From the Sector

Iluna Group comes back to Milano Unica with a great and important goal: to relaunch the qualities and dimensions of sustainability by going beyond the ingredient.

Iluna’s new path, which was born in a moment when the market seems to speak about “fragility”, begins with the investment in the renewal of machines, which allow it to fly ever higher in terms of high-tech developments, quality, definition, effects of yarns and patterns. The journey into the new dimension of responsible quality continues with ad hoc developments in the field of GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled yarns, aimed at unprecedented effects both in look, in performance and in the hands of fabrics. Including cord yarn, shiny threads and an expansion of the range of GRS yarns, previously available only opaque. The cord yarn is a precious yarn with a ROICA™ EF premium stretch yarn core, GRS certified and developed with 50% of pre-consumer waste materials content - double, covered with an equally recycled shiny thread; the bright and translucent is instead to add brilliant effects so far not possible with a GRS yarn.

The printing processes are also born from this constant search for innovation towards new materials and new techniques, becoming more and more sustainable: Global Recycle Standard (GRS)-certified sublimation printing and register printing carrying Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification. This one overlap exactly on the design and color the details, reaching where the dye cannot reach.

Diversification has become essential in today’s competitive market and the fragility of the moments experienced in 2020 was the stimulus to return to being here again, to return to action. Flexibility is the watchword today, along with research. And Iluna has managed to go further: starting from the ingredients at the base of the materials, last year launched a collection with natural dyes made with GOTS certified plant-based dyes, up to proposing magnificent prints with extraordinary effects for this edition of the Milanese fair.

The three dimensions of sustainability, design and innovation are thus finally linked thanks to valuable partnerships with expert and excellent reference companies that have allowed these new developments and these unique results thanks to advanced technologies designed specifically for Iluna, which is today the only company to offer ingredients, natural colors and prints, all three strictly certified.

The world’s leading denim ingredient brand is proud to announce it has contributed its considerable denim expertise to prestigious fashion school, Institut Français de la Mode’s (IFM) new online course, Fashion Sustainability: Shaping Fashion’s Future.

Developed as part of a partnership with IFM and Kering luxury group and led by Andrée-Anne Lemieux, Sustainability Professor and Head of the IFM-Kering Sustainability Chair, the 10-week course will examine the importance of sustainability in fashion and invites students and experienced fashion professionals to learn how they can play a role in shaping a sustainable future for fashion.

Launched on 17 May, the course covers the history and values of sustainable development and how this relates to the fashion industry, as well as teaches the practicalities of creating and executing a CSR and sustainability strategy. As part of the course, ISKO has created a video presentation which gives an insight into its Responsible Innovation™ strategy and how it approaches its role as a leader in sustainability for denim production. Led by ISKO’s Global Field Marketing Manager, Elena Faleschini, the presentation explores how innovation along with the cooperation and participation of everyone in the denim industry can help make the production of denim more responsible.

“The Fashion Sustainability course gives students and industry professionals the knowledge and tools to become the change makers we need in the industry. We are honored to contribute to the course and be able to share our vast experience working to build a more sustainability industry for the future,” says Faleschini.

Laying the bases for a more sustainable world, adopting responsible strategies is no longer an option but an indispensable and compulsory structural revolution today and for the future to come. This topic is the subject of the Smart Voice "The Circular Stories of C.L.A.S.S.: the journey of Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei towards a smart, responsible and contemporary luxury" organised by C.L.A.S.S. eco hub that has taken place on Thursday 27th May at 4 pm CET. 4 unique and complimentary design realities has been sharing  the  Bemberg ™ choice as unique and precious fibre ingredient that gives rise to a performing design incorporating new generation values, for their unique paths of style and fashion to offer to the contemporary consumer.

Specialist and expert of innovative fibres, during the session Ettore Pellegrini, Marketing & Sales Manager-Marketing & Sales Manager Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia, illustrated the history of Bemberg™ starting from its origins to nowadays, reporting its various applications that have been then illustrated in their uniqueness by the speakers of the session.

Paolo Verdoia, Lining research and development raw materials at Ermenegildo Zegna, who has been involved in the development of accessory raw materials for the Ermenegildo Zegna Group for 14 years. During the digital meeting he talked about priority collaborations with responsible and high quality materials such as Bemberg™, the brand's approach to sustainability and future projects.

The session has also been attended by new generation designer Gilberto Calzolari winner of C.L.A.S.S. ICON 2020, who used Bemberg™ in his latest AW 2021-22 collection entitled "At this stage".

Camilla Carrara, founder and zero-waste designer Zerobarracento says "We select Bemberg™ for our creations for two fundamental reasons: firstly, from a stylistic point of view for its extreme versatility: in the various collections we have adopted it to create Kimonos, padded jackets, wrap dresses as well as for the interiors of our garments, which are intended to be soft embraces for total physical and mental comfort. The second but no less important reason is that this fibre has circular values in line with our zero-waste commitment."

“By choosing to work with Bemberg™, we have made an exclusive and sustainable choice in order to offer tailors, designers, brands and garment manufacturers who believe in and are committed to responsible but at the same time premium and exclusive fashion a new business opportunity" says Alessandro Ivaldi Director Business Unit of Carnet, a division of Ratti Group that produces and distributes worldwide fabrics for the creation of made-to-measure garments for men and women.

• Riri’s SS 2022 collection explores the mind of the future.
• Bright colors, vintage themes as well as timeless designs and attention to detail, combined with concepts that highlight history and processes.

Riri Group’s gaze looks to the future once more, offering a line of accessories where creativity meets cutting-edge technology. This is the scenario spawning the new SS 2022 collection; a range of innovative proposals each representing a different emotional response to the pandemic, an attempt to interpret the emotions, needs and desires of consumers in the coming years.

The Italian-Swiss group, that for almost a century has committed to creating zips and buttons for the world’s most important fashion brands, doubles down on its forward-looking vision. The result is SS 2022 collection, featuring three different aspirational paths to read into the emerging feelings of the “new normal” that is our time and that may characterize the near future.

REJOICE
Inspired by sensations of euphoria and breaking free from melancholy through evasion and exuberance, Rejoice is the line that sees in positivity and joy of re-living the answer to the months of pandemic and negativity. The optimism that is to come takes the form of a creative and extrovert style, even when it comes to accessories. The inspiration, a triumph of bright colors and timeless styles, comes straight from the streets of Boca, one of Buenos Aires’ most popular neighborhoods thanks to its combination of colors and creative scene. Thus, the Eloxal rio zip is presented once again: with its aluminum chain and colored teeth, matched with a multi-color effect puller. In the range, we can also find the Nylon zip, featuring changing colors matched with buttons that echo their color variations, or the Filmetal 14 zip, big and with eye-catching writings, embossed on the tape.

REBIRTH
Going back to the future, in a more respectful and responsible way, through a rebirth that comes to be thanks to a closer relationship with nature. In this line history and processes through which the product is made are pivotal to tell a new way to approach the world. The range comprises zips and buttons developed with natural material and processed manually. A return to the basics as well as the constant research to reduce resources use respecting the planet are foundation of this line. Part of the Rebirth line are the copper jeans buttons, with a special water-based paint finishing, transparent and protective, or the hemp-derived bio-plastic eyelets, as well as the galalite buttons, a particular bio-degradable plastic, derived from processed milk proteins. A major innovation are our tapes entirely made of recycled polyester, evidence of the commitment by Riri Group to reuse resources.

TIMELESS
Timeless elegance, essential luxury mixed with the highest quality standards for top-of-therange products. Design, materials and colors featuring in this line break away from seasonal trends to become timeless must-haves, essential yet elegant. Every piece is cared for in every detail, created specifically to leave a lasting mark. Buttons, chains and pullers are either made of gold and silver, or they feature the clean and elegant tone of stainless steel. Among the zips, stand out Metal and Simmetrical with luxury finishings, whilst tapes are made with refined materials, such as leather and satin. Essential yet researched, this range comes with square and oval cuts, with geometry being functional and complementary to a timeless elegance.

• Recycled polyester becomes a production standard for zips' tapes: a new step in Riri Group’s green path.
• Riri is the first company in the fashion accessories industry to complete its transition towards an exclusive use of recycled polyester for zips’ tapes.

To Riri, being ‘Responsible today for a sustainable tomorrow’ means looking ahead, toward a real effort in bringing sustainability in operational decisions, even if they mean more management issues and lead to changes out of the comfort zone which is the result of years of experiences and processes. Riri Group thus becomes the first manufacturing company in the fashion accessories industry to introduce the use of recycled polyester as production standard for its zip range. This achievement marks another essential one in the sustainability path that the Swiss-Italian Group has walked since the 90s. This change fits perfectly the Group’s green approach which sees innovation for the future as one of the main pillars of the corporate strategy, as well as the commitment to protecting natural resources and to improving the
traceability and transparency of both materials and processes, in a framework that sees to rethink social and economic models. Riri’s slogan “excellence in details” can also be read as “sustainability in details” as it speaks to the company’s will to act putting sustainability first.

By employing recycled polyester as production standard for the zip range, the contribution to sustainability on a quantitative level will be significant:

• The company, in fact, will reduce emissions resulting from polyester purchase by 32%; thus, carbon footprint will be cut down by 3%, for zip production. As a result, 460,000 kg of
CO2 per year is saved, the same as 169 return flights from Geneve to New York.

• All the recycled polyester is GRS (Global Recycled Standard)-certified, highlighting Riri’s constant commitment to choosing suppliers that meet the industry’s international standards.

• The recycled polyester used in tapes for zips is made from recycled polyester fibers, both  pre- (20%) and post-consumer (80%).

• An important contribution is made to the goal of increasing the global use of recycled polyester, as stated by Textile Exchange, from 14% to 20% by 2030.

This choice shows once more the ability of the company to develop products that keep in mind the environment whilst preserving functionality, reliability and that visual taste that the world of fashion requires.

Indeed, Riri has introduced its first recycled polyester tape in 2013 and since then has been consistently increasing the use of GRS-certified recycled polyester that comes from recycled materials.

“We are proud of this step and the effect that it has on sustainability and the cultural change through which we approach the development and improvement of our products” states Renato Usoni, Riri Group’s CEO. “Our innovation is the result of a tireless research of low environmental impact materials, an approach that has been the foundation of our identity for many years, but that now is renewed once more to make another step toward the future”.

• Swiss weaving machinery manufacturers are in the forefront of novel application development

Shoes and electronic calculators are probably not the first products people would associate with the textile weaving process. But they certainly signpost the future for woven fabrics, as two examples of the ever-wider possibilities of latest technology in the field. Fashion and function already combine in the increasing popularity of woven fabrics for shoes, and this is a present and future trend. Calculators in fabrics? That’s another story of ingenious development, using so-called ‘meander fields’ on the back and keys printed on the front of the material.

These glimpses of the outlook for modern weavers are among the highlights of developments now being pioneered by Swiss textile machinery companies. All weaving markets require innovation, as well as speed, efficiency, quality and sustainability. Member firms of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association respond to these needs at every point in the process – from tightening the first thread in the warp to winding the last inch for fabric delivery. They also share a common advantage, with a leading position in the traditional weaving industry as well as the expertise to foster new and exciting applications.

Technology and research cooperation
The concept of a ‘textile calculator’ was developed by Jakob Müller Group, in cooperation with the textile research institute Thuringen-Vogtland. Müller’s patented MDW® multi-directional weaving technology is able to create the meander fields which allow calculator functions to be accessed at a touch. A novel and useful facility, which suggests limitless expansion.

Today, the latest woven shoes are appreciated for their precise and comfortable fit. They score through their durability, strength and stability, meeting the requirements of individual athletes across many sports, as well as leisurewear. Stäubli is well known as a leading global specialist in weaving preparation, shedding systems and high-speed textile machinery. Its jacquard machines offer great flexibility across a wide range of formats, weaving all types of technical textiles, lightweight reinforcement fabrics – and shoes.

It’s possible to weave new materials such as ceramics, mix fibers such as aramid, carbon and other, and produce innovative multi-layers with variable thicknesses. Such applications put special demands on weaving machines which are fulfilled by Stäubli high-performance TF weaving systems.

Great weaving results are impossible without perfect warp tension, now available thanks to the world-leading electronic warp feeding systems of Crealet. Some market segments in weaving industry today demand warp let-off systems which meet individual customer requirements. For example, the company has recognized expertise to understand that geotextile products often need special treatment, as provided by its intelligent warp tension control system. Individual and connective solutions are designed to allow external support via remote link. Crealet’s warp let-off systems are widely used in both ribbon and broadloom weaving, for technical textiles applied on single or multiple warp beams and creels.

Functional, sustainable, automated
Trends in the field of woven narrow fabrics are clearly focused on functionality and sustainability. The Jakob Müller Group has already embraced these principles – for example using natural fibers for 100% recyclable labels with a soft-feel selvedge. It also focuses as much as possible on the processing of recycled, synthetic materials. Both PET bottles and polyester waste from production are recycled and processed into elastic and rigid tapes for the apparel industry.

For efficient fabric production environments, it is now recognized that automated quality solutions are essential. Quality standards are increasing everywhere and zero-defect levels are mandatory for sensitive applications such as airbags and protective apparel.

Uster’s latest generation of on-loom monitoring and inspection systems offers real operational improvements for weavers. The fabric quality monitoring prevents waste, while the quality assurance system significantly improves first-quality yield for all applications. Protecting fabric makers from costly claims and damaged reputations, automated fabric inspection also removes the need for slow, costly and unreliable manual inspection, freeing operators to focus on higher-skilled jobs.

Smart and collaborative robotics (cobots) offer many automation possibilities in weaving rooms. Stäubli’s future oriented robotics division is a driver in this segment with first effective installations in warp and creel preparation.

Control and productivity
Willy Grob’s specialized solutions for woven fabric winding focus on reliable control of tension, keeping it constant from the start of the process right through to the full cloth roll. Continuous digital control is especially important for sensitive fabrics, while performance and productivity are also critical advantages. In this regard, the company’s large-scale batching units can provide ten times the winding capacity of a regular winder integrated in the weaving machine.

The customized concept by Grob as well as design and implementation result in great flexibility and functionality of the fabric winding equipment – yet another example of Swiss ingenuity in textile machinery.  
There is even more innovation to come in weaving – and in other segments – from members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association in future! This confident assertion is founded on an impressive statistic: the 4077 years of experience behind the creative power of the association’s member firms. It’s proof positive that their developments grow out of profound knowledge and continuous research.

• Major Monforts denim customers continue to pioneer new initiatives that are pushing the boundaries of sustainable production.

Recycling their cotton waste has become one way these companies can do more with less, and at the recent Kingpins24 Flash online event, Sedef Uncu Aki, director of Orta, headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, announced a new partnership with leading recycling operation Gama Recycle.

Traceable
“Through this local partnership we will supply the waste from our spinning mills and return around 3,000 tons of premium quality cotton back to them,” she said. “We have established a truly controlled and traceable system and partnering with a domestic recycling centre is important because a lot the carbon emissions associated with recycling usually come from transportation.”

Orta’s ZeroMax range meanwhile uses no cotton at all, being based on Lenzing’s Tencel cellulosic fibre, while the company’s involvement in denim production for a recent launch by Levi Strauss, of jeans made with organic cotton and Circulose – a breakthrough material developed by re:newcell of Sweden and partners – was hailed as a further step forward.

To make Circulose, re:newcell repurposes discarded cotton textiles, such as worn-out denim jeans, through a process akin to recycling paper. The incoming waste fabrics are broken down using water. The colour is then stripped from these materials using an eco-friendly bleach and after any synthetic fibres are removed from the mix, the slurry-like mixture is dried and the excess water is extracted, leaving behind a sheet of Circulose. This sheet is then made into viscose fibre which is combined with cotton and woven into new fabrics.

Circular Park
Omer Ahmed, CEO of Artistic Milliners also announced plans for his company’s new 70,000 square-foot Circular Park in Karachi, Pakistan, at Kingpins24 Flash.

Once complete, this will add three million square metres of additional denim capacity a month to the company’s production and take its total recycled output to a monthly five million metres.
Ahmed observed that there is currently a lack of sustainable fibres that are readily available to use for denim production at scale.

“Organic cotton is too expensive, and in my opinion always will be,” he said. “Cottonised hemp is also not cheap and it’s hard to mix with cotton, while the new regenerated cellulose fibres that are now emerging are promising, but currently in short supply. Recycled polyester is meanwhile still based on petroleum resources which we want to move away from. As a consequence, there are only a few other options for us as a manufacturer and this new project will help us minimise our own waste while significantly lowering our carbon footprint.”

Other Monforts denim customers to introduce cotton fibre recycling operations at their plants recently include AGI Denim, Bossa and Soorty.

Vertical savings
Refresh is the name of the latest collection from AGI Denim – reflecting the company’s significant reduction in water consumption.

The company has just opened new fibre spinning and denim mills at its complex in Karachi, Pakistan.

“Over the years we’ve gone through a series of backward integration steps to become fully vertical,” said AGI Denim executive director Ahmed Javed, at Kingpins24 Flash. “In our latest expansion, we revisited every step of the production processes in order to make resource savings.”

Innovations have included the installation of proprietary robotics for garment finishing, but the most attention has been paid to water savings.

“Pakistan is one of the largest cotton-producing companies in the world and we’re fortunate that the type of cotton that is grown here is well suited to denim production and also helps us lower our carbon footprint, with everything done in close proximity,” Javed said. “In the lifecycle of a pair of denim jeans, however, cotton fibre production contributes 68% of water consumption. While we cannot control how much water cotton needs for it to grow, we can rethink the way we use it in our factory.”

Refresh-branded denims are washed from 100% recycled water as a result of the company’s new wastewater treatment plant, which puts production wastewater through a series of steps beginning with equalisation, followed by aeration and concluding with sedimentation. The water travels through filtration and ultrafiltration systems before being subjected to an activated carbon system and finally a reverse osmosis system to reduce any dissolved salts.

AGI now recycles 4.4 million gallons of water each month – enough to wash a million pairs of jeans.

Sustainable
Monforts has a leading position in the field of denim finishing with its well proven Thermex continuous dyeing systems, Montex stenter dryers and other lines for resource-efficient and economical processing.

“Our denim partners are constantly setting themselves new goals in respect of sustainable production – and more importantly, achieving them,” says Hans Wroblowski, Monforts Head of Denim. “We work closely with them with the aim of constantly optimising processing parameters and achieving further savings in energy, water and raw materials throughout the dyeing and finishing stages of production.”

The latest Monforts innovation for denim is the CYD yarn dyeing system. This technology is based on the effective and established dyeing process for denim fabrics that is now being applied for yarn dyeing. The CYD system integrates new functions and processes into the weaving preparation processes to increase quality, flexibility, economic viability and productivity. A full CYD line is now available for trials at the company’s Advanced Technology Centre in Mönchengladbach, Germany.”

• CHIC Shanghai, March 17 to 19, 2021 (due to new regulation to control the infection rate)
• 905 exhibitors are present at CHIC
• Parallel: CHIC ONLINE as a digital platform with upgrade of the CHIC
• APP
• CHIC GARDEN: puts fashion and sustainability in the limelight

The CHIC spring event takes place from March 17th to 19th under strict hygiene guidelines in the National Exhibition & Convention Center in Shanghai parallel to Intertextile Shanghai, Yarn Expo and PH Value.

The Chinese economy has recovered again after the pandemic in China and already reached pre-crisis level with 6.5% growth in the fourth quarter of 2020. McKinsey estimates are a 5 to 10% growth in sales in China in 2021 compared to 2019. Thanks to good sales in China, the fashion luxury brands in particular have been able to improve their sales figures. But also regarding online trade, Chinese ecommerce sales were in first place worldwide for the eighth year in a row. The average per capita income of consumers rose by 3.8% last year.

905 exhibitors and 932 brands will present themselves on site at CHIC. Around 95,000 trade visitors from all retail areas, including all relevant online sales platforms, are expected. The CHIC's online and live streaming events, which run parallel to the trade fairs, have recorded an average of 150,000 clicks on each show since April last year.

CHIC Garden
China is to become climate neutral by 2060, which of course also affects the fashion sector. Overall, the awareness of Chinese consumers has developed even more towards high-quality, sustainable collections. In their "State of Fashion 2021" report, McKinsey & BoF analyze the awareness development in China that consumers and producers are increasingly recognizing the importance of joint efforts by all participants in the value chain to work together in order to achieve sustainability in the fashion industry.

The CHIC flagship event visualizes this topic with the "CHIC Garden" theme. With the help of garden design experts, the fair is transformed into an inspiring garden paradise that reflects closeness to nature and the appreciation of natural resources.

As an exception, the CHIC autumn event, CHIC Shanghai will take place in August this year (25th to 27th August 2021).

• Every moment of our day is important: TINTEX knows it and for SS 2022 is proposing solutions to enhance our wellbeing, fitting all our possible and different needs 24 hours a day.

From sunrise to sunset

Last season TINTEX “RAW” collection has successfully explored the modern human being dimensions with no more genders and races, and today the new SS 2022 collection confirms the Naturally Advanced Evolution vision built on a strong environment-driven approach and cutting-edge technology able to offer contemporary consumer a brand new smart and performing choice.

How? The SS2022 TINTEX 24h collection is offering solutions that can fit the different moments of our daily lives to rediscover ourselves in the outside world, leaving behind the social isolation that we all experienced in 2020. Freedom, comfort, flexibility and movement are the concepts the company explores looking not only to fashion moments, but to all the occasions of life where the most comfortable yet performing and responsible materials - from recycled synthetics to organic cotton - are the “right value choice”.
 
From there, the concept of giving life to 10 fabrics that truly embody our daily lifestyle: comfort, versatility, wellbeing.

Colours. A journey through warm and vivid colors - from reddish apples to sunny oranges with notes of starry blues - encourages wellbeing, feeling of relief, freedom and happiness because we feel that "we are alive again” when we go outside, doing everything we have always done, but that we were forced to put on pause. “RADIANT YELLOW it’s TINTEX color of the season, with its inherent positivity and strength. An energetic color that calls for a natural freedom to explore the world; a warm sensation of summer that feels like home” declares Ana Eusebio, designer at TINTEX Textiles.
 
All the collection focuses on the interlock structure, able to “concretely” deliver the value of versatility  and  fulfil performances needs of different moments of life. The idea is to create a collection that explores only one structure taking it to the limit, recreating, re-inventing and re-exploring its possibilities in order to meet the value of duality. Yes, in a single knit TINTEX challenged the way interlock is usually constructed by exploring each side of the articles and combining texturized with plain surfaces as well as light and heavy weights. Interlock offers natural stretch performances and exceptional dimensional stability.

Moreover, an important eye on responsible performances improvement to meet contemporary challenges and make us feel comfortable and safe! Always thanks to TINTEX DNA that is showing once more its consistent and evolved skills in making smart fabrics combined with unique eco-high-tech finishings.
 
Materials & finishings. A soft performances journey where it’s all about our dynamic daily lives. Through light and heavier fabrics, we find a well thought blend of innovative and responsible fibres. Strong focus is given to exceptional “transformation” technologies such as Newlife™, Q-Nova®, and ROICA™ EF by Asahi Kasei. While Organic cotton, TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers and TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers with Micro technology offer a unique natural and precious touch.

Fresh fibres and finishings that enhance freshness and comfort. Polygiene® STAY FRESH and Polygiene® Odor Crunch for active odor control performances, Hydroperm® by Archroma technical hydrophilic finishing for a fast dry, comfortable surface and a fresh look. Absolute novelty of the season is the TASTEX®COOL-EX by TANATEX, a skin-care treatment agent based on micelles, which gives a special cool sensation using dynamic temperature control.
 
Lastly, TINTEX addresses the accessories and outerwear markets with a “look-like leather” created with a water-based coating technology that incorporates pine shell.

Wardrobe solutions. 10 versatile articles that can perfectly fit the different areas of our daily wardrobe: from casual to formal wear, from athleisure to sports, from loungewear to underwear.  10 innovations that have become a  REAL  24th hours smart wardrobe   thanks to the unique design interpretation of these fabrics  by  5 contemporary and innovative Portuguese  designers such as : Rita Sá, David Catalán, Maria Gambina, Maria Meira and Behén.

Unique pieces designed and created by them   to show once more the beauty, the versatility, the smart performances of TINTEX collection that has been able to transform itself into a naturally advanced valuable wardrobe where fabrics have concretely come to life to make our everyday life smart in each moment! You can have a real look at this wardrobe that fully represent the values behind the collection, smartly interpreted by the Portuguese designers at this video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppPHPK0Zyu8 .

Thinking about what is happening around us as planet and individuals in an era of unpredictable challenges, we need to be creative constantly reinventing ourselves, aware of a new society and way of consuming where environment and human needs count.  And TINTEX, that has over-time established itself as a global leader in smart innovation, decided to focus exactly on that. The company DNA and vision of Naturally Advanced Evolution is centered on this new way of life that must adapt, but NEVER - now more than ever - compromises neither nature nor new generation’s performance.

• C.L.A.S.S. launches the Manifesto for Responsible Fashion and kicks off the CALL TO ACTION of C.L.A.S.S. ICON 2021
• What does it mean to be a “game changer” in green fashion?
• What are the false myths of eco-fashion and what are the guidelines for innovating while safeguarding the planet? And how do you tell the story behind a sustainable fashion collection?

An annual competition to reward a visionary creative who combines design, responsible innovation and communication, capable of raising contemporary consumer awareness of the new values of sustainable fashion. This is the Call to Action launched to find the C.L.A.S.S. ICON 2021 by Giusy Bettoni of C.L.A.S.S. in the Smart Voices panel "C.L.A.S.S. ICON: Award and Manifesto for Responsible Fashion", moderated by the green journalist Diana de Marsanich, and starring, on the 10th February, the fashion designer Gilberto Calzolari, recipient of the international award for creative visionaries in the world of fashion C.L.A.S.S. ICON Award 2020, and Federico Poletti, Marketing and Communication Director of WHITE SHOW.

C.L.A.S.S. Manifesto  

During the Smart Voice, the C.L.A.S.S. Manifesto for Responsible Fashion, the 2021 edition of the C.L.A.S.S. ICON competition and the Sustainability Formula were presented.

C.L.A.S.S. ICON Award is an international award for visionary creatives in the fashion world who are able to convey the values of sustainability not only to fashion professionals, but also to the wider public: consumers. "We created C.L.A.S.S. ICON to reward visionary designers who create their collections by combining design, innovation and responsibility and who are able to communicate the values behind their garments authentically and effectively to consumers. It's time for storymaking and storytelling to align, otherwise it's just greenwashing" says Giusy Bettoni.

From 15th of February to 15th of April it will be possible to apply by sending an email to classicon@classecohub.org, with a description and objectives of the brand, the sustainability values adopted and the strategy, the designer's profile, a photo-video story of the latest collection, and any previous awards won (all info on http://www.classecohub.org).

During the panel, designer Gilberto Calzolari, the first winner of the first C.L.A.S.S. ICON Award, shared his vision for responsible fashion and his current projects. "My brand is a laboratory of experimentation. I create fashion to open conversations and change the way people behave and think. My creativity, from the choice of fabrics and processes to the image I decide to communicate, are the weapons at my disposal. Since the beginning, I have been really excited to team up with C.L.A.S.S. in order to share a common and challenging journey, with the perspective to be part of a constantly growing network activating mutual support. I have always thought at my collections as a call to action for a better future and now more than ever my mission as C.L.A.S.S. ICON is to make people understand that commitment and sustainability can and must go hand in hand with beauty and elegance. The adage 'kalòs kai agathòs' is one of the classical teachings that should never be forgotten: aesthetics, in my opinion, is inseparable from ethics. That's why I don't just target professionals, but also the end consumer, fashionistas and beyond" says Gilberto.

"For the first edition of C.L.A.S.S. ICON in 2020 Gilberto was decreed as our chosen one, and the path together was sanctioned at that moment: the sharing of values and visions is an indissoluble bond that keeps us united over time. Like Gilberto, each ICON will be part of a community where together with C.L.A.S.S. will try to make a real smart fashion and above all create an important voice," says Giusy Bettoni.

In support of the C.L.A.S.S. ICON award, C.L.A.S.S. presented its Manifesto for Responsible Fashion, which summarises the values that C.L.A.S.S. has been researching, communicating and developing since 2007: the role of the ethical company and its transparent production, the importance of traceable and healthy products, with total respect for people and the environment. A commitment to a circular economy with a positive impact that also means safeguarding the seas, the ocean, the use of water, energy and resources.

"A Manifesto for fashion with the lowest possible impact on the planet and on people and animals’ health thanks to responsible innovation, perfectly up to the challenges of contemporary lifestyle. This is why I created the Sustainability Formula, which only exists when there is design, responsible innovation and we are able to track and measure the impact of products and processes and communicate the new values in an appropriate way. In a word, when there is knowledge" concludes Giusy Bettoni.
 
F = D x I x S x C
F= Fashion
D=Design
S=Sustainability
C=Communication