Gucci’s Exotic Skin Products

A former Gucci sales associate who claims she sold nearly $50 million in products over an 18-year career is now suing the luxury brand for misleading her about the company’s exotic skin sourcing practices.

Despite public statements from Gucci and parent company Kering, which is also named as a defendant, that the companies are committed to “ethical practices in the capture, maintaining, breeding, raising, transportation, handling and slaughter of animals” in their exotic skins supply chain, the companies engaged in abusive python and crocodile killing practices at tanneries in Thailand, the lawsuit alleges, citing a PETA Asia investigation.

As the companies allegedly engaged in these violent sourcing practices, the lawsuit claims:

Defendants trained Plaintiff to perform a “selling ceremony” when presenting exotic skinned bags, whereby she would put on black gloves, then tell the customer the following: a) the skins were sourced ethically; b) the snakes and crocodiles were not tortured; c) the skins were obtained through a natural shedding process; and, d) the skins are a byproduct of the food industry.

The former employee said she also purchased Gucci exotic skin products based on the companies’ ethical sourcing representations. She is seeking monetary restitution and a jury trial.

TINA.org reached out to Kering for comment on the lawsuit. Check back for updates.

Find more of our coverage on companies accused of greenwashing here.