Amour Vert

Amour Vert, French for "Green Love," operates as a sustainable women's fashion brand, blending French-inspired design with a casual Californian aesthetic. The company was founded in 2010 in San Francisco by the husband-and-wife team, Linda Balti and Christoph Frehsee. Their journey into fashion was unconventional; Balti was an engineer designing fighter-jet simulators and Frehsee ran a company that manufactured land-mine-clearing machinery. The catalyst for creating Amour Vert was an article they read in 2009, which revealed that the fashion industry was the second most polluting industry after oil. This discovery prompted them to build a brand committed to minimizing environmental impact.

The company's business model is centered on a direct-to-consumer approach, primarily through its e-commerce platform and a growing number of physical retail stores. After initially operating on a 90% wholesale model, the company shifted its focus to have a more direct relationship with its customers. Revenue is generated through the sale of women's apparel and accessories, including dresses, denim, loungewear, and knitwear. The brand targets modern, environmentally conscious women who seek stylish yet comfortable clothing suitable for various occasions. In May 2024, Amour Vert announced a significant rebranding and the relocation of its headquarters from San Francisco to Los Angeles to be closer to the fashion hub's resources and talent.

Amour Vert's product strategy is defined by its commitment to sustainability at every stage. The brand partners directly with mills to develop its own sustainable fabrics, such as TENCEL™ made from eucalyptus trees, beechwood modal, and organic cotton. It also uses materials like bluesign® certified washable silk and repurposed cottonseed cupro. Production is primarily local, with 97% of garments manufactured in California in limited quantities to reduce waste and lower the company's carbon footprint. This small-batch production philosophy allows for greater agility, exemplified by initiatives like the "48 Hour Dress," which moved from design to sale in two days. A key part of its mission is the "Buy a Tee, Plant a Tree" program, a partnership with American Forests, which has resulted in the planting of over 370,000 trees. To promote a circular economy, the company launched ReAmour, a resale marketplace for its pre-loved clothing.

Keywords: sustainable fashion, eco-friendly clothing, women's apparel, direct-to-consumer, ethical fashion, organic cotton, TENCEL, California-based, slow fashion, circular fashion, ReAmour marketplace, local manufacturing, non-toxic dyes, sustainable materials, small-batch production, French-inspired design, women's basics, eco-conscious brand, responsible supply chain, tree planting program, women's knitwear, sustainable denim