Vapesol is shifting gears. It is doing so with a €1.5 million investment in the production of rubber soles, a segment that has so far been outside its portfolio but is now crucial to consolidating its market leadership. The operation, carried out in collaboration with Tecnirolo/Lary Portugal, involves the launch of the project in February 2026 and the introduction of a latest-generation injection plant, capable of producing up to 5,000 pairs of two-colour soles per day with reduced energy consumption and waste.
The agreement marks a concrete step towards a more efficient production model in line with the principles of Industry 4.0. The abandonment of the traditional compression method in favour of integral injection represents not only a technological upgrade, but also a cultural change: a fully monitored, flexible and sustainable process.
“It is a natural consequence of Vapesol’s evolution”, says CEO Décio Pereira. “Our customers have been asking us for some time to also offer rubber soles, in order to have a complete range. Now they will be able to find them all under one roof.” This is a response to market demands, but also a strategic move to expand the company’s presence in new segments, such as trail and barefoot, where rubber remains the material of choice for performance and comfort.
For Pereira, it is a calculated risk: “We know rubber well, we have been using it for years for limited production. Now we are taking it to an industrial scale, with the aim of doubling capacity by 2027, reaching 10,000 pairs per day.”
A new way to experience the Italian tanning tradition: Vignola Nobile SpA has just inaugurated its first self-service showroom dedicated to the highest-quality lambskin, located in the heart of the Tuscan tanning district at Via del Bosco 99. “It’s a way to get closer to the most important luxury brands, strengthening the bond that unites Campania and Tuscany”, they explain from the company.
The star of this innovative space is NOBot, an intelligent robot that will guide visitors through the collections. Thanks to a direct telepresence connection with the headquarters in Solofra (AV), customers will receive real-time assistance and enjoy a new experience: modern, efficient, and always available.
The showroom, designed with a completely eco-friendly approach, has become part of the LEATHER CER and will be open 24/7, allowing customers and business partners to enter, explore, and source the leathers of their choice, completely independently.
With NOBot, Vignola Nobile is introducing a completely new relationship model to the industry, where technology doesn’t replace people, but rather supports them, making contact with the company simpler, more immediate, and accessible at all times.
“We wanted to create a place where innovation and tradition truly meet,” says Mr Nobile of Vignola Nobile SpA. “The showroom and NOBot represent our vision of the future: an open, welcoming, and intelligent space where customers can always feel supported, even when we’re not physically present.”
Stahl, the global leader in speciality coatings for flexible materials, is proud to announce the extension of its Living Wage certification for another two years, now valid through 2027. This renewed recognition by the Fair Wage Network reaffirms Stahl’s ongoing commitment to fair compensation and employee well-being across its global operations.
The certification ensures that all of Stahl’s nearly 2,000 employees worldwide receive a wage that goes beyond legal minimums; enabling them to meet essential needs such as housing, food, healthcare, and education, while also allowing for savings and meaningful participation in society. Stahl views this not only as a cornerstone of responsible business practice but as a vital investment in the well-being of its workforce and the communities in which it operates.
The renewed certification reflects Stahl’s continued commitment to maintaining a fair and supportive working environment. The company upholds the principle that every employee should earn enough to ensure dignity and financial stability. Fair pay is considered essential to fostering a workplace culture built on trust, inclusion and well-being; values that are deeply embedded in Stahl.
The Living Wage certification was first awarded to Stahl in 2024. Marking an important milestone, the certification now also includes Weilburger Graphics GmbH, the German-based packaging coatings specialist acquired by Stahl in the same year.
“At Stahl, we believe that fair pay is fundamental to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive,” added Michele Taraschi, Group Human Resources Director at Stahl. “When people know their work is valued and their well-being is prioritised, it unlocks their potential—professionally and personally. Renewing our Living Wage certification demonstrates our commitment to treating every employee around the world with dignity and respect.”
The Living Wage certification aligns closely with Stahl’s broader ESG Strategy, which is anchored in three priorities: reducing carbon emissions, advancing employee well-being, and fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. By committing to fair wages worldwide, Stahl underscores its role in building a sustainable and equitable future, where success is measured not only in business results but also in the positive impact made on people’s lives.
The Spring Summer 2026 season is divided into three distinctive visions.
Fendi expresses a structured lightness where color emerges from artisanal details: geometric weaves, pearl handles and three-dimensional textures dialogue with intense reds, turquoises and bubblegum pinks.
Louis Vuitton reinterprets the Maison’s heritage between Parisian marble and golden reflections: mini-trunks and doctor bags alternate with deconstructed shapes, while the palette alternates mineral tones with accents of antique pink, ochre and mauve.
Etro offers a material poetry with embossed surfaces, paisley and embroidery that evoke an inner journey, between amber, jade green and metallic details.
The protagonists of the season are three colors: Powder Pink, a modern blush pink that balances energy and sobriety; Urban Olive, a sophisticated green between military elegance and minerality; Electric Blue, a magnetic blue that captivates with presence and clarity. Finally, suede asserts itself as an essential material, with oversized proportions and couture finishes in warm camel and mocha tones.
Our Trend Analyst Maria Cristina Rossi guides us to discover the main trends seen on the catwalks:
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This video is a preview of the trend analysis made by Arsutoria experts.
Mindhive Global, the award-winning AI-powered leather quality assessment company, today announced it has secured Series A funding led by agritech venture capital firm Cultivate Ventures, with strong participation from existing shareholders. The company explains in a press release that “the raise will accelerate deployment of Mindhive’s comprehensive suite of leather intelligence solutions across key global markets. The capital raise positions Mindhive to scale following a year of exceptional growth that saw the company’s team expand from 8 to 37 people across four countries, establish operations in nine countries, and secure partnerships with industry leaders including JBS Couros, the world’s largest leather processor”.
Mindhive’s technology transforms leather quality assessment from manual inspection—a process unchanged for millennia—into precision AI-driven grading that delivers verified hide data within seconds. The company’s expanding product portfolio spans the entire leather production process, from wet-blue grading through finished leather selection, creating comprehensive quality data that enables manufacturers to optimize production, reduce waste, and make strategic decisions based on verified information rather than subjective assessment.
Debra Hall, Chair of Mindhive Global’s Board, said: “We’ve successfully secured our Series A round to fuel further growth, and we’re delighted to welcome agritech specialist Cultivate Ventures as our lead investor. The strong support from our existing shareholders in this round reflects their confidence in both our technology and the exceptional market opportunity ahead. This funding enables us to capitalize on the momentum we’ve built with industry leaders worldwide and establish Mindhive as the global standard for leather quality intelligence.”
Marcus Henderson, Investment Director at Cultivate Ventures, commented: “Mindhive represents exactly the type of transformative agritech investment we seek—deep technology solving fundamental problems in a traditional global industry. Leather processing is a significant part of the meat production value chain, and Mindhive’s AI-powered quality intelligence delivers measurable efficiency gains, waste reduction, and operational insights that were previously impossible. The team’s execution has been exceptional, and we’re excited to support their next phase of growth as they become the global standard for leather quality assessment.”
James Bayly, CEO of Mindhive Global
James Bayly, CEO of Mindhive Global, concluded: “This Series A funding arrives at a pivotal moment. The leather industry is undergoing its most significant transformation in centuries, driven by sustainability demands, market consolidation, and the need for verified quality data throughout supply chains. Our recent launch of Mindhive FinishSelect™ at SIMAC 2025 demonstrated that our vision of comprehensive leather intelligence resonates across the entire manufacturing process—from wet-blue to finished leather. This investment enables us to deliver on that vision and establish Mindhive as the intelligence layer powering the future of leather manufacturing.”
The timing of the raise follows Mindhive’s standout presence at SIMAC Tanning Tech 2025 in Milan, where the company’s newly launched Mindhive FinishSelect™ system generated significant industry attention.
Nicholas Muirhead, CEO of Scottish Leather Group, Mindhive’s first FinishSelect™ customer, added: “Mindhive FinishSelect™ is transformational for finished leather production. The system’s ability to detect defects down to hair follicle level across more than 20 defect classes gives us unprecedented precision in quality assessment—catching issues that even experienced inspectors miss. As part of the Dectura unified workflow with Zünd cutting systems and Mind software, we’re seeing the complete picture: intelligent defect detection and mapping from Mindhive, optimized material planning, and precision digital cutting all working together. This integration dramatically improves our quality consistency while reducing waste and recuts. Mindhive has been an exceptional partner—responsive, innovative, and deeply committed to solving real production challenges. Their technology is exactly what modern leather manufacturing needs.”
Mindhive’s growth trajectory has earned recognition as a New Zealand technology leader, winning two NZ Hi-Tech Awards in 2025 and reaching finalist status in two NZ International Business Awards categories. The company is a FernMark Licence Programme holder, representing authentic New Zealand innovation on the global stage.
The Series A funding will support expanded deployment of Mindhive’s technology across key markets including Brazil, Europe, and strategic opportunities in Asia, while accelerating product development and strengthening the company’s position as the leather industry transitions toward data-driven manufacturing.
Mindhive’s FinishSelect™ system unveiled at SIMAC TANNING TECH 2025
Lenzi Egisto’s desire to innovate knows no bounds. After bringing NEW DENIM to market, the fabric that solves the various problems typical of denim, it is now focusing on lightness. Lightness is increasingly at the heart of innovations in the footwear world. This is undoubtedly a crucial issue when it comes to work and safety shoes, which are worn for many hours in challenging environments.
The Tuscan company had already contributed to the creation of increasingly comfortable shoes thanks to the innovative WALKON AIR fussbet, which utilised AIRSPRING material to lift the foot and allow air to flow into the sole.
Now it is doing the same with SPORT AIR, which uses monofilaments for fabrics capable of creating breathable uppers for footwear with excellent mechanical resistance and able to withstand intense bending. In fact, monofilaments offer the best characteristics in terms of mechanical resistance, load capacity and flexibility, and do not absorb moisture.
So, thanks to the use of a fishing monofilament warp, SPORT AIR fabrics maintain breathability without the problem of breakage in the flex zone, where the upper meets the toe. This is a typical defect of other alternative breathable materials.
Who said safety has to be boring? Sneaknit has decided to overturn this prejudice, transforming work shoes into a design object that combines protection and style. Founded in 2019, the Marche-based company designs technical uppers that make every pair of ‘work’ shoes sporty, elegant or casual, without ever compromising on performance: waterproofing, breathability and abrasion resistance remain at the highest levels.
But it’s not just about looks. Sneaknit is synonymous with technical reliability and compliance with the most stringent regulations. All its products comply with the European REACH regulation and meet the requirements for PFAS, perfluoroalkyl substances under strict environmental observation. “We have conducted thorough testing to ensure safety and sustainability,” explains the company. “We want to protect consumers and the environment without sacrificing creativity.”
Sneaknit thus demonstrates that aesthetics and safety can coexist. Because today, even in the world of workwear, style and protection go hand in hand.
The world of work and safety is demanding. It cannot afford and does not tolerate inaccuracies or components that are unable to guarantee protection and reliability. This is why it is a sector that relies on suppliers with experience and the ability to customise components.
Moro Minuterie, with over 50 years of experience in the production of metal accessories for various cases, from fashion to sport and safety, meets all the requirements of the sector. Precision, attention to detail, low environmental impact processes and recycled materials to be increasingly attentive to sustainability issues characterise the production of Moro Minuterie, which also boasts another string to its bow: entirely Made in Italy manufacturing.
Technicians capable of developing even the most innovative projects and the possibility of producing moulds in-house allow for a high level of customisation.
This is perfectly demonstrated by the new collection of hooks, rivets and eyelaces presented by Moro Minuterie at the latest Lineapelle trade fair. These highly technical and functional accessories enhance the new sports and work & safety collections not only in terms of performance but also in terms of aesthetics.
And he is not alone: it is the cry of alarm of an entire Italian production system caught between environmental ideals and real costs. Because while Brussels charts the course towards climate neutrality, Italian SMEs are faced with a brutal choice: invest prohibitive sums or surrender to non-EU competition operating without constraints.
From the stage of the “La chimica dei valori” (The Chemistry of Values) event in Milan, Minister Foti added fuel to the fire: ‘It is clear that when we talk about industry in Europe, we must also start from a consideration that may seem trivial, but does Europe still believe in industry and does it still believe in European industry? Because if we do not first ask ourselves whether this is an objective or not, it is difficult to interpret certain initiatives correctly. Personally, I don’t think the Green Deal was a mistake. It was a deliberate and perfectly planned accident with the ideological aim of deindustrialising Europe. I say this because it is impossible that, using only common sense, anyone could have realised what was being set up. These are goals that are impossible to achieve, but which are pursued with a shrewdness that can only be described as persecutory.”
Tommaso Foti, Italian Minister for European Affairs
FASHION UNDER ATTACK
The sector – 60,000 companies, 600,000 employees, £92 billion in turnover – is on the front line. “The Italian fashion system is under attack from global competition, technological transformations, energy cost pressures and new European regulations,” says Luca Sburlati, president of Confindustria Moda. The numbers speak for themselves: exports down 4% in the first half of 2025, Chinese imports up 18%. And there is an even more disturbing fact: according to an Ambrosetti report, the sector is eight years behind its 2030 targets and would need £24.7 billion in investment. The problem? 92% of Italian companies cannot afford it. “Too fragile,” explains Carlo Cici of Ambrosetti.
Carlo Capasa, president of the National Chamber of Fashion, said it to the European Parliament: “The costs of the transition must be charged to those who fill landfills with fast fashion, not to creative fashion.” The point is precisely this: European regulations – CSRD, Digital Product Passport, Ecodesign Regulation – do not distinguish between those who produce lasting quality and those who flood the market with disposable goods. Roberto Bottoli, coordinator of the Veneto Fashion Table, warns of the risk of “green fanaticism or excessive bureaucracy” that only burdens European producers.
Foti reflects on other figures: “In Europe, we are almost extremely concerned with stabilising emissions on a daily basis, when Europe accounts for 6% of emissions. While we congratulate ourselves on reducing our emissions a little, others are increasing them recklessly and managing to compete with us in a way that is pushing us out of the market”.
THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER
Talking about transition is easy, paying for it is not. The CSRD costs €274,000 initially plus €148,000 per year. For an SME in Vicenza, this could mean closure. Then there is energy: electricity at €150/MWh, the most expensive in Europe; gas at a ratio of 4:1 compared to the US. How can we compete like this? Italian industrial production fell by 8.2% between mid-2022 and the end of 2024. These are not fluctuations: this is a structural collapse.
THE OPPOSING VIEW
Yet there are those who see the Green Deal as an opportunity. Anna Turrell, Chief Sustainability Officer at Decathlon, put it in black and white: ‘The Green Deal is Europe’s biggest competitive advantage. And we companies need certainty.‘ Her thesis overturns the narrative: it is not the Green Deal that is stifling, but regulatory uncertainty. ’A clear legal framework will allow investment in sustainable practices that guarantee jobs and prosperity.” Businesses are ready to invest, but stable rules are needed for planning.
Seven CEOs of major European industrial groups – from Siemens to Schneider Electric – have written that they are ‘turning the challenge into a competitive advantage through lower energy costs.’ And Ilham Kadri, CEO of Syensqo: ‘Climate change is a risk but also a huge opportunity. We need both sustainability and profitability.’ Not one against the other, but together.
THE CROSSROADS
The Commission has taken a first step backwards with the Omnibus package: CSRD only for companies with over 1,000 employees, savings of £6 billion per year, 80% of companies exempt. But more is needed: an approach that distinguishes quality from mass production, protects SMEs and prevents unfair competition. A Green Deal that does not become a “tool for deindustrialisation” but also not a pretext for postponing an inevitable transition.
The real crossroads is not between the environment and competitiveness. It is between those who will be able to turn sustainability into an advantage and those who will be left behind. The question is: will Europe give its businesses – especially the smallest ones – the tools to meet this challenge? The time for answers is running out.
Minister Foti, however, is more categorical: ‘What is the goal? Is it to reduce Europe, which already has its own intrinsic problem of declining birth rates, to a garden for the elderly, or do we want to maintain a productive Europe that continues to be a beacon of global manufacturing? It is not possible to think that we can follow the path of a Green Deal without dismantling this Green Deal, without acknowledging that it is not possible to continue on a path that resembles a suicide mission’.
Brussels, 27 October 2025, – COTANCE joins 19 European industries in calling on the European Commission to:
– Introduce a “Stop-the-Clock” mechanism, allowing proper assessment of the EUDR’s impact and implementation.
– Deliver the legally required scope-related Impact Assessment under Article 34
– Engage with stakeholders to develop realistic, workable compliance mechanisms that uphold environmental goals without damaging Europe’s industrial competitiveness.
After initially announcing a postponement in September 2025, the European Commission now proposes to move a new EUDR into full application within just two months — a reversal that risks undermining confidence in the EU regulatory process.
The concerns of stakeholders span from proposed timelines creating significant uncertainty for European operators — from large downstream industries, which will be unable to readapt their IT systems once again, to small and micro operators, who will face an even greater administrative burden for managing themselves the data load of the number of Due Diligence Statement (DDS) reference numbers accumulating along the value chain.
The Commission’s amendment also fails to meet a key legal requirement — the scope-related Impact Assessment under Article 34. This impact assessment was meant to verify whether the list of products in Annex 1 should be amended or extended. Originally due in June 2025, it has now been cancelled altogether and replaced by the “general review” in 2030, 5 years after implementation. This maladministration deprives sectors such as leather of their legal right to evidence-based policymaking – as leather-impacts had never been assessed so far – and undermines the EU principles of Better Regulation.
COTANCE reiterates that the inclusion of hides, skins and leather in the scope of the EUDR was made without a proper impact assessment. Authoritative scientific evidence, including research from the Sant’Anna University of Applied Sciences in Pisa, has confirmed that leather is not a driver of deforestation. Leather is a by-product of the meat and dairy sectors and no cattle is raised for its hide. Leather-making contributes to circularity by valorising resources that would otherwise become waste.
Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano, COTANCE Secretary-General, stated: “The European leather industry fully supports the fight against deforestation. But sustainability cannot be achieved through regulations that disregard the realities on the ground. We call on the Commission to take a step back, listen to evidence, and ensure that EUDR implementation is based on facts, not assumptions. The time has come to stop the clock and get this regulation right.”
COTANCE reaffirms its commitment to sustainability, transparency, and responsible supply chains. However, a regulation that is not evidence-based, not workable, and not fair serves neither the environment nor the European economy.
