Italian luxury fashion group “OTB” is accelerating its sustainability strategy as the industry faces growing pressure from regulators, consumers, and investors to demonstrate measurable environmental and social impact.
The company released its 2025 Sustainability Report on May 12, outlining progress across renewable energy sourcing, lower-impact materials, circular fashion, supply chain transparency, craftsmanship preservation, and social initiatives across its portfolio brands, including “Diesel,” “Jil Sander,” “Maison Margiela,” “Marni,” and “Viktor&Rolf.”
Summary
- OTB released its 2025 Sustainability Report
- The Group achieved 100% renewable electricity sourcing across its European operations and 81% globally
- Scope 1 and Scope 2 direct emissions were reduced by 50% compared to 2019
- 29% of materials used in the Group’s collections are now certified and/or lower-impact materials
- OTB Foundation has supported more than 380 social projects and helped over 380,000 people since 2006
Renewable Energy and Lower-Impact Materials Become Strategic Priorities
OTB said 81% of the electricity used across its global operations now comes from renewable sources, while its European operations have reached full renewable electricity sourcing. The figure surpasses the company’s 2025 target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
The Group also reported a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions compared to 2019, alongside a 3.4% year-over-year decrease across Scope 1, Scope 2 market-based, and Scope 3 emissions.
Material sourcing has also become a major focus. According to the report, 29% of the materials used across OTB brands’ collections are now certified and/or lower-impact materials, exceeding “The Fashion Pact” target requiring member companies to reach 25% by 2025.
Purchases of preferred cotton — including organic, regenerative, and recycled cotton — increased 39% compared to 2024, while 43% of the Group’s leather sourcing now comes from Leather Working Group (LWG)-certified tanneries.
“Diesel” increased lower-impact cotton usage to 42% of total cotton procurement, with more than 85% of garments in its Spring/Summer 2026 denim collection incorporating preferred materials. “Marni” reached 35% lower-impact cotton usage, while 66% of its leather sourcing now comes from LWG-certified tanneries. Both “Maison Margiela” and “Jil Sander” reached 55%.
OTB also continued expanding circular fashion initiatives. Through the UNIDO-led “SwitchMed” program, “Diesel” further developed its recycled denim project in partnership with a Tunisian manufacturer, reusing production waste to create new materials. The brand additionally reintroduced its “Diesel Rehab Denim” collection made entirely from recycled cotton and elastane, alongside a mono-material puffer jacket produced entirely from recycled polyester.
Luxury Transparency Moves Into the Digital Era
As regulatory pressure surrounding traceability and product transparency intensifies across Europe, OTB is also investing heavily in digital authentication infrastructure.
The Group, a Steering Member of the “Aura Blockchain Consortium” alongside “LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton,” “Prada Group,” and “Richemont,” has issued digital certificates of authenticity for more than three million products from “Jil Sander,” “Maison Margiela,” and “Marni” since 2022.
OTB has also launched a pilot “Digital Product Passport (DPP)” initiative ahead of upcoming European regulations. Combining blockchain and NFC technologies, the project aims to improve product transparency, authenticity, and traceability across the luxury supply chain.
At the same time, the company continues to invest in preserving Italian craftsmanship through “Scuola dei Mestieri,” its training academy focused on developing the next generation of “Made in Italy” artisans. More than 50 young talents have completed the program, with over 80% currently employed within Group companies.
Women now represent 54% of managerial positions across OTB, while both “OTB” and “Diesel” received gender equality certification for the third consecutive year.
OTB Group Chairman and Founder Renzo Rosso described sustainability as a long-term cultural and strategic framework for the company.
“Today more than ever, sustainability must be a state of mind, a cultural and strategic approach that guides every decision. In a challenging global context and during a slowdown in our sector, sustainability must remain a pivotal point on which to continue building the future,” Rosso said.
“We have reduced our direct emissions by 50% compared to 2019, increased the use of renewable energy, and reached 29% certified and lower-impact materials in our brands’ collections, exceeding the target set by The Fashion Pact.”
The Group’s philanthropic arm, “OTB Foundation,” has supported more than 380 projects and helped over 380,000 people since its establishment in 2006. In 2025, the Foundation launched awareness initiatives targeting bullying and gender-based violence among young people in collaboration with Italy’s Ministry of Education and Merit. It also supported Médecins Sans Frontières’ inflatable hospitals project and introduced fertility preservation support programs for female employees, including access to cryopreservation initiatives.
Luxury’s Competitive Landscape Is Shifting
Across the luxury industry, sustainability is increasingly becoming less of a communications exercise and more of a business infrastructure issue — one tied to sourcing, regulation, consumer trust, and long-term brand resilience.
Beyond environmental targets, fashion groups are now being evaluated on supply chain transparency, circular design systems, workforce development, craftsmanship preservation, and measurable social impact. Investors and younger consumers in particular are placing greater scrutiny on how brands operate behind the scenes, not just on the products they sell.
Against that backdrop, OTB’s latest report reflects how luxury companies are repositioning sustainability from a supporting initiative into a core operational framework. From renewable energy expansion and Digital Product Passports to artisan training and women-focused programs, the Group’s strategy points toward a broader industry shift in which transparency, accountability, and cultural relevance are becoming increasingly intertwined with luxury itself.
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