TUMI Builds On Legacy Of Innovation Through Sustainability

NEW YORK, July 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With a heritage of producing the highest quality products, today TUMI, the leading international travel and lifestyle brand, takes the next step in its mission to protect what matters. TUMI is committed to minimizing its impact on the planet by designing for durability and introducing sustainable materials with the launch of Merge, the brand's first travel collection made with recycled materials, as well as select styles within the Alpha Bravo and Devoe collections. These new products give consumers the option to make a positive choice for the planet without compromising style or quality.

"When the time is right for travelers to embark on their next journey, our promise is to protect not only their treasured personal items, but also the world they travel to see," says Victor Sanz, TUMI's Creative Director. "The TUMI brand is innovative by nature, but we are sustainable by choice. And as such, we are committed to designing innovative products and manufacturing processes that take care of our planet, while ensuring that our people are treated with respect and care."

TUMI is dedicated to building a more sustainable future and has created a program that underscores the importance of sustainability throughout every aspect of its business. It focuses on:

• Innovative Products, by designing products that are built to last and adopting recycled materials, TUMI has diverted more than 980,000 plastic bottles from landfills;
• Carbon Action, working to reduce carbon intensity by 15% and transition to 100% renewable energy by 2025;
• Thriving Supply Chain, requiring suppliers to meet TUMI's standards of fair and responsible business; and
• People Focused, providing the global TUMI team with safe working environments and offering the best opportunities, culture and support. Diversity & Inclusion is a key pillar of brand's sustainability pledge.

TUMI's journey is powered by people. Their passion and dedication make them the brand's greatest asset. As a people-focused business, TUMI provides meaningful opportunities for all employees by investing in their success and creating a supportive working environment. Making a positive impact on communities both near and far is a key part of TUMI's sustainability efforts. By working with exceptional charity partners, TUMI strives to make tough journeys lead to better places in order to create lasting and sustainable change globally.

"We are continually on a journey, growing our business and ensuring we work with integrity every step of the way," says Jean DeCicco, General Manager TUMI North America. "Being with the company for more than ten years, I've seen firsthand the positive evolution we've gone through, and I'm thrilled to continue leading forward with targeted action. As a brand, we believe we have a responsibility to the world beyond the products we sell, most importantly to our people and our planet."

TUMI's commitment to longevity has been a part of the brand's DNA since the very beginning. With a focus on the full lifespan of the product after it is sold, sustainability doesn't stop at utilizing recycled materials. Because value is more important than ever, TUMI purposefully engineers reparability into product design, creating bags that can be carried for even longer. Additionally, an extensive global repair network helps to ensure that TUMI bags stay on the road, further minimizing impact on landfills. 

"We design and test all our materials relentlessly for durability and remain committed to the highest quality," says Christine Riley Miller, Director of Sustainability. "As part of our sustainability program, TUMI will continue to make changes across our business to minimize our impact on climate change. The robust performance of recycled PET alone – meeting all of our 30 rigorous tests – enables us to use responsible materials with no compromise for our customers and uphold our commitment to protecting the planet we love to travel."

Sustainable Products
TUMI's lightweight yet durable Merge collection, as well as select styles from rugged yet refined Alpha Bravo, and architecturally designed Devoe, feature materials that reflect the brand's ethos of longevity while giving unwanted plastics a second life. TUMI's Spring 2020 products made with recycled materials have alone diverted more than 395,000 plastic bottles from landfills.

Merge's recycled PET lining uses plastic bottles, preventing them from ending up in landfill. And its outer body fabric is made from surplus nylon – also destined for landfills until it's given new form as a hardworking textile ideally suited to modern travel. Similarly, styles within Alpha Bravo and Devoe are made with body fabric comprised of post-industrial recycled nylon and lining made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

Merge Collection, TUMI's first sustainable luggage collection

• Body Fabric: post-industrial recycled nylon
• Lining: post-consumer rPET
• Bottles diverted on initial production: 214,000

Alpha Bravo Styles, made with recycled materials

• Body Fabric: post-industrial recycled nylon
• Lining: post-consumer rPET
• Bottles diverted on initial production: 172,800

Devoe Styles, made with recycled materials

• Body Fabric: post-industrial recycled nylon
• Lining: post-consumer rPET
• Bottles diverted on initial production: 8,600

About TUMI
Since 1975, TUMI has been creating world-class business and travel essentials, designed to upgrade, uncomplicate, and beautify all aspects of life on the move. Blending flawless functionality with a spirit of ingenuity, we're committed to empowering journeys as a lifelong partner to movers and makers in pursuit of their passions. The brand is sold globally in over 75 countries with upwards of 2,000 points of sale. For more about TUMI, visit www.TUMI.com.

SOURCE TUMI