Prada is seeking to expand its contribution for the benefit of the oceans.
The prestigious Italian luxury brand is significantly increasing its financial support for the Sea Beyond project, which started in 2019 in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, with the aim of spreading and expanding knowledge about the oceans. Over the next two years, Prada will allocate 1% of the revenue generated from the sale of its Re-Nylon collections to the project.
This line encompasses Prada’s iconic products made with black nylon, which have become bestsellers for the group since 2021. These products are crafted using regenerated threads from recycled plastic waste, such as remnants of carpets and fishing nets collected from the oceans. This collection of ready-to-wear clothing, bags, and shoes made with 100% recycled nylon represents a significant portion of the company’s revenue. The announcement was made last Tuesday in Paris during a conference at the UNESCO headquarters, chaired by Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada’s director of corporate social responsibility, as part of the UNESCO IOC’s general assembly.
With Sea Beyond, Prada aims to promote education on ocean preservation and its resources, raising awareness among students and schoolchildren worldwide about water protection. The goal is to generate ecological awareness and knowledge about the issues affecting the oceans, especially plastic pollution.
Through its two previous editions, through educational modules and laboratories for young children, the program has reached 600 students and 120 children in 15 countries.
“With the third edition, our goal is to reach more people and countries,” explains Francesca Santoro, coordinator of the UNESCO Ocean Education Program. “We also seek to be heard by governments. Our aim is for these educational programs to be integrated into school curricula,” she added.
In fact, Prada aspires to go further by strengthening the educational component and expanding its support for scientific research and humanitarian projects. Regarding education, in order to raise public awareness about ocean-related issues, the company will continue with the program dedicated to young people, launching the third edition of Sea Beyond. Additionally, it will participate in the creation of a center in Venice dedicated to outreach in this field, targeting all age groups, including adults.
Looking ahead to the upcoming United Nations Conference on the Oceans, which will be organized in 2025 by France and Costa Rica, the Prada group and the IOC will organize a preparatory conference in Venice in 2024. Other initiatives include supporting existing educational networks in this sector and acquiring a methodology to understand advances in raising awareness among young people and the general public.
In terms of research and humanitarian projects, Prada will initially fund the final phase of the research by Giovanni Chimienti, an Italian biologist studying marine organisms inhabiting the depths. The researcher discovered the black coral forest of the Tremiti Islands, one of the largest in the Mediterranean, an habitat he wishes to protect. Additionally, a project is expected to be realized in collaboration with the association Libraries Without Borders, with the aim of creating ocean-themed content for underprivileged children.
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