Arsutoria Studio
Arsutoria Magazine

Not just uppers for Sneaknit

Sneaknit is increasingly positioning itself at the center of supply chain innovation. The company’s extraordinary versatility, the result of the combination of advanced production capacity and in-depth distinctive know-how, has led to success fueled by the ability to choose the optimal machine and yarn, adapting them to the specific needs of each customer. Precisely the wide and diverse range of machinery includes flat solutions ideal for panel production, just as 3D technology machines are perfect for intricate and detailed process.

It is precisely customers who entrust Sneaknit with the most complex projects, recognizing their high level of expertise in even the most challenging machining operations. “Our team of highly skilled programmers and technicians – say the company – guides each process with precision, advising the customer in choosing the most suitable yarn and machine for each project.”

Through an end-to-end approach in the production process, an end result that exceeds expectations is guaranteed, turning every detail into a key element in the successful development of a wide range of products. Sneaknit stands out for its dedication to uncompromising excellence and ability to translate customers’ visions into flawless and exclusive creations.

Luigi Carnevali: customer service, quality and sustainability

The history of Luigi Carnevali is rooted far back in time, even to the early 1900s, when it appeared on the market specializing in the production and sale of buckles, seals and embroidery, the latter being particularly popular in the 1920s and 1930s.

Since the 1960s, the company, based in Buccinasco, in the province of Milan, has specialized in the marketing of thermoadhesive and self-adhesive reinforcements for the footwear and, later, the leather goods industry.

The quality of the products and the attention and closeness to the customer soon lead Luigi Carnevali to become a partner of such prestigious brands and maisons as Bottega Veneta, Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Christian Louboutin.

As well as distinguishing itself for being a company that is always in step with the times, able to offer customers cutting-edge items, such as gutta-percha, an exclusive material made from natural and incredibly breathable rubber, which Luigi Carnevali introduced as a pioneer in Italy and of which he is still a dealer, used to reinforce leather.

In 2017 Luigi Carnevali S.a.s. completed a merger with its sister company Resinoll, which specializes in the sale of thermoadhesive reinforcements for clothing. This is an important merger, which allows the company to offer customers a truly complete, all-around range of products, ranging from reinforcements for footwear and leather goods to leather and fabric clothing.

“The merger with our sister company Resinoll has allowed us to take advantage of the synergies between the various divisions and build on the know-how and expertise we have gained in different sectors, such as accessories versus apparel. So, for example, if in apparel we have imported more structured materials where it was required, in footwear we have introduced lighter and more invisible reinforcing materials, to the great satisfaction of our most demanding customers. Without a doubt, this ‘migration of skills’ has led us to have better and better results in all the areas in which we operate.”

Corplast: competence and professionalism since 1973

Founded in 1973 offering TPR and PVC printed soles in black and brown, Corplast first established itself in the nascent Fermano-Maceratese footwear district and then in the main European and international footwear markets. Over time, the range of materials and solutions has expanded to meet the needs of the fashion sector, and the technical difficulty and sophistication of the solutions proposed has increased, as has the number of articles in the catalogue that can be moulded using injection moulding machines. A catalogue that today boasts over 2000 articles that can be selected and moulded in 6 families of materials: TPR, TPU, PU, EVA, EvolGum and Rubflex, available in standard, translucent, expanded, rubberised and metallised colours.

The fashion sector has always been the driving force behind Corplast’s productions, so much so that it has guaranteed the company the trust of important Italian and international brands, but the Safety & Sport sector is also growing, where the materials proposed – first and foremost TPU – are ideal for the production of footwear and inserts for the high-end safety and sport world. The special TPU compounds are also naturally non-slip and ideal for resisting oil and abrasion, in full compliance with the mandatory minimum requirements for safety footwear.

Lastly, Corplast dedicates constant attention to sustainability, operating according to the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse & Recycle, following the Circularity of Materials and the Traceability of the Supply Chain, to offer 4 lines of materials that at the same time maintain the quality of the finished product: GRS-certified TPR with recycled percentage content from the recovery of TPR waste. GRS-certified TPU with recycled percentage content from recovered TPU waste. EVA with percentage content of third-generation bio-based EVA* (using organisms independent of the human food source). EVA with percentage content of regenerated EVA from the recovery of production waste.

Bramac: growing made in Italy

We met Alessandro Bracalente, a volcanic entrepreneur from the Marche region, the second generation of the Bramac company, founded 60 years ago by his father Masiero. He receives us together with his daughter Ginevra, an honors degree from Milan, work experience in a company of a large luxury group, who recently joined the family business to carry on, together with her brother Diego, the growth projects on which Bramac is working.

The first question is on the most recent news, Bramac’s entry into the capital of CMCI, another historic company in the footwear technology sector. Can you tell us about the planning behind this choice?

“CMCI is an excellence in our area, specializing for more than 40 years in the production of sewing machines for the footwear industry, led by Mario Brutti, an entrepreneur with an uncommon passion for designing and manufacturing high-quality machines. It is clear how positive the synergy between the two companies can be: we at Bramac bring a widespread presence to customers, especially factories working with the big luxury maisons, which, every day, we work alongside to understand their needs and to propose the best technological and organizational solutions: we help them implement their development plans. In CMCI, on the other hand, they know how to find ingenious solutions to make technologies that perform complex operations simple, as in the best Italian tradition.”

Apparently a change of course for Bramac, which, for many years now, has had its machines built in the Far East…

“We have been working with China for more than 20 years, an extraordinary country in terms of its ability to build products, even those with high technological content. Our policy towards China has always been to work only with the best companies and to protect our technologies by filing patents for our innovations in China itself. The investment made, acquiring 50 percent of CMCI’s capital, is the result of the conviction that in many countries of the world, not only in Italy, there is market space for Made in Italy technology, whose excellence is still recognized today. Moreover, this partnership allows us to create a short chain of innovation, to react even more quickly to the needs emerging in the sector.”

Bramac and CMCI have always boasted a strong specialization in the sewing sector; how do you think this production stage has transformed and what are the priorities for Made in Italy companies?

“In recent years we have witnessed volume growth in the production of footwear for luxury brands. The sewing department needs to be rethought for two main reasons: the first is that we need to be able to bring production sewing back to Italy by organizing it efficiently. Flexibility is a decisive aspect, and the department must be able to operate by optimizing time and work organization. The other aspect concerns ergonomics and, in general, the well-being of people within the workplace: there is great attention at the moment, on the part of leading companies, to the quality of the work environment. A sewing’s station is becoming more and more like an office desk. A key commitment, especially to attract young people to work in factories.”

With so many years of experience behind you, how do you see the future of Made in Italy?

“Bernard Arnault himself said that Italy is the only place where you can make artisanal product at an industrial level. We must preserve our savoir-faire and the unsurpassed talent of our workers to make quality even while challenging complexity. Those who make shoes for the big brands are confronted every single day with challenges given by complicated patterns and ever new and different materials. Our future is not producing the standard; they can do that in China much better than we can and at lower cost. Hyper-specialization of people is not the right strategy: the key word in Italy is versatility and the ability to adapt to a changing context. Our strength, as Italians, has always been to master the chaos around us and find extraordinary opportunities in contexts in which other nations, even those close to us, see only confusion.”

So, best of luck to this new Bramac-CMCI team and the challenges ahead.

“In our view there is a great opportunity in our industry, especially for those of us who live immersed in an industrial sector that is still very much alive and still expanding. Our international competitors operate in many different industries and in my opinion have somewhat lost that ability to make strategic choices from the valuable information that only comes from extensive and direct relationships with those on the front lines in the factories. Perhaps today limited size is our greatest point of weakness. The decision to aggregate excellent realities goes precisely in the direction of that growth that is an indispensable condition for conducting ever better research and innovation. Of course, always remaining at the side of our customers and accompanying them on their growth path.”

The debut of Lineapelle Interiors

It is called Lineapelle Interiors and it is the new project debuting with Lineapelle 103, scheduled to take place at Fiera Milano Rho from 20 to 22 February 2024, aimed at promoting and enhancing Italian leather in interior design through styling and product development actions, activating collaborative connections with the world of Italian and international design and architecture.

The first of these actions is Leather Duets, a business culture exhibition that, inside Pavilion 24, stages a sequence of installations, each of which presents the realisation of an exclusive leather design project shared between a Made in Italy leather manufacturer and an interior design company. A path linked by a thematic fil rouge, which leads the semi-finished product to become international excellence, passing through its transformation into a high-end finished product.

“With this new project,” comments Fulvia Bacchi, CEO of Lineapelle, “dedicated to interior design, Lineapelle creates an area of strong and engaging attraction, to explore the value of Italian leather and hide in areas other than those more closely related to fashion, for which, however, they are confirmed in the role of reference materials. Lineapelle Interiors is an opportunity to open up new creative and market horizons”.

“We believe that there are, as far as made in Italy leather is concerned, vast application areas that have so far remained unexplored or not properly expressed for the interior design sector,. This project represents the set of actions aimed at launching possible futures towards the Design Economy, implementing international involvement and activating business development opportunities.”

Maurizio Molini, artistic director of Lineapelle Interiors

The protagonists of Leather Duets are: Manifattura di Domodossola/Nalesso with the installation: A vida è a arte do encontro, Accoppiature Mistral /Mantellassi 1926 with Bonjour élégance, Conceria Gaiera Giovanni/ Cierreesse with Inspirational icons, Conceria Montebello/Studioart with Tribal gatherings, Gruppo Mastrotto /Kreoo with The warm touch of the stone.

Positive signals from Pitti Uomo No. 105

The new year opened under good prospects, at least on the foreign market front, judging by the attendance figures of the first scheduled event dedicated to high-end and luxury fashion for men. Pitti Immagine Uomo, in fact, staged at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from January 9 to 12, 2024, registered an increase compared to January 2023 in the number of foreign buyers by 4 percent and by almost 6 percent in terms of points of sale. The Italian figure, on the other hand, was down slightly, a circumstance that was widely expected given the slowdowns in our domestic market, especially recorded in the last three or four months. . The final figure of buyer-only turnouts reached 13,000, with foreigners around 4,700.

The top 20 countries in order of attendance were: Germany, Holland, the United Kingdom, Spain, Turkey, France, Japan, the United States, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Greece, China, South Korea, Portugal, Russia, Poland, Canada, Denmark and Sweden.

All the main foreign markets were up-with double-digit performances for Germany, France, the United States, and Belgium-and of particular note was the steady recovery of the main Asian markets-Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, and China Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and other emerging markets. “If the men’s fashion system had to beat the drum right away in this start of 2024,” commented Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine, “really positive messages came from Pitti Uomo No. 105: in the pavilions, among the stands, in the city, at the special events, here in Florence we registered a widespread, great energy – also the result of the warm personal interactions that are established when an international community of interests and culture comes together in spatial and temporal unity – and together, the will of all the operators to focus on the factors considered decisive for success in the markets. I am referring to the quality of the collections and the commitment of the companies to add stylistic and/or material novelties each season in tune with new consumer trends; to the ability on the part of the best retailers and buyers to select orders according to curatorial logic that integrates-without subordinating-with commercial needs, thus giving opportunity and visibility to experimentation, new generations, and fashion research.”

The special events of this edition received great attention and participation. Among the many on the program were the runway shows of Guest Designers Magliano and SS Daley, Todd Snyder’s designer showcase, Achilles Ion Gabriel’s absolute debut, the special immersive installation celebrating Guess Jeans at the Teatro del Maggio, the launch of the Tod’s and Automobili Lamborghini collaboration-along with the numerous special projects and international participations at the Fortezza, including NEUDEUTSCH curated by Julian Daynov, which turned the spotlight on the new creative scene from Germany, and the Velvet Mi Amor installation and book dedicated to velvet.

Here are the Italian fashion fairs

A neologism as a key word: GREATIFY. A word built on the adjective great and the suffix “ify”, used with nouns and adjectives to form verbs containing the concept of “doing” or “becoming”. Because this is exactly what trade fairs are: the place of excellence for opening up new markets, developing business and above all representing trends, those of the market to come.

It is precisely on the values of innovation and excellence that the synergy between the 6 trade fairs in the world of fashion is founded and with which it proceeds. For this February edition too, they join forces and present themselves to the market all together. They are MICAM, the International Footwear Exhibition, MIPEL, the International Exhibition dedicated to leather goods and fashion accessories, THEONEMILANO, the Outerwear and Haute à-Porter Exhibition, LINEAPELLE, the International exhibition dedicated to the leather, accessories, components, synthetics, fabrics and samples for footwear, leather goods, clothing and furnishings sectors, MILANO FASHION&JEWELS, the event dedicated to the excellence of bijoux, jewellery and fashion accessories – and they are the sounding board for 2.951 brands and fashion trends that, in the specificity of the different sectors, have common guidelines. Added to them, within the context of Lineapelle, is the promotional area of SIMAC TANNING TECH, the landmark exhibition for the footwear, leather goods and tanning technology sector that will be held in September 2024 with over 300 exhibitors.

But apart from all the novelties that will characterise the various events, what is the state of health of the market? For Fulvia Bacchi:

“the moment is so tragic at the business level that there is concern not so much for trade fair visits as for the volume of orders. We expect a recovery for the second half of the year.”

Ceolini:

“The sales did not go well and the strategy of producing more to avoid the excessive increase in raw material prices, adopted by many last year, did not pay off. We are confident, however, in an increase in purchases with the aim of moving the market, although orders will undoubtedly be more prudent”.

Lastly, the important response, in terms of pre-registrations, from buyers from Italy and the various markets should be noted: as far as the international market is concerned, the best performances from European countries come from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Greece and Spain; the interest of more distant countries such as South Korea, Japan, the USA and Kazakhstan is also significant.

Assomac at the India International Leather Fair in Chennai

Assomac, thanks also to the support of Agenzia ICE (ITA-Italian Trade Agency), is as always engaged in organizing collectives to support companies in the relevant sector.

In the first edition of 2024 of the IILF – India International Leather Fair, the Assomac – Agenzia ICE (ITA-Italian Trade Agency) collective records the participation of 18 leading Italian companies in the production of machinery, equipment and technologies for the leather industry.

Joan Carles Castell is the new IULTCS President

There is a change at the top of IULTCS, the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies, the supranational body that brings together 19 Member Societies and 6 Associate Members representing some 3000 individual members.

As of 1 January 2024, Dr Joan Carles Castell is the new IULTCS President, taking over from Frenchman Jean-Pierre Gualino, who has completed his two-year term.

According to the IULTCS statutes the aims of the Union are to foster cooperation between member societies, to hold congresses to further the advancement of leather science and technology, to form commissions for special studies and to establish international methods of samples and testing leather and materials associated with leather manufacture.

The IULTCS organisation has held 37 congresses in twenty different countries on five continents, with the most recent being held in Chengdu, China in 2023. The next one will be in 2025 in Lyon.

Call for Papers opens for the XVI AICC Veneto Technical Conference

The XVI AICC Veneto Technical Conference will take place on Friday 10 May 2024 entitled ‘New Frontiers of Leather Production’.

The Italian Leather Chemists (AICC) has opened the Call for Papers. Those interested in presenting a paper during the Conference should send an Abstract by 22 March 2024 to the email address [email protected] Papers will be evaluated by the appointed Technical Committee.