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.
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.
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.”
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.
“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.
Successor to Stahl’s wet end division, Muno officially launches its business as a new independent company active in tanning chemicals, backed by solid roots in the sector. Headquartered in Milan, the company presents itself as a leader in innovative solutions for wet end processes in leather production.
“Muno starts from a solid international industrial platform, which includes over 450 employees, 20 laboratories and sales offices in key markets, as well as production facilities and R&D centers in Italy and India,” reads a company statement.
The product portfolio covers the entire wet-end process, from beamhouse to tanning, retanning to fatliquoring, dyeing to waterproofing, serving customers in more than 60 countries in the footwear, automotive, furniture, and leather goods sectors.
The choice of Milan as its headquarters “underlines the strategic importance of Italy for Muno. The company intends to invest in the Italian leather supply chain, focusing on skills development, applied research, and long-lasting partnerships with customers and industrial partners to support sustainable growth in the medium to long term.”
Xavier Rafols
These objectives were emphasized by the company’s CEO, Xavier Rafols: “Muno was born out of a strong industrial heritage and a clear growth strategy. Our Milan headquarters reflects our commitment to the Italian leather supply chain, combining technical expertise, operational discipline, and innovation to create lasting value for our customers and the entire industry.”
Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of Muno’s business model: approximately 70% of R&D projects are dedicated to environmental sustainability, while 98% of the product portfolio complies with ZDHC standards. All production sites operate according to certified quality and environmental standards, with a strong focus on regulatory compliance.
The International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS) has appointed Geoff Holmes as its new President for the two-year period 2026–2027. Holmes has worked for over twenty years at the New Zealand Leather and Shoe Research Association (LASRA), the New Zealand leather and footwear research association, where he is currently Director.
Geoff Holmes
In his inaugural message, the new President of the international body, which brings together around 3,000 chemists and leather researchers from 25 different national associations, described the role as an honor and a great responsibility, reiterating the central role of national associations in ensuring the strength and credibility of the IULTCS globally. According to Holmes, training, scientific research, publications, communication, and promotion of the tanning industry remain the pillars of the Union’s activity.
Holmes thanked outgoing President Dr. Joan Carles Castell for his contribution, particularly in the field of ISO and CEN standardization, and welcomed new Vice President Dr. Giancarlo Lovato. Looking ahead, Geoff emphasized the importance of open and scientifically rigorous debate to maintain the IULTCS as an authoritative and forward-looking voice.
At the recent Simac trade fair in Milan, Zünd, together with its partners Mind and Mindhive Global, presented the Dectura workflow, which makes leather detection, classification and cutting even more precise, faster and more reliable in a fully interconnected system. The trade fair visitors were able to witness the interaction between AI, machine vision and digital cutting systems live at the fair.
Until now, the evaluation and qualification of leather has been a critical process, mainly manual, subject to errors and often with inconsistent results.
With Dectura, leading technology companies – Zünd, Mind and Mindhive Global – present an innovation that revolutionises leather cutting. Thanks to artificial intelligence, image-based quality control, the most advanced nesting and cutting software and powerful digital cutting systems, Dectura guarantees a highly automated and standardised process.
The leather processing line essentially consists of Mindhive FinishSelect″, which, with the help of AI, is able to capture, evaluate and measure leathers in just a few seconds, then using the MindCUT software developed by Portuguese partner Mind and the digital cutting technology of the Zünd cutter.
For leather processing companies, Dectura represents a quantum leap towards intelligent, data-driven processes that are perfectly reproducible and fully integrated digitally, with consistent quality over time.
The digital transformation of the footwear industry can no longer ignore integrated, scalable and data-driven solutions.Footwear 4.0 is an Industry 4.0 platform based on modular architecture, capable of providing cognitive assistance, predictive maintenance and intelligent quality control on a large scale.
The centrality of the Digital Twin guarantees a convergent interface between man, machine and product, paving the way for a truly data-driven, resilient and adaptive factory. Footwear 4.0 is not just a platform, but a modular digital environment designed to make the footwear industry more resilient, efficient and data-driven. Thanks to the integration of predictive maintenance, cognitive assistance and intelligent quality control, each company can customise its own digital transition path, starting from its real needs and arriving at a concrete and sustainable transformation.
Main modules of the platform
1. Smart and Predictive Maintenance
The first module focuses on smart maintenance of footwear machinery. Each machine is equipped with IoT sensors to monitor vibrations, temperatures, pressures and other critical parameters. This data is analysed by artificial intelligence algorithms to predict failures and plan maintenance interventions. All elements are represented within an interactive 3D Digital Twin, accessible via a browser. Users can thus view the status of the machines in real time, receive notifications of anomalies, consult the maintenance history and take targeted action. This digital twin is not just a visual representation, but a dynamic, real-time replica, powered by sensor data collected directly from the machines. The module offers in concrete a predictive notifications before failure, a technical dashboard (OEE, MTBF, machine status), a history of interventions per machine, an operator interface with maintenance instructions in AR, an integration with the quality module (e.g. does an anomaly also produce defects?). Added value is a drastic reduction in unexpected downtime, a planning based on real data rather than a fixed calendar, an improved machine service life, data can also be shared with machine manufacturers for future improvements.
The second module is dedicated to intelligent operator support, both during operation and training. It provides operators with advanced operational and decision-making support thanks to integration with AR/VR devices, digital interfaces and intelligent guidance systems. In particular, it connects to the Digital Twin of the predictive maintenance module: when the latter detects a need for intervention, it automatically sends the operator’s AR smart glasses an interactive checklist with the machine to be reached, the planned operations and instructions superimposed visually on the real machine, so that the operator can go to the machine and follow a visual guide for the safe and correct execution of the activity. Thanks to integration with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices, the operator receives step-by-step contextual instructions visible on smart glasses, dynamic digital checklists, an immersive training in simulated environments. In addition, data from physical assistance devices (e.g. exoskeletons) can also be integrated to optimise ergonomics and safety.
Specifically, the module provides AR/VR instructions, constantly updated digital checklists, access to manuals and resources, and support from biometric devices. It also reduces errors and accidents, enables faster and more accurate interventions, reduces on-the-job training, and gives junior staff greater autonomy.
3. AI-Powered Quality Assurance
The third module manages automated quality control, integrating artificial vision systems and AI algorithms to identify defects in components or finished products in real time (e.g. incorrect stitching, imprecise cuts, aesthetic defects). Each machine is equipped with sensors or cameras that collect data on the product: this data is analysed and displayed within the Digital Twin, activating a second quality-oriented display mode. Specifically, the module offers automatic defect detection, quality reports by machine/shift, immediate feedback on processes, logging and archiving for audits. It also allows for less reworking and waste, better process control, direct integration with maintenance/training, and support for quality certifications.
Module integration: intelligent interoperability
Although each module can be used independently, the real strength of the platform lies in their integration. A detected quality defect can trigger a predictive analysis of the status of the machine that generated it. Scheduled maintenance work is notified via AR, visually guided and digitally tracked and a recurring operator error may suggest the activation of a specific VR training module. All data is managed by a scalable, secure cloud infrastructure that is accessible from any device and is presented according to the user’s role (operator, supervisor, technology manufacturer). A single interface therefore allows you to monitor the operating status of the machine, view detected defects, access customisable statistical reports and quality KPIs. The continuous feedback logic allows the system to adapt production parameters or signal the need for maintenance/training if defects are recurrent.
There is a continent that has abundant raw materials but still struggles to transform them into value. Africa has endless herds, high-quality hides and an increasingly clear political will to industrialise its production processes. Yet without technology, all this potential risks remaining an unfulfilled opportunity.
The figures for 2024 paint a picture of a changing reality: Africa imported leather processing, footwear and leather goods machinery worth €46 million, 6% of global imports in the sector. Some might say that is not much. A market under construction, say the forward-thinkers. And above all: a market where Italy leads the way.
The main African importing countries were: Tunisia, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania. These are economies characterised by a strong manufacturing tradition or a growing interest in the leather and fashion industry, with expanding domestic markets and a growing focus on exports.
ITALIAN TRICOLOUR IN POLE POSITION
With a share of 42.40% of total African imports, Italy remains the main supplier of technology for the sector. But the aggregate data hides even more significant nuances. In the tannery machinery sector, Italy’s share soars to 59.71%, with destinations ranging from Egypt to South Africa, Uganda to Namibia. In the spare parts segment – a barometer of long-term confidence – the figure reaches 61.47%, a sign that those who choose Italian machines continue to invest in their maintenance.
The picture is more complex for machinery forfootwear and leather goods, where Italy holds a 25.45% share: here, Chinese competition is making itself felt, focusing on aggressive pricing. Yet in countries such as Tunisia and Morocco – districts oriented towards exports to Europe – Italian technology maintains solid positions, built on quality and reliability.
ASSOMAC’S STRATEGY: COOPERATION
It is in this scenario that Assomac, with its network of companies in the sector, and Simac Tanning Tech come into play. As part of its mission to promote Italian technologies for footwear, leather goods and tanning internationally, Assomac has embarked on a structured process of cooperation with several African countries.
During the Simac Tanning Tech event, attention to Africa’s potential was expressed by the presence of institutional and industrial delegations from Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, Ethiopia and Tanzania, among others, thanks in part to the activities of the ICE Agency’s foreign network.
The Association promotes a model based on technology transfer, professional training and support for the creation of modern industrial districts.
In Senegal, an invitation from the Municipality of Dalifort-Foirail paved the way for a feasibility study to strengthen the local leather district. The Italy-Senegal Business Forum in Dakar allowed for direct discussions with local institutions and tanneries.
In Kenya, collaboration with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers is aimed at a structural agreement to modernise the supply chain, while dialogue with Equity Bank aims to facilitate access to credit for those investing in Italian technologies.
In Egypt, support continues for Robbiki Leather City, the new industrial district 40 km from Cairo. The transfer of tanneries to the new production area will be completed by the end of 2025.
In Tunisia, the AICS credit line of €55 million supports the purchase of Italian machinery by local SMEs. In Niger, the PISIE project provides technical assistance in the districts of Tahoua and Tamaské. Finally, in Ethiopia, a direct channel with the government has been established to explore industrial development paths and future B2B missions.
AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE
Italy’s presence in Africa is not the result of improvisation, but of a long-term strategy. A strategy that the Mattei Plan, developed by the Italian government, frames as a national priority and which finds one of its most credible assets in leather and footwear machinery. Because selling technology also means exporting an industrial model: the Italian model, based on expertise, relationships and vision.
