Among the company’s choices already made in favour of the environment, of primary importance is the installation of a photovoltaic system at the Parabiago headquarters, which makes it possible to considerably reduce emissions, with 97,500 kilos of CO2 saved and a total power output of 183 kWp: numbers that translate into an environmental benefit comparable to the planting of 1772 trees. Even more recent is the plant in Pieve a Nievole, with a total power output of 80 kWp, also capable of significantly reducing emissions, with 42,640 kilos of CO2 saved per year and an environmental benefit comparable to the planting of 776 trees; the Fossò site in Veneto, soon to be opened, is also preparing to become IFABA’s new flagship, especially in terms of sustainability.

In addition to what has already been mentioned, there is the installation of a new plastic moulding machine in Parabiago – which will make machine stoppages close to zero, reducing energy consumption on an annual basis by 28% compared to the previous decommissioned plant, – and the overhaul of the numerical control lathes present in all the factories of the industrial group, which will significantly reduce energy requirements thanks to the use of innovative software capable of controlling and optimising consumption in real time.

Discarded lasts for shoe factories will be recovered to be shredded and sent for recovery and recycling to finally be reused by the last makers as raw material for new lasts: this joint effort will maximise the recovery of materials, minimising the use of resources and promoting circularity.

An agreement with the company Omnisyst also ensures the company monitors CO2 savings. Thus, the industrial group based in Parabiago (MI) – which has two branches in Italy and one in Romania – is preparing to obtain ISO 9001 certification on quality management systems, ISO 14001 on environmental management systems and ISO 45001 on safety in the workplace in the course of 2024.

NATIVA™ Cotton accelerates the shift towards a more sustainable production system, from farm to brand. Made in Europe, NATIVA™ Cotton is a one-stop solution that certifies cotton growing, sourcing and production under the NATIVA™ Regenerative Program. The NATIVA™ Regenerative Agriculture Program is a robust system with a triple impact based on scientific research and backed by data.

NATIVA™’s Regenerative Agriculture Program protects the land by bettering soil quality, safeguards crops by ensuring soil health, and supports farmers and local communities by improving their livelihoods. These multidisciplinary efforts further result in greater water quality and increased CO2 capturing levels. Measured over a five-year period, NATIVA™ aims to achieve a 20% increase of organic materials (natural nutrients) in the soil through its regenerative agricultural practices. This is supported by a 25% reduction in pesticides, with an eventual goal of zero pesticide use throughout time, and the effective eradication of tillage.

“As part of NATIVA™’s goals of positively impacting the supply chain for a more sustainable system, we wanted to expand our reach from wool into new fibers. With cotton playing such a significant role in the fashion industry, it was only natural to extend our programme to this iconic fiber.” said Maria Estrada, NATIVA™ Global Director.

NATIVA™ Regenerative Cotton’s founding partner, Nafpaktos Textile Industry SA, is based in Greece. Every step from the cultivation to the fiber processing and yarn making takes place in Greece – resulting in a farm to fiber cycle fully accomplished within the EU and complying with EU standards in labour and environmental conservation rights. Among partner brands NATIVA we find Stella McCartney, Gucci, Pangaia.

Algix/BLOOM is a US-based company (Meridian, MS) that provides solutions to improve the sustainability of the footwear, automotive and shipbuilding industries. BLOOM’s mission is to use algae to reduce air and water pollution and create thermoplastic compounds that have a lower environmental impact without compromising performance.

Indeed, algae that grow in excess in rivers, lakes and seas, once removed, are usually incinerated, releasing CO2 into the air, or end up in landfills, where they macerate and release methane. BLOOM has succeeded in incorporating them into soles or other foams and materials (EVA, TR, TPE, rubber) by mixing them with different polymers. In this case, the CO2 is encapsulated by the algae and no longer released into the environment, and starting with 30% BLOOM inserted into the sole, one can achieve carbon neutrality.

Why algae and not other products? “Because algae are among the largest absorbers of CO2 and emit oxygen through photosynthesis. In addition, seaweed does not act as a filler – with a consequent increase in hardness and loss of performance – but gives functionality to the sole itself,’ says Stefano Ciarpella, Account Manager Italy.

BLOOM® Sustainable Materials currently collaborates with more than 150 well-known brands worldwide and is spreading very rapidly in the market, helping the footwear industry to replace fossil fuel-based materials – present in various parts of footwear (e.g. insoles, midsoles, soles) – with algae.

The BLOOM system is able to work with the existing supply chain and does not require changes to the production process or any other assets (e.g. moulds). Everything is organised to facilitate the use of BLOOM’s sustainable material within already operational processes, providing companies and brands with technical support if needed in all factories in Europe, Asia and the USA.

BLOOM was recently admitted to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration programme (www.decadeonrestoration.org): a project open to private sector entities – profit and non-profit – that actively develop environmental restoration programmes. BLOOM’s activity perfectly reflects the principles of this programme, helping to restore ecosystems by collecting algae that proliferate in excess due to the eutrophication of waters (a problem increasingly covered by the media) and using them to replace part of the fossil-based materials.

“Becoming part of this project required us to go through an evaluation process through which we had to prove that we were actually carrying out environmental remediation. We can now say that we produce probably the only footwear material that actively contributes to environmental remediation,’ Ciarpella proudly concludes.