Fossil Launches Pro-Planet Cactus Leather Tote Bags and Limited-Edition Solar Watch in Hong Kong in Celebration of Earth Month

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 22 April 2021 – As part of a continued commitment to sustainability, and in celebration
of Earth Month, Fossil is proud to launch our latest pro-planet assortment.
This collection includes brand new cactus
leather tote bags made in partnership with Desserto®, and our second iteration of the limited-edition Solar Watch. The
launches follow commitments that Fossil announced in 2019 as part of our
ongoing Make Time For Good initiative, dedicated to
making change in communities throughout the world through pro-planet materials,
products and packaging, as well as reducing our footprint in water consumption
and greenhouse gas emissions. The cactus leather totes and Solar Watch are an
example of new materials and sustainable partners that Fossil has cultivated in
an increased push towards leaving a lighter footprint for a more sustainable
future.

Fossil Pro-Planet Cactus Leather Tote Bags

 

Fossil is proud to
be one of the first retailers to introduce vegan cactus leather, an innovative
material new to the industry, through the collection of Kier Cactus Leather
Totes. Each bag is designed with material made from organically grown cactus
leaves developed by Desserto®, a
Mexico-based company with a focus on sustainable materials. The leaves come from
cactus plants that require only rain water and Earth minerals for growth. Once
harvested, the leaves are dried in the sun for three to six days, which removes
the need for any additional energy source for the drying process. Not only is
this an energy-efficient processing technique, but no herbicides, pesticides or
irrigation systems are used in the production of the cactus. As a result of
this innovative process, each Kier tote saves 7.5 liters of water — the
equivalent of fifteen 500 milliliter water bottles. Additionally, each cactus’
trunk is left intact to enable repeat harvesting, as the leaves regenerate
every six to eight months. The collection will include four stunning colorways
— moss, wine, black and brown — and will be available for HK$3,500 beginning
April 22.

 

“After
witnessing first-hand the impact that tanneries have on the environment, we
sought to create a vegan alternative that leaves a lighter footprint while
meeting our rigorous quality standards,” says Desserto cofounder Marte
Cázarez. “Almost immediately, we decided to leave our jobs and dedicate the
next two years to designing and creating a solution.”

 

“Since first introducing
Desserto cactus leather to the world in 2019, we have continued to develop and
educate others on our materials and sustainable processes. Today, we are proud
to partner with brands, like Fossil, who share a vision of reducing their
environmental impact through the use of eco-friendly materials,” adds Desserto
cofounder Adrián López Velarde.

Fossil Limited Edition Solar Watch

Fossil is also
proud to announce the second iteration of its limited-edition Solar Watch — the
World-Timer — launching on Earth Day. The watch houses a solar-powered movement
with rechargeable battery, which can reach a full charge after eight hours in
the sun and will retain charge for up to three months. Also, the 42mm watch
case is made with castor oil while the rPet strap is made from post-consumer
plastic bottles. In addition to its pro-planet designs, the World-Timer is
packed with features, including a compass, stopwatch, alarm, timer, and world
time function. In the world time function, the user can select from forty nine
cities around the world to easily check the local time in that area, connecting
users across the globe. The limited-edition watch will be available for
HK$1,550 beginning April 22.

 

“Over the course of
the last two years, our teams have worked diligently to identify areas of our
business that make the largest environmental impact and to chart the course
towards meaningful charge. The result is an index of commitments that we’ve
established to leave a smaller footprint and better world for future
generations. Some of these changes include: introducing more pro-planet
materials like recycled stainless steel and litehide leather into our
assortment, removing foam material from packaging, and moving to ensure all
paper goods are made from a minimum of 80% recycled material,” says Steve
Evans, EVP Chief Brand Officer. “Fossil believes that when we combine our time
and passion, we can make lasting change for people and the planet.”

 

In addition to the
Kier Cactus Leather Totes and World Timer launches, Fossil is excited to grow
our assortment of pro-planet styles in our seasonal collections as well. This
summer from May, mainline solar watches in the bestselling Minimalist and
Jacqueline styles will become available in a variety of colorways. As with the
limited-edition Solar Watch, the sun-powered battery plus pro-planet case and
straps reduce water and battery waste. Additionally, Fossil’s assortment of pro-planet
bags continues to grow as classic styles are re-released in eco-leather this
summer. Since being introduced to Fossil’s product assortment last fall, more
than 90% of our leather material for bags and small leather goods is now
sourced from Leather Working Group certified tanneries. To date, about 1.8
million gallons of water have been saved through the use of 1.5 million square
feet of eco-leather, sourced in partnership with our pro-planet leather
providers.

 

Fossil Group’s
ongoing commitments towards pro-planet progress include:

• Design and produce 100% of our
  product to meet our pro-planet criteria by 2025.
• Make 100% of our primary packaging
  recyclable and/or reusable by 2025.
• Lead in circular business model
  approaches — where our materials can be used, reused and reduced — by 2025.
• Reduce water consumption for
  leather tanning by 45% by 2025.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
  30% by 2030.
• Eliminate virgin plastics in our
  supply chain by 2030.

Visit
MakeTimeForGood.com and Fossil.com to learn more about our pro-planet
initiatives, and follow @Fossil to stay up to date on current and future
launches.

 

Available
at:

Fossil Retail Store

Shop 2108A, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui	(Enquiry no.: +852 2679 6811)
Shop 736, Market Street, Shoppes at Venetian, Macau	(Enquiry no.: +853 2882 8007)

Fossil Online Store

https://bit.ly/3dVVmiF