Effective September 1st, 2024, Marc Schebben was appointed to the Executive Board of TFL Ledertechnik GmbH and TFL International GmbH. Schebben is part of the TFL C-Suite team as from August 2023 and will now complement the Executive Board of the companies together with Henrik Pedersen and David Blatch.
“In the function as Head of Global of Human Resources, Marc will be able to further influence the corporate structure and steer transformation processes as well as human capital development in a more direct way” they explain from the multinational leather chemicals company. “In addition, TFL will further benefit from Marc’s experience in Change Management and driving digitalization. The supervisory Board is sure that Marc is the right choice as new Executive Board member to continue to develop TFL as a prosperous company with a market leading position”.
In the evocative setting of Palazzo Mezzanotte, headquarters of the Italian Stock Exchange, DANI received an important award last 17 October: the Sustainability Award. An award, promoted by Kon Group and Elite, reserved for those Italian entrepreneurs “who have best expressed their ability to innovate, renew and activate the country’s best energies for a noble cause, to bring about sustainable, inclusive and stable growth, creating added value for the community as well”. The Award is the only one in Italy awarded solely on the basis of a mathematical score and does not envisage the presence of a jury and qualitative judgments, and is part of a “complex long-term project,” explains Francesco Ferragina, President of Kon Group, “that aims to promote a greater culture of sustainability in the entrepreneurial system together with an increase in the awareness and visibility of virtuous companies that have invested significant resources to improve the world we live in”. DANI was ranked first in the ‘Top 100 ESG Excellence Environmental’ category with the motivation: “For its strong commitment to combating climate change and promoting the responsible use of natural resources.” For more than 30 years (DANI’s first certification dates back to 1997), the historic Vicenza tannery has firmly believed that there is no need to wait until tomorrow to live in a world where environmental impact is truly reduced to a minimum, economic and social inequalities are overcome, and truly sustainable, balanced and inclusive development is possible. “Tonight’s award is not only a moment of pride for me and our employees for the journey so far, but as we are used to telling ourselves, this is a further encouragement that motivates us to continue our efforts to generate new positive impacts in our company and society,” said General Manager Valerio Mazzasette with satisfaction on stage.
Gruppo Mastrotto announces that it has acquired a majority stake in the Portuguese company Coindu – Componentes Para A Indústria Automóvel, S.A, a leader in the design and production of high quality leather and textile automotive interiors. For the leading Italian leather group, the press release explains, the deal represents an important step towards vertical integration, increasing its automotive offering and further consolidating its competitive position in the global market. “Both companies aim to expand their presence in the luxury segments, leveraging their joint know-how to meet the highest standards of premium customers in their respective sectors.” The Gomes family will retain a minority stake in Coindu and the current management will continue to play a strategic role in the company after the transaction. Antonio Candido, CEO of Coindu, will remain in office with specific operational delegations, reporting directly to the shareholders. “This strategic agreement is in line with our growth plans, strengthening our downstream integration and allowing us to capture synergies in terms of both revenues and cost structure,” said Chiara Mastrotto, President of Gruppo Mastrotto. “By combining our competencies with those of Coindu, we will strengthen our value proposition by offering increasingly advanced solutions for the automotive sector.” Antonio Candido, Managing Director of Coindu, added: “Thanks to the synergies derived from this transaction, we will be able to offer an integrated service to our customers and respond even more effectively to market needs by improving our production capabilities and technical know-how. Coindu will retain its brand, its innovative production strategy and its independence in the market.”
The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November. In the run-up to the event, the International Council of Tanners, the Leather and Hide Council of America, Leather Naturally and all other international industry organisations have joined forces to publish a new Leather Manifesto calling on delegates to recognise the positive role that leather products, due to their durability, can play in reducing consumption and the environmental impact of the fashion industry. The first Leather Manifesto was published three years ago ahead of COP26, countersigned by more than 20 leather industry organisations from around the world who are now renewing the call at COP29. Expanding on previous messages, the new Manifesto also emphasises all the positive characteristics of leather that can be part of the solution to climate change. The document calls for regulators to recognise the challenges faced by the leather industry, noting that it is “constantly working towards ever greater sustainability and circularity”, but that its efforts will be undermined if regulators and brands do not give “due consideration to the real impacts and benefits of natural materials such as leather”. There is also a mention of the Anti-Deforestation Regulation, which also implicates leather without any scientific evidence of its role in deforestation. The document goes on to state that leather is “an ideal choice for a sustainable future”, encouraging reuse and slow fashion.
The Spring/Summer 2025 season for men’s shoes and bags showcases a blend of sustainability and bold aesthetics. Key trends include the resurgence of slouchy silhouettes, emphasizing comfort without sacrificing style. Footwear features a mix of classic designs reimagined with modern materials, while bags focus on functionality with sleek, minimalist designs. Trade fairs are highlighting responsible emerging designers, reflecting a growing consumer demand for eco-conscious choices. Overall, the season promises a dynamic interplay of tradition and innovation.
Stahl, the world leader in speciality coatings for flexible materials, has announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art facility for the manufacturing of polyurethane dispersions (PUD) in Singapore. This strategic expansion is designed to better serve the growing demand in the Asian and South Pacific regions. The new facility underscores Stahl’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, while also supporting the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals.
A strategic geographical shift Historically, Stahl’s PUD production has been centred in Europe, with products imported into Asia to meet market demand. With the establishment of the Singapore facility, Stahl can now streamline its supply chain, reducing delivery times and improve service for its customers across the region. Therefore, the shift underscores Stahl’s long-term commitment to investing in the region and supporting its customers with faster, more sustainable solutions tailored to the unique demands of the Asia-Pacific market.
Driving innovation with high-performance PUDs The new facility will focus on producing high-performance polyurethane dispersions, which offer a range of beneficial properties critical for various industries. These advanced PUDs provide exceptional fastness, water resistance, print retention, and high flex durability, making them ideal for use in demanding applications. PUD technology plays a key role in reducing solvent usage, making it an important component of Stahl’s broader sustainability strategy. By producing more water-based coatings, Stahl reduces the environmental impact of its operations, supporting the transition to more sustainable materials across industries. The Singapore facility will further explore renewable energy and bio-based formulations, advancing the company’s ESG goals and paving the way for future innovations.
At Edition 160, which took place from 31 August to 2 September in Offenbach, international brands and retailers from the industry came together for the Spring/Summer 2025 seasonal order round, with lively order activity in the exhibition halls on all days.
ILM is and remains an important marketplace for the leather goods, accessories, and luggage industry. In addition to traditional leather goods retailers, more and more shoe and textile retailers as well as buyers from well-known department and concept stores are visiting the trade fair to supplement their range with bags, luggage, and accessories.
Which trends will be in demand in summer 2025? Ice cream colours such as cream, vanilla, and pistachio are on trend alongside strong red tones, especially coral. When it comes to materials, raffia and the combination of linen and natural leather are considered indispensable. Small details such as rivets, perforations and silk foulards further enhance the new bags. Function is the be-all and end-all when it comes to luggage and satchels. Suppliers meet the strict regulations of airlines, for example, with removable wheels on suitcases (Roncato) or practical (cooling) inserts on rucksacks (Reisenthel). Recycled materials are still very popular. Fashion and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
After four intense days full of new projects and collaborations, the Milan WHITE show concluded on September 22 with the presentation of the spring/summer 2025 fashion collections of more than 300 brands. The event, scheduled at the same time as Milan Fashion Week, was realized with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), ICE – Agency for the Promotion Abroad and Internationalization of Italian Enterprises, under the patronage of the Lombardy Region and the City of Milan, and with the partnership of Confartigianato Imprese.
Thanks to a studied scouting, White once again proposed research realities with fresh and innovative creative codes, rewarding the originality of the collections, capturing the identity of individual brands and enhancing their production process, which now more than ever, abandons seriality to favor craftsmanship and uniqueness.
Big news of the September 2024 edition was I’M TALENT SHOWROOM, the collaboration with Istituto Marangoni created to give support to the entrepreneurial path of five students of the renowned international fashion school. Other talents present at WHITE were the winning brands of the Latin American Fashion Awards, founded by Constanza Etro and Silvia Argüello.
As part of the WHITE Village program, Massimiliano Bizzi took part as a speaker in the panel organized by Deloitte, the ninth edition of the Global Fashion & Luxury Private Equity Survey, emphasizing the importance of the contemporary fashion sector represented by WHITE’s brand mix as key players in the new luxury.
Interpreting women’s tastes, often surprising them with details, lines and colors, is Alina Mitrusi, owner of Ital Design, a company highly specialized in hand-stitching shoe accessories born in 2017 and now collaborating with the best shoe factories in the Milanese hinterland for production at the highest level. From more than 20 years of experience in the best Italian shoe factories and art studios, Alina Mitrusi has been able to create with her new brand Mitrusi sensual and feminine footwear that reflects the personality of the wearer, often revealing certain details such as refinement and eccentric taste. Mitrusi shoes are luxury shoes, essential in design, produced with the best quality raw materials and enriched with contemporary details. Shoes that, as its creator says, are ‘impossible to resist!’
They were held with great success from September 14 to 17 Fashion&Jewels, The One and from September 15 to 18, MICAM and MIPEL, confirming a winning synergy of the events dedicated to fashion at Fiera Milano (Rho). A total of 40,950 professional visitors attended the great fashion fair, of whom 45 percent came from abroad, from 140 countries. The best performances were recorded by European countries, particularly Spain, Germany and France, but brilliant results were also achieved by North America, which marked a double-digit increase (Canada and the USA); followed by the Far East, with China and Japan leading the way.
The fairs thus confirmed themselves as undisputed protagonists in the innovation scene, responding to market needs with professionalism and punctuality, even in challenging times such as the current one, reinforcing their role as hubs of encounter, development and excellence. With the participation of visionary startups and collaborations with educational institutions and universities, each event proved to be an immersive journey between creativity and technology.
In a period of profound transformation for the fashion world, dominated by digitization and sustainability, this year’s fairs combined their business message, centered on production methods, artistic ability and the value chain, with a focus on training and job opportunities for the new generations. A bridge between school and business, with numerous opportunities for young people to come into direct contact with the corporate world. Also underscoring the importance of this effort was the participation of the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, who during the inauguration highlighted the value of investing in young people and emerging professions in the manufacturing sector.
