to make every automobile it produces 95% recyclable by 2015. If in a perfect world, as Patrick says, “everything, everywhere is recycled,” it seems that Lexus is well underway on the pursuit of perfection.
