Arsutoria Studio
Arsutoria Studio

The industry gets back on track at Lineapelle, embodying internationalism and resilience

LINEAPELLE 108, held at Fiera Milano Rho from 15 to 17 September 2026, firmly established the event’s role as an international benchmark and strategic hub for the global leather, materials, accessories and components industry serving the fashion, luxury and design sectors. Against a global macroeconomic backdrop still characterised by economic uncertainty and persistent geopolitical tensions, the event recorded a solid performance, demonstrating the sector’s remarkable resilience and its strong ability to adapt.

The three-day fair saw the participation of 1,029 exhibitors and attracted 22,800 trade visitors, including over 17,000 buyers. The most significant figure relates to international appeal: as many as 43 per cent of visitors travelled to Milan from 114 countries, confirming the event’s indispensable global reach.

This result marks a 10 per cent increase compared with the benchmark edition in September 2025. This increase takes on even greater significance when compared with last February’s event, against which there was a strong upturn in both visitor numbers (+35%) and exhibitor numbers (+21%), brilliantly overcoming the logistical challenges that had characterised the start of the year due to the event coinciding with the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Beyond the figures, LINEAPELLE 108 succeeded in interpreting and conveying the image of an industry which, whilst facing a complex economic climate and markets whose foundations have been profoundly transformed, is now seeing the first positive signs that emerged during 2026.

The event’s effectiveness was also reflected in the success of its cultural and educational programme. The packed programme of talks, workshops and presentations broadened the commercial scope of the event, transforming it into an indispensable forum for discussion. At the heart of the debate were the key themes that are reshaping the sector’s future: the interplay between creativity and innovation, the urgent need for tangible sustainability supported by new technologies, the training of the next generation, and an analysis of the changing market landscape.

With this chapter now successfully concluded, the event will return for its next edition, dedicated to the 2028 summer season, which will once again take place in Milan from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 February 2027.

The OrthoLite® supercritical revolution

The world leader in high-performance insoles presents two new solutions set to mark a clear break with the past: OrthoLite® SCF™ ATPU and its dual-layer evolution, OrthoLite® SCF™ ATPU+Float, which embody the evolution of the supercritical foaming (SCF) process. Unlike traditional chemical foaming methods, which leave residues and compromise the purity of the materials, the SCF process utilises gas under supercritical conditions to expand the polymer. The result is an extremely cleaner production method, free from harmful chemicals, which creates a uniform, refined and incredibly high-performance cellular structure.

OrthoLite® SCF™ ATPU

The new OrthoLite® SCF™ ATPU formulation combines the proven performance benefits of aliphatic TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) with innovative SCF technology. The result is a low-density material with a lightweight structure, designed specifically for footwear brands that refuse to compromise on weight and responsiveness. This insole stands out for a range of exceptional mechanical properties: enhanced rebound, extreme durability and hydrophobic nature (the polymer is inherently water-repellent). Thanks to these characteristics, OrthoLite® SCF™ ATPU is ideally suited to the most demanding environments in the sporting world, such as trail running, hiking and high-level athletic performance.

SCF Dual-layer (ATPU+Float)

Whilst the single-layer version represents a technological leap forward, the introduction of OrthoLite® SCF™ ATPU+Float completely redefines the boundaries of biomechanical comfort. OrthoLite® has, in fact, succeeded in combining the structural properties of expanded aliphatic TPU with the extreme lightness and high elasticity of OrthoLite® Float™, creating a dual-layer configuration.

In this advanced design, the ATPU compound acts as a solid and resilient base, whilst the upper Float layer maximises softness and breathability. This synergy offers unique benefits:

•    Superior cushioning: the dual-layer structure absorbs impacts in a differentiated manner, reducing joint fatigue.

•    Maximum breathability: despite its high performance, the foot enjoys a microclimate that remains cool and dry at all times.

•    Versatility of use: the elastic properties of the Float layer make this technology perfect not only for elite athletes, but for any footwear designed for an active lifestyle.

SCF™ ATPU

Cuoio di Toscana wins the Artisanal Excellence Award

The Consortium, which brings together the leading Italian companies specialising in the production of sole leather and boasts an internationally recognised manufacturing heritage, received the award for excellence in the Italian supply chain at the MF Value Chain Awards 2026, held during the Milan Fashion Global Summit on 21 September.

 “This recognition confirms the value of a supply chain that combines quality, expertise and the ability to innovate. For Cuoio di Toscana, it is an incentive to continue promoting Italian know-how and forging new links with the international fashion world,” commented the board of Cuoio di Toscana.

It is precisely with this aim of forging new connections with the worlds of fashion, design and contemporary creativity that the collaboration with Paul Andrew came about; during Milan Fashion Week, he presented the new women’s capsule collection by Paul Andrew x Cuoio di Toscana, entitled He(ART). Developed through a dialogue between the Consortium’s expertise and the international designer’s creative vision, the collection centres on ‘The Fettuccine’, an ironic, sophisticated and deeply Italian tribute to Italian style.

The idea stems from the production of fettuccine and the possibility of applying a technology similar to that used for pasta to the material, allowing for precise control over thickness and length. In Paul Andrew’s design, thin strips of Tuscan leather become structural elements of the footwear, intertwining to create a unique silhouette.

The Fettuccine,

New Nastrotex-Cufra AW27/28 collection

The Covo (BG)-based company, which specialises in the production of elasticated fabrics for the fashion and sportswear sectors, made its return to LINEAPELLE from 15 to 17 September 2026 with its TREND Collection AW27/28. This was a selection of elastic ribbons that interpreted some of the season’s most recognisable motifs — from houndstooth to Prince of Wales check to animal prints — through the introduction of new textures, finishes and extensive customisation options. For the company, the trend collection once again represented not merely an image to be reproduced, but rather a guideline to be transformed into tangible materials, functions and applications, with the aim of providing designers, design studios and manufacturers with a repertoire of elastic solutions capable of engaging both with the season’s design languages and with the practical requirements of design and production.

Classic patterns such as houndstooth, Prince of Wales and animal prints have been incorporated into the collection as genuine starting points for different combinations and developments. The textures and finishes have expanded the expressive possibilities of elastic tape, whilst customisation has made it possible to adapt each solution to the brand’s identity and the specific application within footwear.

At LINEAPELLE, VERSATILITY 2026 – the concept through which Nastrotex-Cufra showcased the ability of its products to adapt to different styles, functions and designs – thus entered a new phase. Following the launch in February and the technical developments presented at PERFORMANCE DAYS, the September event highlighted the interplay between aesthetic research, customisation and industrial feasibility. The stand itself reflected this vision, presenting itself as a white, minimalist and open space, conceived as a neutral canvas on which materials, ideas and requests could take shape through direct dialogue with the team.

Two-dimensional crystals and leather: Dermasoft Climaflex BDM is born

Deep-tech firm BeDimensional S.p.A. and the Tuscan-based company Dermacolor S.r.l., a specialist in tanning chemicals, have joined forces to launch Dermasoft Climaflex BDM. This innovative tanning auxiliary introduces two-dimensional crystals directly into leather processing, offering a concrete solution to the demands of high-value, discerning markets such as the automotive, footwear, clothing and technical leather goods sectors.

At the heart of this technology lies the seamless integration of BeDimensional’s advanced materials into the chemical formulations developed by Dermacolor. Laboratory tests have revealed extraordinary improvements: the application of these crystals increases resistance to bursting and tearing, with increases exceeding 80 per cent on certain types of leather. In addition to durability, the product guarantees exceptional thermal comfort, optimising heat dissipation and lowering the surface temperature by up to 5 °C. A major advantage for tanneries lies in the practicality of the innovation, which fits seamlessly into traditional workflows without requiring any modifications to existing machinery or production processes.

This project is not merely a technological milestone, but is rooted in a strategic and rapidly expanding region. Whilst Dermacolor has always operated in Castelfranco di Sotto, in the heart of the Tuscan tanning district, BeDimensional is pursuing a major industrial scaling-up programme that will soon see the establishment of a new production hub in Collesalvetti, in the Livorno area. Its geographical proximity within the Interporto Toscano Amerigo Vespucci logistics hub will enable the materials of the future to be directly linked to manufacturing excellence, harnessing unique and complementary expertise to accelerate the technological evolution of one of the districts that epitomises ‘Made in Italy’.

“Our collaboration with BeDimensional enables us to explore new frontiers in tanning chemistry, integrating advanced materials into solutions designed to meet the sector’s future needs,” commented Andrea Meucci, owner of Dermacolor. “This project stems from the convergence of research, practical experience and a focus on leather performance, with the aim of supporting the supply chain’s evolution towards increasingly innovative and functional products.”

Italian footwear knocks on UNESCO’s door: Italian craftsmanship at stake

Today, the crews of large cruise ships want a Neapolitan pizza chef on board. Something has indeed changed since UNESCO recognised ‘the Art of the Neapolitan Pizza Chef’. Note: not the pizza itself, which remains a recipe. The hands that make it. And with those hands, the demand to learn the trade has grown, to the point that the majority of applications come from abroad, from those who nevertheless wish to train in Italy. What does this have to do with footwear?

On 11 June 2026, in the Salone degli Arazzi at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, during the 2026 General Assembly of Assocalzaturifici, the application process for the Art of Italian Footwear to be included on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage was presented. The meeting, moderated by Nicola Porro, formalised the Promoting Committee: it is chaired by Giovanna Ceolini of Assocalzaturifici and comprises Museimpresa, CERCAL and Politecnico Calzaturiero. The initiative, promoted by the Ministry, entrusts the Committee and the UNESCO Chair at Unitelma Sapienza University with the task of drafting the dossier and engaging the communities of practitioners, a key element of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.

 

“Italian footwear represents one of the most recognisable expressions of our production system,” said Minister Adolfo Urso: supporting the nomination “means strengthening a production model that sets Italy apart in the world”.

 

A HERITAGE TO BE PRESERVED. In addition to Urso, speakers included Antonio Calabrò, president of Museimpresa, via video message, Marco Amato, vice-president of Museimpresa, Serena Musolesi, CEO of Cercal, and Alice Marcato, technical director of the Polytechnic of Footwear.

GENERATIONS OF EXCELLENCE. The second panel brought together the Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara, Federico Eichberg, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, and Giovanni Brugnoli, President of the Fondazione Imprese e Competenze per il Made in Italy.

 

THE ITALIAN ART OF SHOEMAKING: CULTURE, MEMORY, IDENTITY. The concluding panel featured Pier Luigi Petrillo, director of the UNESCO Chair at Unitelma Sapienza, Giovanna Ferragamo Gentile, president of the Ferragamo Foundation, Marco Nocivelli, vice-president of Confindustria with responsibility for Industrial Policy and Made in Italy, Minister Plenipotentiary Filippo La Rosa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs),

Davide Rampello, cultural manager and lecturer, and sociologist Francesco Morace, president of Future Concept Lab.

 

Here is the point: the nomination does not defend an object, but rather a know-how. The 2003 Convention does not reward the most beautiful product, but the community that passes it down. Nor does it ask for uniqueness: the opposite is true, because the more a tradition engages with others, the more it is valued.

Identity, memory and culture risk becoming worn out if they remain overused words or are left to the ravages of time. The dossier serves to prevent this. Petrillo pointed out that the recognition concerns a living system of practices and communities, with economic, cultural and professional implications. Giovanna Ferragamo Gentile highlighted the continuity between the creative, technical and productive dimensions: ‘My father [Salvatore Ferragamo, ed.] would sketch the design on the wooden last because he knew that, before being beautiful, the shoe had to fit comfortably.’ Nocivelli and La Rosa emphasised local storytelling and soft power: quality opens up the market, but it is the story that makes people choose that shoe over another.

The key issue running through the supply chain remains: who will take up the baton? The sector admits it: it has communicated poorly, allowing the factory to sound like a fallback option. The bid is therefore linked to human capital. “Schools and technical-vocational training are called upon to build the skills that will underpin the future of Made in Italy. We must strengthen the link between education and work and guide young people towards pathways that combine quality, specialisation and opportunity,’ observed Valditara. Footwear schools, established within the districts, now teach cutting and assembly alongside CAD, 3D printing and eco-design: from the manual to the digital, without one excluding the other. It is precisely the vocational schools and the story of an advanced, fascinating and innovative industrial sector—one that offers excellent opportunities for growth and career development—that are tasked with attracting new generations who are well-prepared and capable of keeping alive a tradition that is vital for Italy, including in terms of exports and the balance of trade.

 

The project has garnered the support of the main regions in the sector — Lombardy, Veneto, Marche, Puglia, Campania, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany — a sign of its national scope. Rampello saw in it a synthesis of tradition and innovation; Morace turned the usual formula on its head: true tradition is not preserved, but is passed on, generation after generation, whilst also emphasising the value of the Italian Factor and the need to create new forms of generational engagement.

 

In closing, Giovanna Ceolini, President of Assocalzaturifici and the Promoting Committee, highlighted the significance of the initiative: ‘This proposal stems from a desire to recognise the cultural value of a heritage that belongs to the entire country. Italian footwear combines technical expertise, regional identity and the ability to evolve over time. It is an opportunity to showcase a wealth of knowledge that forms an essential part of our manufacturing identity.’

 

Let’s return to the cruise ships. That pizza chef is no longer in demand today because someone has found a magic recipe, but because his value has been recognised and dignity has been restored to his trade. The challenge taken up in Rome is the same: to demonstrate that even for a shoe, hands remain the instrument of intelligence, and the individual and their know-how remain crucial.

The initiative launches a national project aimed at promoting the heritage of skills, traditions and manufacturing capabilities that characterise the Italian supply chain.

High quality and circularity: İskefe leather’s sustainable approach

At the latest edition of Lineapelle, the Group—building on a tanning tradition dating back to 1957—reaffirmed its international presence by showcasing the latest additions to its collections. Now led by the third generation of the founding family, İskefe Leather holds the prestigious Leather Working Group Gold certification and oversees a global network: seven plants in Turkey, one in Egypt, as well as a sales subsidiary and a logistics hub in Vietnam.

Since 2011, the company has integrated its supply chain by combining leather tanning with the production of collagen and gelatin within the same group. This integration allows for an extremely rigorous selection process, whereby only the finest parts of each hide are allocated to high-end leathers, while the rest is transformed into collagen and gelatin for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The result is a meticulous selection of raw materials, consistent quality, and a circular production model.

At the heart of the business are bovine leathers for footwear and leather goods: from the softness of nappa and tumbled nappa to suede, nubuck, and floater. Thanks to its collaboration with Italian footwear and leather goods designers, İskefe keeps its collections in step with the trends set by international fashion houses.

For the brand, the art of leather has always been about the ability to select only the finest materials. www.iskefe.com.tr


 

The decline of the ‘white, minimalist’ trainer

The footwear market is cooling, driven by a complex international economic climate and a profound shift in consumer tastes, as people grow weary of mass-produced minimalism.

Outlining this transition is fashion designer Lucio Righetto, who states that the energy crisis, geopolitical conflicts both within and beyond Europe’s borders, and the effects of climate change are inevitably influencing purchasing habits – all macroeconomic factors compounded by aesthetic saturation: the public is showing growing weariness with the ubiquity of white trainers or those with an ‘essential’ design – to be clearly distinguished from the technical, performance-oriented models produced by the sports giants.

To understand the evolution currently underway, we need to look to the recent past. As early as around 2005, trainers had become a cornerstone of everyday life, before finally being accepted between 2019 and 2020 even in formal, elegant settings and in the workplace. Today, however, that momentum seems to have run out of steam. There is a growing desire for a more refined style – a sophisticated take on casual wear that is suited to everyday life. Although a segment of less discerning or informed consumers continues to buy sports and streetwear footwear, this market is steadily shrinking.

The real change is being driven by those seeking a stylistic shift and who are swapping trainers for loafers. This resurgence, which has also been influenced by recent films, evokes Michael Jackson’s iconic style and offers a more formal look, embraced by both men and women alike. This revolution, however, does not extend to teenagers and the very young, for whom sportswear and trainers remain deeply ingrained in their DNA. The shift towards elegance, on the other hand, specifically involves the 30-and-over age group. At the same time, in the world of women’s footwear, we are witnessing a major comeback of heels and decidedly more sophisticated styles.

This reversal of the trend will undoubtedly breathe new life into the footwear market, a sector that has long shown clear signs of stagnation and which, thanks to this breath of fresh air, is set to regain momentum, although it is unlikely to replicate the splendour and extraordinary sales volumes of the last twenty years.

Lucio Righetto


The leather industry updates its Manifesto ahead of COP31

The global leather industry is renewing its call for leather to be recognized as a circular and bio-based resource ahead of COP31, the United Nations Climate Change Conference scheduled for November 9–20, 2026, in Antalya, Turkey.
Titled “Leather – The Circular Choice,” the new manifesto—promoted by the International Council of Tanners (ICT) together with COTANCE, IULTCS, CICB, the Global Leather Alliance, and some twenty other industry organizations—calls on policymakers to recognize leather’s contribution to the circular economy. The document specifically highlights leather’s potential to reduce waste, extend product lifecycles, and promote more sustainable consumption patterns.
Among the key points, the document reiterates that the raw hides used by the tanning industry are primarily byproducts of the food industry. Citing the UNIDO guidelines for assessing the environmental impact of leather, the signatories therefore challenge interpretations that directly attribute an increase in livestock farming—and the resulting environmental impacts—to leather production.

The document also calls for recognition of the role of leather in reducing the environmental footprint of consumer goods, promoting slow fashion, and creating durable, reusable, repairable, and reconditionable products. Finally, it calls for prioritizing, wherever possible, the use of natural and renewable materials, thereby limiting dependence on alternatives derived from fossil fuels.
Through this initiative, the industry aims to ensure that leather is given greater consideration in future climate strategies and sustainability regulations, highlighting its contribution to resource efficiency, waste prevention, and the development of a more circular economy.

IULTCS opens applications for the 2027 Young Leather Scientist Grants

The International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) has opened applications for the 2027 Young Leather Scientist Grants (YLSG), an international grant program dedicated to students and young researchers who wish to contribute to the scientific and technological development of the tanning industry.
The initiative aims to promote the innovative ideas of the next generation by offering financial support, international visibility, and the opportunity to network with experts and professionals in the sector. Selected projects may also be presented at an IULTCS conference.
The call for proposals includes three funding categories. The first, dedicated to basic research on leather, provides up to 1,500 euros for studies on collagen, leather chemistry, analytical methods, process innovation, and conservation. The second category, called the Prof. Mike Redwood Sustainability and Environmental Research Award, awards 1,000 euros to projects focused on sustainable tanning, environmental technologies, waste management, green chemistry, and reducing environmental impact. The third category, dedicated to machinery and digitalization solutions, provides 1,000 euros in funding for proposals related to automation, machinery development, process optimization, data analysis, and quality control technologies.
Eligible applicants include students and early-career researchers under the age of 35 who are affiliated with a university or tanning school and supported by an academic supervisor. Submitted projects must be original and address areas of interest in leather science and technology.
The deadline for submitting applications is November 30, 2026. Winners will be announced on January 30, 2027.

Applications must be sent to the email address [email protected]. The complete rules and information on the research categories are available on the IULTCS IUR Research Commission website.
Through this program, IULTCS invites young talents from around the world to share their ideas with the international leather community, contributing to the development of innovative solutions for an increasingly efficient and sustainable supply chain.