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.
Making of: Arsutoria School
A new direction for the future of education
Arsutoria School and Istituto Secoli announce a new campus in Milan’s Certosa District, opening in the second half of 2026. These two Italian institutions, with over 90 years of history, announce the opening of their new Milan campus on Via Barrella, in the heart of the “Certosa District” project developed by RealStep. Starting in mid-2026, the institutions will share a modern campus, designed to house laboratories, research areas, and student living spaces.
Artificial Intelligence in the Arsutoria School’s Design Course: Tools, Methodology, and Student Experience
Speed up, amplify, and make the final project more readable. Valentino Parlato, coordinator of the Arsutoria School’s design courses, comments: “AI shortens time, but creativity and technique remain the human side of the work.” This is the vision that guides the school’s shoe and bag design courses: integrating advanced tools while maintaining a solid foundation in drawing, technical knowledge, and digitalization. It is from this core that AI becomes a true ally.
Arsutoria School and Newlast join forces for training in last design
Following the experience gained during 2025 at the Fermo ITS, which saw the launch of the first training course on lasts organized by Arsutoria in collaboration with Newlast, the Milanese school has decided to invest further resources in the extraordinary world of last design. The arrival of a next-generation 3D scanner marks a new step forward in training courses dedicated to lasts and soles.
Technology report
The 51st edition confirmed its status as a strategic business platform, with over 7,000 visitors, approximately 49% of whom were international, and 25% of exhibitors from abroad.
The leading event for technology and machinery in the footwear, leather goods and tanning industries closed its 51st edition on 25 September at Fiera Milano Rho, confirming its status as the sector’s strategic platform of reference, capable of generating new connections and business opportunities at an international level: over 7,000 visitors, approximately 49% of whom were international, and 25% of exhibitors from around 20 countries. These results were made possible thanks to the valuable support of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and close collaboration with Lineapelle, which led to over 9,000 visitors attending both fairs.
“In a particularly difficult year, with a 12.8% decline in exports in the first five months of 2025, our sector is showing solid resilience. Simac Tanning Tech is the place where Italian excellence is showcased, promoting technology transfer and collaboration on a global level. It is here that we show the world how our innovation can help build a more competitive and resilient production system.” commented Mauro Bergozza, President of Assomac.
The event is also an expression of the Italian footwear, leather goods and tanning machinery supply chain, which confirms its leadership and propensity for innovation and has maintained a substantially stable number of companies and employees in recent years. The sector, which has 225 active companies and exports worth €385 million, is unique in Europe, having been created and developed thanks to close collaboration between machinery manufacturers and manufacturing companies.
This result is all the more significant when considered in the context of a difficult overall situation, with the Italian footwear, leather goods and tanning machinery industry facing a critical phase from 2024 onwards.
Innovation Outlook 2025: AI, robotics and sustainability
Among the stands, a sector emerged that is embracing the digital transition with unprecedented concreteness, focusing on machinery capable of transforming production into a fluid and connected ecosystem.
The first major trend concerns Artificial Intelligence applied to vision. We are no longer talking about simple sensors, but about machines that ‘learn’. Advanced systems capable of recognising leather defects in a matter of seconds, classifying them and suggesting the optimal placement to drastically reduce waste. Cutting tables equipped with ‘superpowers’ have been presented: soon, operators will be able to interact with the software even through voice commands, combining irreplaceable artisan experience with the precision of the algorithm.
Robotics has taken a further step towards total flexibility. Automatic gluing and carding systems now adapt autonomously without the need for machine downtime or costly reprogramming. It is interconnected automation: platforms have been created that network data and operators, ensuring total traceability through RFID systems and integrated X-ray quality controls.
Sustainability is the other fundamental pillar. It manifests itself both in materials – with new recycled and bio-based polymers – and in processes. Chemical-physical expansion technologies for polyurethane allow for extreme lightness with unaltered performance, while the transition to fully electric machinery guarantees, in some cases, energy savings and the abandonment of hydrocarbons, in line with the Industry 5.0 philosophy.
Finally, attention to people closes the circle. From new cyclone extraction systems for cleaner air to machines designed to allow seated working, Simac 2025 tells us that technology is now the best ally for healthier, more precise and more environmentally friendly work.
Growing Ecomondo, the hub of ecological transition
The international event of reference in Europe and in the Mediterranean basin for the green, blue and circular economy, organized by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), concluded on 7th November at the Rimini Fair , Reaffirming itself as a global hub for the ecological transition and marking growing indices in all respects.
There were, in fact, more than 800 hosted buyers and delegations from 65 countries and total presences grew by 7%, with a +10% of those abroad.Among the most represented markets are Spain, Turkey, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt. To complete the picture, some 90 international associations are involved. A network that, during the event, generated 3,800 business matching, encouraging cooperation and dissemination of best practices for ecological transition.
More than 1,700 exhibiting brands, of which 18% from abroad, present on the 166,000 mqof exhibition area
To highlight the centrality of Ecomondo was also the visitadel minister of environment and energy security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, who stressed : “We can be among the first countries in the world in the capacity for recycling. There’s a lot of talk about rare earths and critical raw materials, but the biggest deposit we have is our waste… And the ability to recycle is fully manifested in this fair, a symbol of innovation and sustainability”.
Ecomondo 2025 has confirmed itself as a privileged place of exchange between companies, research and professionals in the sector from all over the world, also thanks to the collaboration with Agenzia ICEe and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).
More than 200 meetings in four days, of which about 70 curated by the Scientific Technical Committee of Ecomondo, chaired by Professor Fabio Fava , have composed a dense program of initiatives, offering an updated reading of the green transition in a transversal way. Among the main themes: WEEE and critical raw materials, textile becoming circular, sustainable financialsupport of ecological transition, water management and blue economy, bioenergy, circular economy, AI applied to resource exploitation and data monitoring, Earth observation and the role of communication in overcoming the false dilemmas of ecological transition.
Strong focus on international cooperation and the green transition in the Mediterranean, as well as initiatives for access to clean and sustainable energy on the African continent, within the framework of the Mattei Plan and the “Mission 300” Programme, with the fifth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum.
The 14th edition of the General States of the Green Economy has opened once again Ecomondo, with the presentation of the Report on the state of the green economy 2025, putting at the center of the debate the status and prospects of the European ecological transition in the new global context. The plenary session of the second day, for the first time entirely in English, further expanded the international scope of the event.
Innovation laboratory
At Ecomondo 2025, innovation was a bridge between science and market: the Innovation District gave space and visibility to 40 Italian and international startupwith high-tech content, of which 20 from Morocco and Tunisia,selected as part of the project Lab Innova for Africa “Luca Attanasio”, promoted by ICE Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. In addition to the exhibition, Ecomondo presented the “Lorenzo Cagnoni” Award for Green Innovation to the seven exhibiting companies for the most advanced and promising technologies presented in the exhibition areas of the event.
The next appointment is from 3 to 6 November 2026, always at the fair of Rimini.
New OrthoLite factory in Vietnam
The world leader in open-cell foam insole technology, part of the Coats Group since October 2025, has announced the opening of a new factory in the province of Ninh Binh, in northern Vietnam. This key milestone marks a significant step forward in OrthoLite’s strategy to localize the entire product creation process from end to end while strengthening the company’s production capabilities to better support regional and global brand partners.
OrthoLite North Vietnam (ONV) is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that catalyzes local-for-local production and service. OrthoLite’s commitment to the northern Vietnam region furthers its unique global vertical integration strategy and investment in its owned and operated facilities.
Led by Country Manager Michael Hsu, the new ONV facility offers local production which reduces lead times and enhances supply chain resilience. OrthoLite’s global quality standards ensure consistency and excellence across all foam formulations, assuring the highest standards while qualifying new programs, reducing waste, and launching advanced digital monitoring tools for transparency and reliability.
“The northern Vietnam region represents part of OrthoLite’s global production strategy to align our factories and provide efficient and exemplary service directly to our local partners and Tier 1 factories,” said Michael Hsu, country manager for OrthoLite North Vietnam. “With this strategic expansion, OrthoLite is well positioned to deliver high-performance comfort solutions locally for global brands.”
FUTURMODA 2026: Special machinery
After the positive results of last October’s edition, the Spanish event returns as an essential meeting point for discovering new products dedicated to leather, components, materials, machinery and technologies applied to footwear and leather goods, as well as an opportunity to analyse the market, identify trends and generate new business opportunities. For its 55th edition, FUTURMODA presents its new logo, which emphasises a visual interpretation in which industrial innovation is the source of creativity. The central figure, surrounded by a floral explosion and bright colours, represents the concept of “blooming”, with machinery as the seed of every idea and aesthetics as the fruit of the production process. The campaign thus reinforces the role of machinery as a strategic element in the value chain and ties in with the presentation of the spring-summer 2027 trends, which will be the focus of this edition.
With its new logo, FUTURMODA invites manufacturers, brands, designers, engineers and suppliers to participate in a professional meeting that will continue to promote innovation, sustainability and internationalisation in the footwear industry.
We would like to remind you that the October edition saw the participation of 323 companies, including manufacturers from Spain, Italy, Portugal and other markets, and over 4,500 professional visitors, including designers, manufacturers, technicians, purchasing managers and international agents. There were 36 new exhibiting companies, confirming the fair’s ability to consistently attract industrial talent and innovative proposals.
RE49 wins the 2025 Innovation Award by Stampa Estera Milano
“A fashion supply chain built on the intelligent reuse of waste materials. With the RE49 Wave sneaker, the company demonstrates that sustainability and style can evolve together‘: with this motivation, the Udine-based brand won the ’2025 Innovation Award” presented by Stampa Estera Milano (SEMI), which brings together more than 100 journalists from 118 publications in 25 different countries. This award recognises the brand’s sustainable vision of transforming authentic materials into responsible design through sustainability, creativity and manufacturing.
RE49 stands for RE-turn to 19–49: a return to the origins and a reminder of the value of recycling and the circular economy, which are now fundamental to the future of the planet. RE also stands for Recycle, Reuse, Reduce. The RE49 journey began in 1949, when Valentino Masolini, a shoemaker from Friuli, began transforming old military uniforms into durable shoes, and continues today with the new generations in the company.
In particular, the Wave model is made from selected recycled materials and designed to offer comfort, resistance and durability. Wave is a tribute to the ocean, with a sole that echoes the waves of the sea and an upper made from recycled sailcloth. Details in Apple Skin, an innovative material obtained from apple processing waste, add a natural and eco-sustainable touch, while the interior is designed with breathable and soft fabrics derived from regenerated fibres. The sole, made from natural rubber and recycled materials, ensures optimal grip and long life for the shoe.