Armed with over 30 years of experience in the footwear industry, 2AM was born with the ambition of breaking the mold and reinventing sneakers for the modern generation that wants to stand out but loves and wants to protect the planet they live on. The vision was clear: to combine the sensibilities of high fashion with cutting-edge 3D technology to create something the world had never seen, or heard, before. Each pair is made of eco-friendly materials, designed to be washable, durable and breathable, and following conscious production. While traditional footwear manufacturing relies on industrial-scale cutting, gluing, and assembly processes, many of which involve toxic adhesives and significant material waste,2AM’s advanced 3D printing technology prints each pair whole, reducing waste caused by cutting and trimming. It also uses non-toxic materials, eliminating exposure to harmful adhesives in the production line. It allows you to break down excess material and reuse it for future prints, minimizing the environmental impact.
Vibram presents EXTREME WORKS
Vibram, the iconic outdoor brand renowned for its technically advanced rubber soles, is present wherever high performance is required. During Paris Fashion Week, Vibram presents Extreme Works, a pop-up installation that explores the intersection between industrial engineering and extreme performance. This time, the brand showcases its expertise in the work and safety sector, where performance and technology are more essential than ever.
Since 1967, when Vibram founder Vitale Bramani introduced the first Vibram sole for work and safety to the market, as an evolution of the iconic first Vibram Carrarmato sole, the brand has studied the needs of workers in all sectors of industrial footwear, gradually expanding into the most demanding and extreme jobs.
This showcase focuses on a selection of high-tech footwear for the industrial work sector, featuring bold designs, advanced aesthetics, and cutting-edge Vibram technologies created for workers operating in difficult environments.
There are jobs that are not only difficult: they challenge nature, push human endurance to the limit, and transform every action into an act of precision. The categories classified as heavy-duty jobs are not simply “heavy jobs,” but real missions in extreme environments where cold, wind, pressure, and isolation leave no room for error. In such environments, the right footwear is not optional, but an essential tool.
Categories classified as “heavy duty” are not simply “heavy work,” but actual missions in extreme environments where cold, wind, pressure, and isolation leave no room for error. In such environments, the right footwear is not optional: it is a vital tool.
Construction sites and heavy industrial plants are the most extreme industrial jobs: steel mills, refineries, chemical plants, cement factories, and power plants. Here, workers face high temperatures, molten or hot materials, toxic substances, dust, intense noise, and limited visibility, often all at the same time. Footwear is a critical safety component: boots must be durable, reliable, and resistant to heat and chemicals, with slip-resistant and abrasion-resistant soles.
When working in cold, windy environments, heavy labor becomes even more extreme because conditions can change quickly and unpredictably. Workers operate on icy and snowy surfaces, often during storms or with poor visibility, handling tools and machinery. Footwear is essential in these conditions: boots must provide thermal insulation, waterproof protection, and a non-slip sole capable of maintaining grip on ice and snow, because a single misstep can quickly become dangerous.
Heavy work on railway networks and emergency repairs are carried out in highly challenging environments, often in remote or confined areas along active lines. Technicians frequently work at night or in low visibility, surrounded by heavy machinery, vibrations, dust, and noise. Footwear must offer maximum reliability, excellent grip on uneven or slippery ground, and strong protection against impact and punctures. Insulation, durability, and comfort during long shifts are essential, because there is no margin for error in railway operations.
Mining work takes place in some of the most hostile environments, where both physical and mental endurance are constantly tested. Operations are often conducted in remote locations, underground or in the open air, with extreme temperatures, dust, noise, vibrations, and limited lighting. Footwear is not only a protective device but also an essential work tool, and its long-term reliability is essential. Soles must maintain grip, protection, and comfort even after long hours, repeated use, and exposure to difficult conditions. Firefighters operate in unpredictable and immediately dangerous environments, such as burning buildings, industrial accidents, and incidents involving hazardous materials. Footwear is critical: boots must protect against heat, impact, crushing, punctures, and slippery surfaces, while providing support and cushioning to reduce fatigue and allow firefighters to remain effective when every second counts.
Fishing is an extreme discipline that combines hostile environmental conditions, continuous physical exertion, and high risk, often in isolation. Workers are exposed to freezing water, wind, unstable and constantly moving surfaces, and heavy, repetitive tasks. Balance is critical, and equipment must function as a true extension of the body. Safety depends on the seamless integration of skill, technology, and protective gear. Footwear plays a key role in traction, waterproof protection, and long-term comfort.
Forestry work requires strength, precision, and absolute control in places where the terrain is steep, remote, and unforgiving, and where the weather can change without warning. The most extreme tasks include felling massive trees on steep slopes and moving heavy logs over muddy and rocky terrain where every step counts. The footwear offers uncompromising ankle support, unmatched traction even on the sides, impact and puncture protection, and durable waterproof performance. The outsole is the foundation of safety, providing relentless grip on wet, sloping, and unstable terrain.
Oil & Gas workers operate at the edge, handling high-pressure systems, heavy machinery, and hazardous substances in environments where precision is critical. Maintenance tasks are often performed on slippery and contaminated surfaces, requiring constant coordination and concentration. Proper footwear is essential: boots must provide stability, heat and hydrocarbon resistance, and reliable grip.
Rock consolidation work takes place in constantly unstable environments such as rock faces, tunnels, slopes, and excavation fronts. Workers operate at height or in confined spaces, often suspended from ropes or platforms, with a real risk of collapse and falling rocks. Every movement must be controlled, as ground conditions can change suddenly. Footwear must offer maximum grip, puncture-resistant soles, impact protection, strong ankle support, and resistance to water, abrasion, and low temperatures.
Italian leather goods: a slight improvement in a scenario that remains negative
After the decidedly unfavourable results of 2024, 2025 also closes with negative signs in the main variables, albeit with less marked declines due to the slowdown recorded in the second half of the year. The usual sample survey conducted by the Confindustria Accessori Moda Research Centre among companies associated with Assopellettieri shows, in fact, an average contraction in turnover of around -2.2% in the third quarter compared to the same period in 2024. This trend is undoubtedly less penalising than those of the first two quarters of the year (-7.7% and -6.0% respectively) . The cumulative figure for the first nine months shows a -5.3% decline in turnover, which initial forecasts for the end of the year place at around €11.4 billion for the entire sector, down -4.5% on 2024 (almost €540 million less).
EXPORTS
Starting with exports, which accounted for over 85% of the sector’s turnover in 2024, in the first eight months of the year (the latest period for which disaggregated data is available at the time of writing), leather goods worth €6.34 billion were sold abroad (down 7.6% on the same period in 2024) for 42.3 million kg (down 5.2%). As usual, these figures include both cross-border sales of goods manufactured in Italy and the pure marketing of previously imported items.
The average price per kg of exported goods stood at €149.85 (-2.5%), continuing the decline already seen in 2024, which indirectly shows how even products in the higher price ranges are suffering from the current economic situation. Preliminary figures for September exports show an increase in value of just over 3% for leather goods compared to the same month in 2024, with a cumulative figure for the first nine months of around -6.5%, an improvement of one percentage point compared to the first eight months.
An examination of destinations confirms the less penalising trend of EU markets (-2.7% in value and -4.2% in KG) compared to non-EU markets, which instead show declines of around -10% in value (with -7.2% in KG) and, above all, are still significantly below (-23.3% in value) of 2019 levels.
Among EU partners, Germany stands out for its dynamism (+15.5%), ranking fifth in terms of value, while France (the largest market, whose figures also include production flows from Italian leather districts for French luxury brands) appears to be struggling (-3.2% compared to January-August 2024). The other main EU members show more negative performances: while Spain limits its losses to -5.9%, for Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, Greece and Romania, i.e. the others in the top 25, the declines exceed -10% in value.
Even outside the EU, trends are rather mixed. Double-digit increases in exports were seen in the Middle East (+13.2% overall, thanks to the brilliant results achieved in the United Arab Emirates, +19.4%, and Qatar, +35.4%) and Turkey (+17.5%), despite the devaluation of the lira.
The trend in the US has been positive, at least so far, with a 4% increase in value in the first eight months of the year (with no change in KG).
The Far East and Russia, on the other hand, were the markets that suffered the most. The United Kingdom (-13.6%), Canada (-14%) and Australia (-9.4%) also recorded negative growth. In a nutshell, therefore, the picture is one in which unfavourable trends clearly prevail among the main outlet markets, both within and outside the EU.
IMPORTS
As regards imports, after the decline recorded in 2024 (-7.7% in value compared to 2023, according to data recently revised by ISTAT), in 2025, inflows began to grow again, recording +4.1% in value and +15.2% in KG in the first 8 months, with a decrease in average prices per KG of -9.6%. Goods worth €2.42 billion entered Italy (corresponding to 109.3 million kg, 14.4 million more than in the same period of the previous year, of which only 12% were made of leather).
China (+3.3% in value and +8% in kg) remained the leading supplier: in terms of quantity (kg), it accounts for over 55% of total imports. The average price of goods from China (€11.19 per kg) is one of the lowest among the main suppliers (surpassed only by Vietnam: €7.47).
An analysis of the list by origin shows a continuation of the strong growth trend in Spain, already evident in 2024, which could be explained by the logistical choices of some large distributors or e-commerce platforms. As a result of export and import dynamics, the sector’s trade balance, while remaining largely in surplus for the first eight months at €3.92 billion, fell by 13.5% compared to January-August 2024.
DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION
As regards domestic consumption, with the exception of the positive contribution made in 2025 by foreign tourism – which recorded increases in arrivals and overall spending of around +4% and +5% respectively in the first nine months, according to Bank of Italy figures – there are few positive signs in what has been a disappointing scenario for some time now.
Once again, Italians’ purchasing decisions have been marked by caution: the ISTAT cumulative index relating to the value of retail sales in Italy of leather goods and footwear shows a -2.2% decline in the first nine months compared to the same period in 2024, increasing the gap with 2019 levels to -4.5% (already largely unsatisfactory). After a subdued first quarter (which closed at -4.4%) and a virtually flat second quarter (-0.3%), the third quarter saw a further decline (-2.4%, with a marked weakness in September, -5.8% year-on-year). Not surprisingly, when asked about their company’s performance on the domestic market in the first nine months of the year, a significant 38% of leather goods manufacturers reported worse results than on foreign markets.
EMPLOYMENT
The prolonged unfavourable phase has penalised employment dynamics: in the first nine months of the year, the sector’s workforce showed a negative balance of -1,346 employees, down 2.8% compared to the final figures for 2024, with a simultaneous decrease in the number of active companies, which fell by 110 (-2.4%). The number of hours of authorised wage supplementation in the leather supply chain increased by +2.5%: despite the slowdown in the second and third quarters, the use of wage supplementation remains high (26.7 million hours in the first nine months, more than four and a half times the corresponding levels in 2019); the trend varied between districts (with a new peak in Tuscany, +57%) .
La rivoluzione green di Mojito Re-Shoes by SCARPA
L’iconica Mojito di SCARPA è oggi proposta in una versione totalmente ripensata in chiave sostenibile. SCARPA, l’azienda italiana leader nella produzione di calzature outdoor per alpinismo, climbing, hiking, trail running e sci alpinismo, ha infatti annunciato il lancio sul mercato di Mojito Re-Shoes, una nuova versione del modello ispirato al climbing, interamente progettato e realizzato secondo i principi dell’eco-design. Si tratta della prima calzatura che fornisce una soluzione alternativa e circolare per la gestione del “fine vita” delle calzature all’interno della stessa filiera produttiva, un cambiamento realizzato grazie al progetto LIFE Re-Shoes, coordinato da SCARPA nell’ambito del programma LIFE dell’Unione Europea. La campagna di raccolta, attiva per due anni all’interno delle reti distributive europee di SCARPA, ha consentito all’azienda di recuperare calzature usate, in quantità sufficienti per produrre 15.000 paia di nuove Mojito Re-Shoes.
“Questo progetto, che ora si conclude con la commercializzazione del prodotto – ha affermato Sandro Parisotto, Presidente di SCARPA – rappresenta un nuovo punto di partenza per l’industria calzaturiera: l’idea è quella di sviluppare un nuovo modello di business più sostenibile, in cui le calzature a fine vita diventino la fonte da cui ricavare nuovi materiali da impiegare direttamente nella produzione di nuove scarpe. Un approccio circolare che restituisce valore a ciò che esiste già, riduce gli sprechi e promuove un’idea più consapevole di prodotto e di impresa”.
DESIGN FOR RECYCLING CONCEPT
Il cuore dell’innovazione è un processo avanzato di idrolisi selettiva, che ha permesso di separare tomaia e suola, decomporre chimicamente la pelle e rigenerarla in nuovo materiale. Le suole usurate sono state macinate e trasformate in nuove intersuole, mentre il nuovo battistrada ed i rinforzi sono stati ottenuti con alte percentuali di materiale riciclato. Nel dettaglio, l’intersuola contiene fino al 35% di materiale proveniente da suole macinate e la suola è composta per il 50% da gomma devulcanizzata, ottenuta dagli scarti produttivi di SCARPA. In generale, le scarpe risultano difficili da riciclare a causa della complessa stratificazione di materiali eterogenei che le compongono, spesso difficili da separare in fase di smaltimento. La Mojito Re-Shoes, invece, è stata progettata seguendo i principi del “design for recycling”: sono stati eliminati gli occhielli in metallo, ridotto il numero di materiali utilizzati e impiegate nuove tecnologie, favorendo così la separabilità dei componenti (suola e tomaia). Questo approccio rende a sua volta la Mojito Re-Shoes più facilmente riciclabile a fine vita, senza comprometterne l’estetica e la funzionalità che hanno reso iconico il modello originale. Il processo di riciclo e quello produttivo sono tracciabili digitalmente e accompagnati da un’analisi LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) che fornirà dati puntuali su emissioni, consumo di acqua, energia e sostanze chimiche impiegate nel processo produttivo.
TFL highlights sustainable leather solutions at IILF 2026
The global supplier of leather chemicals is strengthening its position as a partner for responsible innovation and high performance in the leather industry.
TFL confirms its participation in the India International Leather Fair (IILF) 2026, taking place from 1–3 February 2026 at the Chennai Trade Centre in India. Building on a tradition spanning more than 20 years, TFL will present its high-quality leather chemical solutions.
At booth H1A‑05‑A in Hall 1, TFL will not only showcase its latest collection of leather articles for garments, accessories, and footwear in the forecasted Spring–Summer 2027 colors, but also demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and efficiency combined with technical excellence.
A particular highlight this year will be TFL’s “local for local” range of ultra‑low bisphenol syntans, developed to support ecological production without compromising performance. These ultra‑low bisphenol solutions remain a key focus, as TFL continues to offer a versatile portfolio enabling the manufacture of all types of leather articles while staying below the detection level for bisphenols.
In addition to the ultra‑low bisphenol range, the exhibition will demonstrate how TFL delivers solutions that best meet tanners’ and market demands, including:
* A new era of biobased products with a high share of biogenic carbon.
* The RODA® Line coating application system for versatile finishing.
* An extended waterproofing portfolio enhancing protection and durability.
After Pinocchio, the shoes
In recent years, sustainability has ceased to be a mere trend and has become a categorical imperative for the fashion industry. The need to reduce carbon footprints and limit the use of petroleum derivatives has prompted designers and materials engineers to explore unexpected frontiers, seeking solutions that combine aesthetics, comfort and respect for the environment. Thus, after Pinocchio, shoes are once again being made from wood, a natural resource that, when properly managed, offers incredible strength and, surprisingly, flexibility. One example is the Woowe brand, which has managed to combine Italian craftsmanship with a totally vegan approach. This brand produces luxury footwear using a very thin sheet of flexible wood. The result is an ethical shoe that is surprisingly soft, but also unique because it bears the grain of the trunk and the history of the tree from which it comes, demonstrating how sustainability can be combined with aesthetics and elegance to compete at the highest levels of international fashion.
Another example of green excellence that creates fashion from wood waste is DotZero, a brand of handmade sneakers made in Italy, in Florence, using waste material from wood processing and the paper industry. Wood and paper account for 94% of DotZero’s components. These products are processed to give the final material the mechanical and physical properties common to the plastics widely used today. The insole, on the otherhand, is made from a material composed of natural fibres derived from coconut food processing waste. This material is agglomerated with the addition of natural latex to create a real dough that is then rolled out and pressed.
Not only that: both brands deal with the ‘end of life’ of the product. Often, even shoes defined as sustainable end up in landfill once worn out, as the different materials they are made of (glues, plastics, fabrics) are difficult to separate. At Woowe, every part can be recycled and reused, promoting a circular economy, as is the case with DotZero, where shoes that have reached the end of their useful life can be returned to the brand’s team, which processes them to create new products, thus closing the circle perfectly.
GOT BAG: from trash, to treasure
Freeing the oceans from plastic waste. With this mission in mind, Benjamin Mandos founded GOT BAG in 2018, developing the world’s first Ocean Impact plastic backpack and establishing his first clean-up programme in Demak, Indonesia. Here, participants collect Ocean Impact plastic, i.e. plastic found in the sea or coastal areas, to create beautiful and healthy products for the planet. The company directly involves local communities in waste collection and disposal, spreading a culture of active environmental protection. As a certified B Corp™ company, it is also part of a global network that meets high standards of social and environmental impact. GOT BAG products impress with their minimalist and timeless design.
Pop-Up by ZOOM BAGS: exclusive design, sustainable soul
Created by Chiara Caramelli, Pop-Up by ZOOM BAGS is the travel trolley born from the idea of reducing the bulk of suitcases, to make them more sustainable during the production, transport and storage process, but also more convenient to store at home. Its exclusive and recognisable design was awarded the iF DESIGN AWARD 2024 and selected by ADI DESIGN INDEX for the Compasso d’Oro 2024. Not only that: its shell is made of E.V.A. with over 60% recycled material from shoe sole production waste, extremely impact-resistant but soft, so that if accidentally dropped, it bounces instead of breaking. The linings are made from 100% PES fabric recycled from plastic bottles and dead stock for the colours. Furthermore, thanks to the patented Easy-Click system, replacing the wheels is extremely easy and, in the event of wear or damage, they can be purchased as a replacement accessory and replaced independently. A lightweight, trendy, customisable product designed to last.
Sustainable transition in fashion: the 4sustainability event
The 12th edition of the annual 4sustainability event, which has become a regular fixture for professionals who want to discuss sustainable transition, was successfully concluded on 3 October 2025 at the Eurojersey production facility in Caronno Pertusella, in the province of Varese.
The protagonist of the initiative is Ympact, a brand of the Italian YHub Group that provides innovative services and IT platforms for responsible fashion and which, through the integration of skills, methods and technology, supports brands and supply chains in tracking and reducing the environmental and social impacts of production.
Ympact is the platform that implements the 4sustainability framework, which companies can use to measure their performance on key sustainability dimensions in the sector. It brings together the companies of the YHub group, which has seen the entry into the corporate structure of Foro delle Arti (Brunello Cucinelli SpA holding company), Matteo Marzotto, Federico Marchetti, Giorgio Armani SpA and Fondazione del Tessile Italiano.
The two co-founders of Ympact, Francesca Rulli (creator of the 4sustainability® framework) and Massimo Brandellero (founder of The ID Factory), commented: ‘This event, with over 500 participants, confirms the industry’s interest in shared paths towards responsible fashion: brands and supply chains are called upon to collaborate in tracking processes and products and monitoring environmental and social impact towards new models of sustainable production. With Ympact, we support brands and supply chains in this direction through expertise, methodologies and supporting technologies.’
Tracing Fashion to a Responsible Future
After introductory remarks by Rulli and Crespi, Valentina Boschetto Doorly (Associate Partner Italy, Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies) outlined the four mega trends that characterise our historical period: climate change, demographic change, technology and artificial intelligence, and deglobalisation. In order to respond adequately to these four trends, it is necessary to track data, processes and supply chains – as outlined by Francesca Rulli and Massimo Brandellero – so as to enable the management of a responsible supply chain and production model based on harmonised frameworks and supported by experts and technology.
Digital Product Passport and Supply Chain Due Diligence
The Ympact system is designed to facilitate the adoption of the Digital Product Passport (DPP), made mandatory by the European Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR): a topic at the centre of the dialogue between Michele Zuccheri (Head of Business Development, Certilogo) and Carolynn Bernier (Coordinator, CIRPASS-2 consortium). But, in practical terms, how can we ensure that systematic data collection becomes the starting point for genuine improvement? This was the starting point for the debate between Elisa Gavazza (Southern Europe and Quality Management Director, ZDHC), Daniele Massetti (Regional Lead Italy, Apparel Impact Institute), Alessandro Barrani (Industrial Sustainability Manager, Prada) and Elisa Santi (Sustainability Manager, Beste), moderated by Ester Falletta (Technical Director, Consorzio Physis | Consultant, Ympact).
The discussion then turned to supply chain due diligence, comparing the consulting perspective, represented by Deloitte with Partner Franco Amelio, with whom Ympact has just launched a White Paper on good monitoring practices, and that of a brand of the calibre of Giorgio Armani. Rossella Ravagli, Sustainability Director at Giorgio Armani, emphasised how the supplier monitoring system must start with a significant commitment on the part of the company.
To consolidate its structure and reinforce long-established best practices, the Armani Group has streamlined its supplier base, imposed clear contractual clauses and carried out unannounced checks. Starting this year, the entire process is supported by the Ympact technology platform for data collection and traceability, aimed at digitising and optimising the procedures adopted.
However, for monitoring systems to work, they must be harmonised with each other. Otherwise, suppliers risk being overwhelmed by heterogeneous, repetitive and purely compilative requests. Harmonisation is the concept that guides Ympact in defining 4s ETHIC, the new 4sustainability pillar through which suppliers can certify their compliance (environmental, social and reputational) in line with market demands, due diligence and the legality protocol. Luca Sburlati (President, Confindustria Moda), Paolo Tondi (Italy Certification Sales Manager, Bureau Veritas) and Andrea Sianesi (Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management, Politecnico di Milano) discussed the topic.
Made in Italy and unfair competition
Luca Sburlati, president of Confindustria Moda, made it clear that the sector – which employs 1.2 million people in Italy and accounts for 5% of GDP, according to CDP – must face competition from Chinese giants, who can afford to offer rock-bottom prices thanks to their very low environmental and social standards and the absence of customs duties on small shipments. Made in Italy, currently under attack, can move from reactivity to proactivity by working together on a major plan for the next ten years. Three measures to be accelerated, he explained, are the extended producer responsibility (EPR) system, factory monitoring (including suppliers’ factories) and a common auditing system.
One of the most significant measures taken in recent months is the Memorandum of Understanding for the legality of procurement contracts in the fashion supply chain, signed at the Prefecture of Milan at the end of May. Andrea Sianesi, Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the Politecnico di Milano, contributed to this project. Sianesi emphasised that, thanks to the collaboration of all stakeholders, the legality protocol has the potential to transform Made in Italy into a world champion of social sustainability, because it protects those who operate responsibly and isolates those who do not. However, for this mechanism to work in market terms, incentives for sustainable production are needed.
Vivolo: materials, culture and responsibility
Led by two generations of family governance, Vivolo has not simply stood the test of time: it has anticipated it. From the first leather patch made from industrial waste in the 1970s to a range that now includes over 15 million accessories produced every year.
Based in San Lazzaro di Savena (BO), in a 10,000 m² building where nature inhabits the production spaces, Vivolo operates through a vertically integrated model: every stage, from design to prototyping, from the choice of materials to production and quality control, is managed in-house, allowing for maximum flexibility, record prototyping times (24 hours) and a tailor-made service for partners and fashion houses around the world.
In 2025, the company published its first Sustainability Report (2023-2024), a concrete and voluntary testimony to a commitment that spans every area of the company. The document, drawn up in accordance with EFRAG standards, provides a transparent and integrated view of the company. In addition, it has defined a multi-year ESG roadmap that includes, in addition to the annual sustainability report, the digitisation of traceability and greater transparency throughout the supply chain, investments in responsible innovation (new regenerated and bio-based materials, solvent-free technologies and low-impact machinery), as well as the expansion of training partnerships with schools and institutions to promote a culture of circular design.