The appointment follows the departure of Danny D’Alessandro, who left the position to pursue new professional opportunities after a long career at the helm of the association.
The dual appointment
In her new role, Bevilacqua will lead the growth and consolidation strategies of Assopellettieri and Aimpes Servizi. Her goal is to strengthen the role of both organisations as a point of reference for companies in the sector, working in synergy with institutions, associations and stakeholders at both national and international level.
Federica Bevilacqua’s professional career
Federica Bevilacqua brings with her over 16 years of experience in international contexts and in the fashion industry, with specific expertise in the organisation of trade fairs. Prior to her appointment, she served as deputy general manager of Assopellettieri and head of marketing, communications and special projects. She contributed to the development of MIPEL and the creation of the event ‘Gli Stati Generali della Pelletteria Italiana’ (The States General of Italian Leather Goods), coordinating numerous projects to promote Italian leather goods around the world.
Change at the top at ABI Tape Belgium: Mauro Castignani has been appointed new General Manager, taking over from Mathias Goossens, who is leaving the company to pursue new professional challenges.
Castignani brings with him almost thirty years of experience within the American Biltrite group. After an initial experience in Belgium, he founded ABItalia in Civitanova, in the Marche region, with his wife Lara in 1998, consolidating the group’s presence in the footwear reinforcement and leather goods sector.
In his new role, Castignani will lead sales development, customer relations, quality, safety, financial performance and team growth at the Ronse headquarters in Belgium for the entire EMEA region.
He will report directly to Michel J. Merkx, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of ABI/Ideal Tape. This is a new challenge for a manager who has in-depth knowledge of the markets, products and people in the sector.
The story of Soldini is not just that of a company: it is the story of a family, a region and an Italy that has been moving forward with style and determination for eighty years. Founded in 1945 in the heart of Casentino by Gustavo Soldini, the small artisan workshop has transformed, generation after generation, into a solid, respected manufacturer capable of bringing the quality of its footwear to the whole world.
On 7 July 2025, Capolona – the Tuscan village where it all began – was transformed into a large open-air theatre to host the celebration of this milestone. Over 500 guests attended, including employees (some hired in 1945!), suppliers, collaborators, representatives of institutions and big names from the Italian industrial system. A true ‘extended family’, as brothers Rossano and Marco Soldini, who now run the company together with their children, described it.
The event was also an opportunity to honour seventy long-serving workers, recall the milestones in the company’s history – including the fire that destroyed the Anghiari factory in 1994 – and proudly accept the honorary citizenship conferred on the two entrepreneurial brothers by the Municipality of Capolona.
In the spotlight Adolfo Urso, Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy
Among the guests, the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, was keen to attend to emphasise the symbolic and strategic value of companies such as Soldini. These were not just words for the occasion, but a concrete vision of Italy’s industrial future:
“The national fashion plan, which meets the needs of the global market, will seek to promote the aggregation and consolidation of the supply chain, especially in this delicate phase of generational transition, using innovative tools that will enable companies to aggregate both vertically (I am referring above all to large brands that have an interest in strengthening and consolidating their suppliers) and transversally (some companies in the supply chain could team up to strengthen their market presence). All this with the help and support of public resources and our agencies, with the aim of overcoming the challenges of globalisation, as our entrepreneurs and workers have already done in the past.”
“What can Soldini represent in this market, given that we are celebrating its 80th anniversary?” the Minister was asked. The answer is clear: “It is an example and a model.”
These words echo those of the many entrepreneurs present – from Montezemolo to Ferragamo, from Auricchio to Zegna – who recognised the Soldini family as a rare example of serious, passionate entrepreneurship, capable of innovating and resisting without bowing to marketing rhetoric.
“I see an Italian company that fortunately has nothing to do with politics, but lives off the market with serious entrepreneurs who innovate, take risks, export and have a wonderful relationship with their employees,” said Luca Cordero di Montezemolo.
Many colleagues from the footwear industry also left their factories to take part in the celebrations, from Baldinini to Nero Giardini to Primigi. Institutions from the sector were also present, including Valentino Fenni, Vice President of Assocalzaturifici and President of the Footwear Section of Confindustria Fermo.
Team spirit and ties to the local area remain the pillars on which Soldini has built its success. “Our journey has been marked by successes and difficulties, but we have never lost our family spirit and passion for our work,” said Rossano Soldini. “The future will not be easy, but we will do our utmost to face it.”
The mayor of Capolona, Mario Francesconi, summed up the collective sentiment in one sentence: “Soldini is not just a company, it is part of our collective identity.”
That is why today, more than ever, every Soldini shoe is not just a quality handcrafted product, but a living piece of Italian history. A history that has been able to adapt, innovate and remain true to itself. A history that, after 80 years, continues to walk confidently towards the future.
Valentino Fenni presents an award from Confindustria Fermo to Rossano Soldini
A benchmark among manufacturers of machines for the leather industry, Fratelli Alberti Srl has been carrying on a tradition of Italian excellence for over 75 years, and today represents a reference point for the production of skiving, splitting and combining machines for leather processing.
In recent years, the Varese-based company has focused in particular – alongside quality and service – on the innovation and safety factor, with the creation of products that have evolved in terms of Industry 4.0.
To this end, significant changes have been made to machinery that aim to guarantee greater safety for the end user, alongside a reduction in waste and a high level of quality.
Within the three macro-categories of leather processing machines (skiving, splitting and combining machines) that constitute the company’s core business, several new features have been introduced, starting with the carterized fleshing machine tables, designed to prevent accidental operations by the operator and the protection of moving parts. A filter upstream of the suction motor has also been introduced on this table to prevent the dispersion of fine dust into the air, with a view to environmental protection.
In terms of technological evolution, the graphic interface of the AP combining machines, AV2NET skiving machines and FAV430/520NET splitting machines has been made even more user-friendly. In the wake of the Industry 4.0 plan, computerised machines make work more precise, replicable and above all more productive, without altering its high quality.
A report focused on the need to preside over the work of the Brussels legislators that of UNIC President Fabrizio Nuti, yesterday in Milan at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Italian Tanneries. “For the past four years,” said Nuti, “my energies have been practically absorbed by opposing measure No. 1115/2023, that is, the Anti-deforestation Regulation, in the knowledge that, as it is written, it will have devastating effects on our sector. An effort that has taken the form of letters, meetings, various solicitations to MEPs, technicians, lobbyists, but also in the organization of seminars and webinars culminating on June 3 at the European Parliament where the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna study was presented showing that leather is not a driver of deforestation. An enormous amount of work that so far has apparently produced little result except for a letter to EU President Ursula Van der Leyen from Council Vice-President Antonio Tajani who, after meeting with the Unic president, took action “diligently and seems to have fully understood the gravity of the situation.”
A common home in Brussels
Noting the difficulty of changing laws that have already been passed, such as precisely the Anti-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the tanners recently moved the offices of Cotance (which represents European tanning) to a large new headquarters in Brussels “which I would like to become a reference point for all associations in the leather supply chain and beyond.” Located near the European Parliament, “it could become the home of all the natural materials such as wool, silk, cashmere, etc. that share with us the daily problems and attacks.” Unity is strength,” Nuti explained, ”and having a common voice is worth the investment. There is a need for lobbying, which is transparent but necessary, also to prevent the passage of dangerous laws just as happened with the EUDR. The idea of collaborating with other supply chains stems from the observation that all natural materials have, just like leather, a very high environmental impact index compared to materials of petrochemical origin such as PVC, nylon and polyester. A paradoxical situation due to erroneous assumptions (in the case of leather, the inclusion of animal husbandry that should be discorporated since leather is a by-product) that needs to be changed by pursuing LCA studies carried out with accurate and up-to-date scientific data, as specialist Federico Brugnoli, CEO of SPIN360, also had the opportunity to explain in the following speech, thanks to whose work it was possible to lower the score of leather by 70% in the infamous Higg index related to the sustainability of materials.
New projects
President Nuti then reviewed the many activities carried out by the association over the past year. Among the most important is the collaboration with the Ministry of Made in Italy to draft a bill aimed at creating a univocal certification system within the fashion supply chain, by third-party certifiers, to defend against the proliferation of customer audits on the most disparate requirements. Also noteworthy is a new project dedicated to sustainability called “Leather Leaders” on which UNIC is working together with SPIN360 and other partners and which is based on three basic pillars: supply chain collaboration, science and data, and alliances with related sectors (wool, silk, etc.). The aim is to create a core group of brands and supplier companies to draft a protocol to achieve green goals and build a shared platform of innovation and knowledge that can drive the whole sector.
The 2024 results
As for the economic results, 2024,“ the UNIC president recalled,”was another difficult year, in which negative signs prevailed (production -4.5 percent, exports -3.6 percent), the result of persistent suffering in the fashion, furniture and automotive supply chains. The consequence is that “industrial and commercial reorganization phenomena are multiplying. Companies are aggregating, supply chains are integrating, procurement and financial investments are diversifying. And while we probably won’t all agree on this, this, in my opinion, is a sign of health for the industry, an indicator of the dynamism that continues to pervade our world. A luxury brand won’t invest in the capital stock of a tannery if it doesn’t believe in the leather material. Just as a financial fund would not do so if it believes that the tanning business is unattractive in profit marginality.”
Guests
After the president’s report, the microphone was passed to Dario Fabbri, geopolitical analyst and editor of Domino magazine, who gave a talk focusing on the attacks on globalization and explaining the meaning of the Trumpian policy on tariffs. According to the expert, the US president does not aim to tear down globalization, but to redefine its balance at the expense of the EU and China.
There were numerous speeches by UNIC Assembly guests who enhanced the event by speaking about their fields of expertise. The following took turns on stage: Giovanna Ceolini (president Confindustria Accessori Moda), Agostino Apolito (general manager Assomac), Maurizio Maggioni (national secretary UNPAC), Michele Matteoli (president Tanners Consortium Ponte a Egola), Riccardo Bandini (president Tanners Association of Santa Croce sull’Arno), Roberto Giannoni (mayor of Santa Croce sull’Arno), Mirko Balsemin (president of the tanning section of Confindustria Vicenza) and Sonia Tosoni (secretary of FILCTEM CGIL).
The UNIC Assembly was held in Milan on July 1.Geopolitical analyst Dario Fabbri spoke at the UNIC Assembly.
Stahl, the world leader in speciality coatings for flexible materials, has just celebrated the relocation and opening of its enhanced Center of Excellence for Leather Finishing and Performance Coatings in León, Mexico. The new facility houses state-of-the-art offices, application laboratories and testing capabilities, reflecting Stahl’s commitment to delivering advanced, lower-impact products closer to customers across Latin America.
This strategic investment follows a series of recent expansions, including the doubling of capacity in China, a new production facility in Ranipet, India, a Center of Excellence in Apex, USA, a new laboratory in Japan and a new PUD facility in Singapore. With a significantly larger footprint than the previous León facility, the upgraded center offers a more complete customer experience, from multi-substrate design support and application development to testing and training.
“Mexico is an important market for Stahl, with a strong base of automotive, fashion and footwear customers,” said Maarten Heijbroek, CEO of Stahl. “By investing in this enhanced facility, we are staying close to where our customers are and giving them access to the very best technologies, people and expertise. This is a clear example of how we are growing with purpose, to better serve our partners today and tomorrow.”
The León site is part of Stahl’s global network of more than 30 application labs, 10 Center of Excellence and 15 manufacturing facilities. It supports the development of high-performance coatings and finishes for industries including footwear, apparel, automotive and home interiors.
Saul Rios, Managing Director of Stahl LATAM, added: “This new regional capability strenghtens our customer intimate business model. Here we can directly collaborate with our customers and brands, speed up our customer’s innovations and deliver according to regional needs. Our focus remains on co-creating products that touch lives, while always contributing to a better world.”
Guests at the inauguration joined a guided tour of the new facility’s main stations, including showrooms for Shoe & Leather Goods, Automotive interior and Performance Coatings, the Leather Finishing laboratory, a dedicated testing lab and the on-site Stahl Campus® classroom. The event concluded with a networking reception hosted in the new labs.
The laboratories at Stahl’s new headquarters in Leon
The International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) has officially elected the new vice president for the 2026/2027 biennium destined to become president in the following 2028/2029 biennium. The nomination concerns Dr. Giancarlo Lovato, a candidate presented by the Italian Association of Leather Chemists (AICC). This is an important achievement especially considering that the last Italian president of IULTCS was Dr. Cuccodoro in 1983. After a full 45 years, Italy (AICC) will finally express a president in 2028.
Giancarlo Lovato currently works as Director of Research at Corichem, a leading Italian leather chemicals company; in this role he is responsible for the development of new leather chemicals and related technologies. Dr. Lovato served as Secretary of AICC from 2019 to 2022 and as Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the III IULTCS EuroCongress Vicenza 2022. In IULTCS, he is currently in charge of the ISO Committee.
IULTCS also announced the winner of this year’s prestigious Merit Award. Members of the organization unanimously chose Dr. Patricia Casey from Argentina for her dedication and commitment to the advancement of the field. Casey previously served as president of IULTCS and held an apex position with the Argentine AAQTIC Association for many years. The award will be presented to Dr. Casey at a gala dinner as part of the IULTCS Congress in Lyon on September 10.
From 14 to 17 June 2025, the Innovation Village Retail at Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags was back in the spotlight, showcasing the best innovative solutions dedicated to distribution. The centrepiece of the event, organised in collaboration with Retail Hub, was the highly anticipated Startup Competition, now in its eighth edition, with impressive results: 68 startups from 19 different countries had the opportunity to present revolutionary ideas to transform the sector.
The jury, composed of leading buyers and market experts, awarded the prize to Irisphera, a Romanian startup that stood out for the quality of its technological proposal and its ability to respond concretely to one of the biggest challenges facing online fashion retail: efficient returns management and sustainable purchasing.
Thanks to its victory, Irisphera will be present at the next edition of Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags scheduled for January 2026, an opportunity to further establish itself on the international scene. The startup offers an innovative SaaS platform that combines artificial intelligence and 3D technology to help consumers choose clothing that perfectly fits their body type. The result: a significant reduction in returns of up to 30%, an increase in conversions and valuable analytical data for retailers.
IRISPHERA: A VIRTUAL PERSONAL SHOPPER THAT CHANGES THE RULES OF THE GAME
Online shopping today presents numerous challenges, especially due to the high rate of returns, which generates significant operating costs and considerable environmental impacts. Irisphera, through a virtual personal shopper powered by AI, provides personalised recommendations in terms of size, colour and style, combined with the ability to view clothes virtually in 360°.
Antonia Dumitriu, CEO and co-founder of Irisphera, tells us about the mission and distinctive features of the solution: «Our technology is highly scalable and automatically transforms images of clothes on retailers’ websites into 3D models in a matter of seconds. No physical samples or high production costs are required. Since its launch last December, we already have customers in Romania, Italy and the Netherlands, and we are entering the UAE market with a men’s fashion group.»
The immediate benefits are clear: «We are already seeing significant results, such as doubling conversion rates, increasing customer loyalty through a better customer experience and more robust business strategies based on key consumer data», adds Dumitriu.
«By working with us – continues the CEO – retailers can access savings of up to 7.5 billion, reduce returns by 30% and cut emissions by 60%. Considering that the fashion industry generates around 10% of total CO₂ emissions, partly due to returns, our platform represents a concrete and sustainable solution.»
Integrating Irisphera is simple and straightforward: «For websites based on Shopify or WordPress, we already have plugins ready to use. For other sites, integration is via API. All we need are the images already online, which are automatically processed and digitised into 3D models», concludes Dumitriu.
The Innovation Village Retail thus continues to confirm its status as a key showcase for innovative start-ups ready to rewrite the rules of fashion distribution, looking determinedly to the future of the sector. An excellent opportunity for buyers to find new avenues for their business.
“The big fashion brands understood that the sneaker had to change – and they succeeded in changing it. We now have a sports shoe that’s a ballet flat, and a ballet flat that’s a sports shoe.” This was one of the insights shared by Maria Cristina Rossi, teacher at Arsutoria School, with the large audience attending trend talks in the Highlights Area at Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags.
Her observation captures, in simple terms, the much broader and more complex transformations affecting not just fashion, but the entire market. But how can we respond to a shifting landscape? The key concept is “Knowing How to Become”. “Knowing How to Become” refers to the ability of individuals and organisations to continually learn and adapt to ever-changing contexts, environments and situations.
It is the most fitting way to describe the work carried out by Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags since the early 2000s: “We began by focusing on internationalising the exhibitor base – the fair that moves the world. More recently, we’ve evolved the event into a must-attend opportunity for the entire footwear and accessories community. A place for doing business, of course, but also for staying informed and connecting intelligently – through a rich program of events, the Business Scout services, and the app that enables direct contact between exhibitors and buyers,” as Alessandra Albarelli, General Manager of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, explained.
KEY FIGURES FROM THE 103RD EDITION
The 103rd edition of Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags, held from 14 to 17 June 2025, welcomed 8,000 attendees from over 100 countries, meeting organisers’ expectations and reflecting broader market trends.
Roberto Pellegrini, Chairman of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi: “Once again, the summer edition has proven to be stronger than the winter one. Visitor numbers remained largely stable – a solid result considering the many complications currently affecting global markets, as well as the military conflicts that, during the fair itself, escalated and prevented several countries from participating.”
Buyer attendance grew from the UK (+5%) and Poland (+15%), with Germany holding steady and Italy showing a slight decline. Non-EU inbound attendance was also positive, with India up by 13.6%, and both Africa and the United States registering a +10% increase.
That buyer quality – often more important than quantity – continues to drive order placements is confirmed by the consistent demand for more exhibition space to welcome new exhibitors and allow existing ones to enlarge their stands. “We will meet these demands by expanding the exhibition centre. Over the next three years, we plan to complete works that will make the fairgrounds even more welcoming: we will add another 20,000 m2, building new halls for a total investment of around €50 million. This will ensure an even greater international reach and exhibitor diversity,” revealed Roberto Pellegrini.
This diversity is indeed one of the event’s greatest strengths, as confirmed by Antonia Reading of Hotter, a major UK retail chain with its own manufacturing company, who visited the fair for the first time: “I was amazed by the variety of the offering – both in terms of the chance to meet suppliers from literally all over the world and the different levels of quality I could choose from.”
THE EVOLUTION OF GARDABAGS… AND BEYOND
Undoubtedly, the most talked-about transformation at the June edition was the revamp of Gardabags. Social media lit up with photos of the new halls entirely dedicated to the event, which doubled in both floor space and collection offering. A stylish, fashion-forward atmosphere defined the three new zones designed for interaction between exhibitors and buyers – the pillars of the new Gardabags format: Sourcing, Sourcing4Bridge, and Brands, not to mention the strong presence of exhibitors specialising in travel goods.
Having successfully redefined the Riva event as the essential hub not only for footwear trade, but now also for bags, backpacks and travel accessories, Riva del Garda Fierecongressi is already looking ahead. The next step: the progressive evolution of Expo Riva Schuh itself, beginning with the unveiling of a new visual identity – a reflection of the fair’s continued innovation, adaptability, connection to its local roots and commitment to networking.
The new logo – featuring a clean and immediate design – complements the renewed identity of Gardabags and clearly conveys the message of a modern, functional and service-oriented trade fair. Every detail of the new design has been carefully analysed to communicate Expo Riva Schuh’s commitment to keeping pace with the times, while maintaining strong and consistent brand recognition.
INNOVATION
Alberto Mattiello – futurist, author, Head of Innovation Retail Hub, and member of the Scientific Committee of Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags – also addressed the profound changes shaping the world during his opening speech at the Startup Competition: “Artificial Intelligence remains the central theme when it comes to innovation. After being used to streamline processes and save us time, it has evolved into a wide array of specialised, customisable and controllable tools capable of ‘reasoning’. Now, it’s reaching a third evolutionary stage. We’ve entered the era of Massive Automation: within a few months, we may all become programmers – not because we’ve learned to code, but because machines will do it for us, creating applications tailored to our needs.”
The ever-growing panel of judges, composed of leading buyers and industry experts, selected Irisphera (Romania) as the best solution among those presented during the June 2025 edition of the Innovation Village Retail, an initiative organised in collaboration with Retail Hub, which – across its eight editions – has showcased 68 startups from 19 countries.
Thanks to their win, Irisphera will have the opportunity to exhibit at the next edition of the event, scheduled for January 2026, further strengthening its presence on the international stage.
The company will promote its platform, which uses artificial intelligence and 3D technology to help consumers find clothing tailored to their bodies, offering personalised suggestions on size, colour and style. The result is a significant reduction in returns, an enhanced shopping experience and valuable analytics for retailers.
Other events throughout the four-day fair also drew large crowds: the Highlights Area, where attendees explored consumer trends and gathered reliable insights to inform purchasing decisions; the Market Focus sessions, a prime opportunity for buyers to discuss their local markets and meet suppliers suited to their specific needs; and the Expo Riva Nights, where connections were built beyond business in a festive, relaxed atmosphere.
Once again, the 103rd edition of Expo Riva Schuh and Gardabags demonstrated its ability to truly “Know How to Become” what the industry needs – and it will continue to do so in future editions, starting with the next, which will take place from 10 to 13 January 2026.
The official programme for the UITIC International Technical Footwear Congress has been released. The 22nd edition, to be held in Shanghai (China) from 31 August to 3 September 2025, will feature numerous in-depth presentations on the evolution and innovation sweeping the footwear industry.
UITIC also continues its tradition of offering participants a complementary programme of visits to factories and institutions. Two options will be available, providing an insight into the world of Chinese footwear and China’s extraordinary traditional culture. Participants can choose between one-day or two-day visits.
