Anne Cavassa, recently become president and CEO of PrimaLoft – a company specializing in high performance, sustainable insulation -, is fostering a culture of innovation at PrimaLoft, with a focus on developing industry-leading products that elevate performance while reducing environmental impact. Her passion for sustainability, innovation, and the outdoors perfectly aligns her personal values with PrimaLoft’s purpose to unleash the full potential of people, product and planet.
Erika Enquist, PrimaLoft Senior Manager of Global Quality and Sustainability, guides us through the company’s thinking on the subject of sustainability.
“Today’s consumers are more informed than ever, and as a result, their demand for sustainable products is at an all-time high. However, given greenwashing concerns in the industry, they’re also more skeptical than ever. Consumers deserve to know the facts about what’s behind the products they purchase. That’s why PrimaLoft is committed to radical transparency with our partners and the end consumer. Whether it’s through our annual Relentlessly Responsible Report, partner events, or social media, we are always looking for new ways to ensure transparency. We continue to place a strong emphasis on certifications, which has enabled us to maintain transparency in our sustainability claims and ESG efforts.”
But PrimaLoft seems to focus not only on the products it markets, as Enquist reveals: “PrimaLoft has long established itself as an industry leader, delivering the high performance, sustainable innovations that fuel the outdoor industry. However, we understand that there is opportunity for us to expand beyond product sustainability and embrace a more holistic approach. We are proud to announce that starting this year, our flagship PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation is now produced exclusively using the company’s innovative PrimaLoft® P.U.R.E.™ manufacturing technology. This groundbreaking manufacturing method reduces carbon emissions by 50% or greater, compared to traditional methods. This transition represents the first step towards applying the technology across PrimaLoft’s product portfolio, with fellow legacy products PrimaLoft® Silver and PrimaLoft® Black expected to convert in the next two years.”
2024 has been a difficult year for fashion in general and for Made in Italy itself, for reasons ranging from geopolitics to the increase in raw material prices, to changes in consumer habits. And 2025 does not start under the best auspices, with a turnover that according to the Fashion economic trends of Camera della moda will stop at 96 mld, ie – 5.3%, with even stronger declines for clothing, shoes, leather goods (while the other sectors such as eyewear, beauty and jewellery are positive). The appointment with the Luxury Summit of Il Sole 24 Ore was an opportunity to question the present and especially the future of a sector, such as fashion, which seems to be called today to reinvent itself, increasingly in an eye for uniqueness and high quality.
Quality is at the heart of luxury
This is the concept that Fabio Tamburini, Director of Il Sole 24 Ore, strongly emphasized at the opening of the work: “luxury is one of the pillars of the Italian manufacturing industry. And I didn’t say the big fashion brands. This is because luxury has as its great strength the chain of very high specialties that guarantees an exceptional quality, true strength of Italian luxury”. A concept also reinforced by Federico Silvestri, Managing Director of Gruppo 24 ORE, who said that the fascination of Made in Italy lies precisely in the quality of the product. Hence also the overcoming of the problem of duties introduced by the USA: “We remember – said Tamburini – that the world is big and that closed a door, opens a door: the Middle East for example, but also Europe, India, East Asia. It is necessary to take the case back in hand and go discover new markets, as was done in the past”.
The new luxury is sharing and belonging
As always very ‘disrupting’ the position of Silvio Campara, CEO of Golden Goose, a brand that has recorded enviable growth rates, which boasts two factories and 265 owned shops and is present in 74 countries around the world. Campara started from a fact: “Today the so-called ‘luxury’, that is all products sold from 500 euro up per transaction, It loses 50% in acquisition (acquisition of new customers) and 37% in retention (customer loyalty). 85% of this ‘luxury’ should be represented by the 16-45 generation, which in reality represents only 7-8%. Why? Because this target generation no longer has the needs and dreams of the previous ones”. If, in the past, life was marked by stages to be reached – first the study, then the career, and gradually they put aside money to buy the house but also the symbols of these achievements achieved, – the luxury watch, the beautiful car, the signed dress, etc. , today with the advent of mobile phones, the mechanisms that previously fed the so-called ‘desire industry’ have been completely overturned. “Today everything is temporary, today the coolest thing lasts at most three days, and there is no more frenzy of waiting”. That’s why, says Campara, shows and collections no longer interest anyone. Today the consumer no longer needs to ‘appear’, he needs to ‘belong’, because all those who were the great idealistic poles of the past – religion, politics etc – have failed.
The consumer no longer wants to be considered as a mere spectator – so I organize the mega event, the super show, you come, see the collection, you fall in love with it and go home happy and ready to buy -. The consumer today wants to be heard in his needs, he wants to build a relationship with the brand side by side. This is the secret of the success of Golden Goose: sharing with the consumer a culture, the culture of the search for the best self-expression. “Today you have to go from selling a product, to inspiring the consumer. People want a corner where they can decide. The consumer is not a spectator, he is part of a relationship. The product is not made for us, but for others. You have to train the empathic aspect”. An example? “Ralph Lauren, a brand that has recorded + 88% in the stock market in the last 5 years and +33% in the last 24 months. Did you change anything from the formula of the Madison Avenue house in autumn and the Hamptons house in summer? No! He did a small thing though, he created inside all the stores a little corner where the consumer feels at home, where he can drink a good coffee. And boom! “.
The supply chain at its centre
Sergio Tamborini, President of Confindustria Moda Federazione Tessile e Moda, recently signed the final text of the new national collective labour agreement, Highlighted the importance of protecting a sector that has been underestimated by government policy until now and which has its beating heart in the supply chain: “Beyond the glamorous aspect of fashion shows, fashion is the country’s second largest manufacturing facility and has a total trade balance of 30 billion, with 60% of exports. Yet, politics has always considered fashion a second-rate sector, perhaps because its realities were too small to be heard, as it was in the automotive industry. The country still lacks an industrial policy for the fashion sector. The risk, at this stage, is to lose parts of the supply chain and if this should happen, we risk losing the entire supply chain”. In this framework, he stressed, emerges the importance of the renewal of the national collective agreement, to defend and for the relaunch of the production chain of textile clothing fashion.
Also Giovanna Ceolini, President of Confindustria Accessori Moda, highlighted how the awareness of the importance of the fashion sector for the country of Italy and as missing a protection of such a unique and fundamental supply chain. “The French fashion chain is no longer there, while the Italian one has been able to overcome deep crises such as that of Covid. Yet there is no protection of any kind, there are no technical figures. We must invest in training but also protect small businesses and this is what we are trying to do as an association, to be stronger interlocutors at the table with politics”.
The importance of the supply chain was also stressed by Carlo Capasa, President of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, who said that in Italy the brand and the supply chain are one. “Italian fashion puts creativity at the centre and makes marketing flow from it, not vice versa as happens outside national borders. But creativity is only possible because the companies are geographically close to each other and communicate with each other: this is the supply chain. And the Italian chain is unique in the world. This is the creativity that has made us famous in the world, and we must preserve it. That’s why the brands produce in Italy”.
The problem of training Stefania Lazzaroni, General Director of the Altagamma Foundation, reported on the experience of ‘Adopt a school’ by Altagamma, a training project involving 60 large brands (from Moncler to Boffi to Ducati) that have ‘adopted’ a technical vocational school, with the aim of protecting and enhancing the supply chain. “Currently in Italy the need for manufacturing talent is about 240 thousand people in seven different sectors that Altagamma represents (fashion, design, food, hospitality, engines) but only 50% of this need will be met due to the disaffection of young people and training gaps”.
Small brands to relaunch the sector Massimiliano Bizzi, President and Founder of White, highlighted the importance of developing and supporting small brands as a lever for relaunching the entire sector: “I find that today fashion has moved away from the consumer, fashion is now ‘little fashionable’. We must realize that there is low cost and that there is a need for novelty, but not in the sense understood in the past. Retail is in difficulty all over the world and buys less than it used to be. Ostentation no longer works. And fashion must know how to observe society and respond to change. Today society is about food, travel, and low cost”. Bizzi also reported on the experience of White, who celebrated 25 years of success and who changed the way to be proud, focusing on scouting and supporting niche and research brands. “We try to understand which is the right brand for that type of market, unlike most other fairs that welcome companies that request it or those proposed by associations. White, on the other hand, does a deep work of research and scouting around the world”. Bizzi also stressed the importance of physical meeting between people even in business: “All of us need to still have human contact. And this is the philosophy of Purple, the new initiative we are carrying out with Fieramilano: an inclusive event, in balance between digital and physical, inspired by the Fuorisalone of the design week”.
Fashion and artificial intelligence
Andrea Ruzzi, Head of Consumer & Manufacturing Industries at Accenture Italy, explored how AI is changing the fashion world by making work faster, easier and less expensive. “For example, in e-commerce systems the use of agents capable of making recommendations to consumers has increased product conversion by 15-20%, while in marketing, The hybrid photo shooting has created greater consumer engagement thanks to the contextualization of the product created by AI. Without forgetting the prototype, where artificial intelligence has reduced costs and time, with a benefit also for the environment related to the reduction of waste”. The next step, Ruzzi recalled, is artificial intelligence agentica: “for example, if I want to go on a trip, I go to Chatgpt and tell him what I want to do and my interests. I will have a structured plan, a structured list of possible actions, but in the agency AI is taken over by another agent that operates interactively, and who goes to look at which flights can be suitable for my trip, and then match the flights of the hotels and as it interacts with me according to my preferences to build a tailor made trip”. But the further development of AI are the physical robots, which are already being worked on, equipped with spatial consciousness to interact with their environment and able to act autonomously.
Leather and deforestation will be discussed at the European Parliament on June 3. Cotance and UNIC-Italian Tanneries have organized a workshop entitled “EUDR: Is leather a factor in deforestation? – Let’s bring the facts to the European Parliament.” An important opportunity to reiterate once again that the tanning industry is not a driver of deforestation and that the inclusion of leather in the list of products subject to the Anti Deforestation Regulation is a macroscopic mistake.
The initiative, as UNIC reports, will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and is “promoted by MEP Salvatore De Meo (EPP, Italy) in collaboration with representatives of the European leather industry.” On the table will be “the results of the study conducted by the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (University of Pisa), on the impact of the EUDR on the European leather supply chain from an economic, social and environmental point of view.”
Manuel Rios (Cotance president), Fulvia Bacchi (UNIC director) and Gustavo Gonzalez-Quijano (Cotance secretary general) will speak at the workshop.
As repeatedly mentioned, the tanning sector has many good reasons to support the exclusion of its raw material from the Anti Deforestation Regulation because, as leather is a by-product of the meat industry, it is by no means a driver of animal husbandry and consequently neither of deforestation.
APLF ASEAN, Southeast Asia’s most focused B2B platform for leather, materials, and technology sourcing, heads to its third edition in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 13 – 15 November 2025. Following two successful editions in Bangkok, APLF ASEAN continues to build momentum as the region’s most business-oriented event for the manufacturing supply chain. Backed by decades of experience organizing international leather exhibitions in Hong Kong, APLF ASEAN is created with a purpose to connect international suppliers with Southeast Asia’s industrial sourcing network.
In a region where manufacturers heavily rely on imported materials and components to fuel exports in footwear, leather goods, and furniture, APLF ASEAN stands out by offering a curated, business-driven tradeshow experience. The event caters exclusively to manufacturers of footwear, leather goods, garment and furniture, with a unique exhibition format.
A Tradeshow Built Around the M.E.E.T. Concept
At the heart of APLF ASEAN is the M.E.E.T. concept, which defines the visitor and exhibitor journey:
* M – MATCHING: Business matchmaking between suppliers and qualified sourcing professionals, enabling direct and high-value B2B connections.
* E – EXPERIENCE: Dedicated zones to showcase leather trends and material innovations in a curated environment designed for interaction and discovery.
* E – EDUCATION: A platform for industry experts and innovators to share market insights and breakthroughs through seminars and technical sessions.
* T – TRADESHOW: A lean, focused event format delivering high-quality engagement tailored to industrial sourcing.
“Exhibitors and buyers deserve an enhanced sourcing experience in the region, and we hope APLF ASEAN can help provide that focused, high-return environment,” said Ms. Janice Lee, Director of APLF. “Our aim is to create an exhibition that fosters meaningful connections between suppliers and the right buyers, while also setting a new benchmark for leather and materials exhibitions in Vietnam.”
Leather Import Demand in Vietnam
On average, Vietnam imports over 500 million square feet of leather per year. This leather is imported from countries such as Italy, India, Brazil, and the US, with China as the principal supplier of components for footwear manufacture. Approximately 60% of the leather imported is dedicated to manufacturing footwear with leather uppers, with the balance being used to manufacture leather goods, accessories, bags and garments and the remainder used in the growing and emerging sectors of automotive and furniture upholstery.
A Strategic Platform for a Shifting Global Supply Chain
As global trade dynamics evolve and rising tariffs encourage supply diversification, Vietnam has solidified its position as a strategic manufacturing hub, especially for footwear, fashion accessories, bags, and furniture. According to forecasts, Vietnam’s leather market is projected to grow at 6–8% annually from 2024 to 2030.
With this momentum, APLF ASEAN provides international suppliers the ideal gateway to Southeast Asia. As a professionally curated, high-quality sourcing event, APLF ASEAN delivers what manufacturers in the region deserve: a new standard for the leather and material exhibition in Vietnam.
When the world of work meets school, the benefits always outweigh the efforts, on both sides. The fourth edition of the FGL Academy training project has happily concluded. From May 5 to May 22, 2025, a team of professionals from the chemical company FGL International, which has been serving the tanning industry for twenty years, made itself available to the Galileo Galilei Technological Economic Institute (ITTE) of Arzignano for an intensive course on bisphenols.
A very valuable opportunity for male and female students to be able to draw directly from the knowledge and field experience of those who work every day in the world of tanning chemistry with expertise and passion.
The program kicked off with a talk by Dr. Franca Nuti on “Analytical Methods and Specifications in the Tanning Supply Chain” addressed to the fifth classes, and then continued by involving the fourth classes in a series of meetings that ranged from theory to practical applications to laboratory analysis.
The training project this year was dedicated to “BISPHENOLS AND THE TANNERY INDUSTRY: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE. Determination of Bisphenols in Leather with HPLC Technology.” A course of lectures conducted by the company’s professionals – Giacomo Giacomelli, Serena Matteoli, Stefano Brea and Davide Vigolo – with the coordination and support of lecturer Prof. Laura Iannone.
The course was met with great interest, so the objective of the initiative was successfully renewed: that of giving a 360-degree information to those studying tanning chemistry, making the students participate in real experiences in this sector, to prepare them with a critical eye to the work they will face in their future employment.
FGL International, part of the Lapi Group holding company, has once again demonstrated the importance of investing in the education of new generations, sharing its expertise and innovative technical solutions.
FGL Academy professionals with Francesco Lapi (second from right), president of FGL InternationalSome students from ITTE Galilei in Arzignano who participated in the FGL Academy 2025Giacomo Giacomelli during a class
Technology, sustainability and design met at Milan Design Week 2025 during the ‘Walk Wise’ talk, moderated by Matteo Pasca, director of Arsutoria Studio and Arsutoria School. The panel, held at Isola Basic Village, explored how the footwear industry is rethinking materials, processes and shoe construction to reduce its environmental impact, particularly when it comes to end-of-life shoe solutions.
Pasca opened his talk by highlighting the main trends in the global footwear market and the complexity of designing models with circularity in mind, especially considering the multi-material nature of most shoes. Presenting the FootLoop project – single-material shoes, alternative constructions and biodegradable materials – were three speakers. Each representing one of the 3 leading companies in the sector that initiated the research and development of the project.
René Medel – Senior Digital Creation Engineer at framas Group, a leading manufacturer of high-performance plastic components for the sports footwear industry. Jesus Marini Parissi – Founder of Moon Rabbit Adaptive Lab, which fuses computational design, advanced engineering and systems optimisation. Yael Joyce Vantu – Chief Product Officer of Balena, a pioneer in the development of circular materials and biodegradable solutions for fashion and footwear.
WHAT IS FOOTLOOP?
Footloop is a fully modular, mono-material shoe system, built using Balena’s compostable BioCir® material and designed to perform through both 3D printing and injection molding. The concept was guided by three core principles:
Modularity: components can be replaced, repaired, or disassembled without adhesives.
Materiality: a single circular material is used throughout.
Movement: the shoe is engineered for comfort, flexibility, and real-world performance.
The result is a shoe that redefines how we make, use, and unmake footwear, pushing the boundaries of both design and sustainability.
DESIGNING WITH SYSTEMS IN MIND: MOON RABBIT LAB’S APPROACH
As experts in computational design and digital fabrication, Moon Rabbit Lab approached Footloop not as a finished product, but as a living system, one that could adapt, move, and return to nature without leaving waste behind.
“We saw Footloop as an opportunity to redesign footwear from the inside out,” Jesus Marini Parissi shared. “Rather than layering materials or bonding incompatible parts, we focused on using a single compostable polymer, Balena’s BioCir®, to create a fully modular, multi-component shoe.”
Moon Rabbit’s design process was rooted in biomimicry and systems thinking. Drawing inspiration from natural structures, leaves, shells, and branches, they used computational tools to create geometries that were lightweight, flexible, and strong.
Each part was optimized for performance through virtual simulations before being physically prototyped. “We built digital twins for every component,” he explained. “That allowed us to run simulations, tweak performance variables, and test tolerances long before printing a single part. The material wasn’t just a passive input; it actively influenced the form.”
MANUFACTURING INNOVATION WITH FRAMAS
Known for their leadership in footwear tooling and component manufacturing, framas played a crucial role in translating design ambition into physical function. Their core challenge was to integrate a 3D-printed upper and sole both produced with Balena’s BioCir® with an injection-molded outsole, all without adhesives or chemical bonding.
“We had to fundamentally rethink how a shoe is constructed,” René Medel said. “Instead of gluing or fusing components, we designed them to lock together mechanically. This required going back to traditional shoemaking methods pre-industrial construction techniques where craftsmanship drove function.”
This mechanical interlocking system not only supports disassembly and repair but also enhances circularity by eliminating composite waste. Every connection is intentional and reversible. From a manufacturing standpoint, framas also validated BioCir® across two major platforms:
In injection molding, the material is handled similarly to thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), making it easy to integrate into existing production lines.
In FDM 3D printing, however, success depended on detailed parameter calibration,highlighting both the challenges and the opportunities of working with innovative circular materials.
BALENA’S MATERIAL AT THE CORE
At the heart of Footloop is Balena’s BioCir®, a flexible, compostable, and bio-based material designed for circularity without compromising performance. Unlike traditional polymers, BioCir® is engineered to meet the demands of industrial manufacturing while enabling multiple end-of-life pathways from recycling to composting.
What set this project apart was the ability to apply the same material across both additive and conventional production processes. Whether in filament or pellet form, BioCir® offered the durability, elasticity, and processability required to prototype, refine, and ultimately manufacture a fully modular shoe.
A NEW LOOP FOR FOOTWEAR
Footloop is more than a shoe, it’s a statement. It challenges the footwear industry to think beyond products and toward systems. From computational modelling and modular design to bio-based materials and regenerative end-of-life strategies, it shows what’s possible when collaboration replaces compromise.
Balena, framas and Moon Rabbit Adaptive Lab didn’t just create a shoe. They created a new way forward.
A moment of the ‘Walk Wise’ talk during Milan Design Week
D3O® Recycled Foams contains two grades of D3O® ZeroTM materials. This recycled material is the latest innovation from impact protection experts at D3O. D3O® Zero™ has been designed to protect the things that matter while innovating the manufacturing process to reduce waste.
Available in four thicknesses and two densities, D3O® ZeroTM is suitable for a range of applications requiring impact protection.
To create D3O® Zero™, surplus D3O® material from D3O factories is ground down and mixed with new foams, and the mixture is shaped into large cylindrical bales of D3O® Zero™. Next, D3O skives sheets in various thicknesses ranging from 2mm to 10mm for customers. The material can then be die cut of thermoformed to suit various protective applications.
From 2027, a real digital revolution will enter the scene in the fashion industry, and not only: the Digital Product Passport (DPP). This is not simply a new bureaucratic requirement imposed by the European Union, but rather an unmissable opportunity for companies wishing to radically rethink their production chain and their relationship with the consumer. Indeed, this regulatory challenge represents a unique opportunity to profoundly transform supply chains and corporate strategies, bringing transparency, sustainability and technological innovation to the heart of business.
These are the concepts that emerged from the meeting and discussion organised by Fashion magazine in collaboration with Netcomm and GS1 Italy. A digital excellence roundtable entitled “Digital Product Passport. Between regulatory obligations and new horizons”. We report on some of the themes that emerged from the intense day of work to highlight the various facets of the issue, stimulate reflection and, above all, underline how it is time and urgent to structure ourselves for the changes that are now just around the corner.
Imagine for a moment that you open your wardrobe and know precisely the history of every single garment, every bag and every shoe. From the material used to the craftsman who produced it. This is not science fiction: it is the future that awaits us thanks to the Digital Product Passport. But beware, this is not just a technological trend, it is a mandatory revolution that will profoundly change the production and commercial landscape.
DPP: BETWEEN OBLIGATION AND OPPORTUNITY
The DPP was born within the ESPR Regulation, a central element of the European Green Deal, and obliges companies to provide detailed and traceable information for each product. Paolo Cibien of GS1 Italy calls this novelty a real “cultural and technological revolution”. On the other hand, Marco Ruffa of Data Life adds an even broader vision: “DPP should not be seen only as regulatory compliance, but as a strategic lever capable of radically redefining the relationship between those who produce, those who sell and those who buy”.
STANDARDISATION AND INTEROPERABILITY: A COMMON LANGUAGE
For this transition to take place truly and effectively, it is crucial to adopt a shared and interoperable standard across the entire supply chain. Bruno Aceto, CEO of GS1 Italy, insists on the crucial importance of creating a common language that allows the massive and secure exchange of information, avoiding inefficiencies and waste. “To think of tackling DPP without standards would simply be impossible”, Aceto points out. A shared system avoids fragmentation, reduces errors and waste, and enables a massive and secure flow of information.
BLOCKCHAIN, TRUST AND DATA SECURITY
A key role in this transition is played by blockchain technology, which guarantees longevity, privacy and authenticity of data. Davide Di Stefano of Aura Blockchain Consortium highlights its centrality: “Blockchain allows consumers to really trust the products they buy”. Some big brands, such as Tod’s and Loro Piana, are already using this technology, allowing customers to verify the authenticity and origin of products in real time through simple QR codes or NFC tags directly embedded in products and providing an enriched customer experience.
DATA COLLECTION: STARTING WITH PROTOTYPING
However, to obtain reliable and complete information, Marina Raicevic of Surge emphasises that data collection cannot be limited to the finished product but must start already at the prototype stage. An attitude that ensures greater accuracy and reliability of data throughout the production cycle. “It is necessary to standardise the intra-factory language in order to make the collaboration between the actors really effective”, Raicevic argues. Back to the topic of standardisation, then!
DIGITAL SUSTAINABILITY: A NEW COMPETITIVE PARADIGM
A further key aspect of DPP is digital sustainability, which is now an indispensable competitive paradigm. Carolina Lonetti of Simest highlights how dedicated funding can be decisive in helping Italian SMEs in the digital and sustainable transition, enabling the adoption of advanced technologies to track and certify products. An emblematic example is the case of the Swedish brand Filippa K, which has adopted DPP to ensure complete traceability of the wool used in its collections, from the pasture to the shop.
FROM PRODUCT TO CUSTOMER: A NEW CUSTOMER JOURNEY
But DPP does not only revolutionise production chains: it also redefines the direct relationship between product and end consumer. Eleonora Migliori of Dondup tells how, thanks to DPP, the consumer feels more involved: “Customers who can access the information contained in DPP spend more time on our website and show a greater propensity to purchase”. The tool, in fact, if integrated effectively with CRM strategies, becomes a powerful lever for building consumer loyalty and making the customer an active part of the brand.
TURNING COSTS INTO INVESTMENTS
Obviously, this digital transformation also entails significant and strategic investments. Roberto Liscia of Netcomm emphasises the need for Italian companies to overcome their current systemic shortcomings by creating platforms capable of aggregating the entire supply chain. “Only in this way will it be possible to truly transform DPP costs into sustainable strategic investments”, Liscia says.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION AND TRANSPARENCY
Another crucial issue is the protection of intellectual property and the protection of corporate know-how. Silvia Elia, also from Netcomm, points out that DPP makes it possible to effectively communicate the distinctive value of Made in Italy while keeping the most sensitive information confidential, thanks to the possibility of differentiating the levels of access to data.
EDUCATING THE CONSUMER, BUILDING TRUST
Finally, one of the biggest challenges remains educating the consumer. Marco Ruffa makes it clear that “only a truly aware customer can make the most of the DPP. We need to go beyond simple code scanning, building an engaging narrative that allows the product itself to tell its own story, generating a real dialogue with the buyer.
TAKE AWAY
“DPP is not an invention to make marketing directors happy, nor is it a gadget for an evolved boutique. It is a norm. But also, a great opportunity. On this double table – obligation and opportunity – the most important game for the fashion and luxury industry is being played”, Marco Ruffa continued in closing the meeting. He thus summarises the key points concerning the DPP:
Mindshift. No digital revolution happens without a mindshift. The consumer of the future – and partly already the consumer of the present – demands provenance, verification, consistency. He is no longer willing to accept fictitious storytelling. He wants data. He wants truth. Those who wait for the market to oblige them have already missed the train.
Compliance. No more time for excuses. From 2027, the DPP obligation will be triggered for several product categories. But those who move now have an advantage. Compliance is no longer just a grid to be adhered to. It is the new common language between brands, institutions, suppliers and the financial system. DPP makes ESG value visible and allows banks to reward those who invest in traceability. It is the bridge between regulation and reputation.
Collaboration. DPP cannot be built alone: collaboration between brands – even competitors – is today the only way to achieve shared standards and interoperable solutions. The concept of ‘competitive advantage’ must be rewritten: the winner will be those who know how to activate networks, not just protect patents.
Start small, scale big. Everyone wants to start. But they are afraid. Afraid of costs, of complexity, of the domino effect. So, they park their projects in pilots, like quarantine areas. But the pilot is not a car park. It is a trampoline. You need the courage to start, even in a small way.
To believe in it. No project can work if those who run it first concentrate their thoughts on the obstacles to be faced and hope for a delay. Or worse still, that they eventually decide to backtrack.
Storytelling. DPP gives products a voice and, if designed well, this voice can be powerful. It is no longer just marketing that speaks to the customer: it is the product itself that tells its origin, its supply chain, its values.
Standardisation. It is the least sexy word, but the most urgent. Without common standards, every company in the production chain will have to replicate the same processes dozens of times for different customers (brands). The result? Costs, inefficiencies, errors. There are various institutions and consortia, not least the European Community: all are working to define common identifiers, shared structures. This is where true interoperability is at stake.
Export. Italian SMEs can use the digital passport to tell the Made in Italy brand in foreign markets. It is a flywheel of trust and value.
Digital twin. The digital passport can become a true digital extension of the physical product, eventually developing into a dynamic twin that evolves, updates, communicates. An entity that grows with the product and with the customers interacting with it, extending the standard information cycle – which today stops at sale – and coming to cover market phenomena such as second hand and rental, up to the disposal and recycling of the components that make it up.
Ultimately, the Digital Product Passport does not simply represent a new regulatory obligation, but rather an extraordinary opportunity to completely redefine corporate culture, production and the relationship with the market. The test, now, is to take up the challenge to become true fashion pioneers of the future.
The appointment with A+A 2025, the world’s largest and most important trade fair for safety, security and occupational health, is approaching and will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, from November 4 to 7.
As always, expectations are very high. Starting with the size: this year’s biennial German trade fair promises to be the largest ever with more than 2,200 exhibitors from 60 different countries and an area of more than 83,000 square meters. “Registration is still open, but we are very selective because we want healthy growth for our fair that goes hand in hand with a high quality of visitors,” explained Lars Wismer, A+A Global Head & Director, at a recent press meeting in Milan organized by the Honegger company, which exclusively represents the Düsseldorf trade fair body for Italy.
From a logistical point of view, the German fair confirms the successful layout experimented two years ago that saw the segmentation of the offer articulated by product groupings in the thirteen pavilions used. The novelty concerns the opening of Hall 7, which will be dedicated to start-ups in the sector that will have the opportunity to present themselves to the market. Instead, on the 15th will take place as always the unmissable fashion shows that turn the spotlight on PPE design and in general on the latest in workwear style and safety.
As always, the footwear sector will also be very well represented thanks to the participation of the major international brands that take advantage of this event to launch their latest product innovations on the market. Moreover, the Italian presence stands out in this sector, which can count on 125 exhibitors in an area of seven thousand square meters. Alongside footwear manufacturers, major suppliers of materials, soles and components for the manufacture of safety shoes will be present.
Among A+A’s side events, mention should be made of The International Congress, which as always runs parallel to the fair. Organized by Basi, the German Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health, the congress promises a refreshed format to address issues of digitization and sustainability (the same key topics as the fair). These include prevention strategies such as “Vision Zero,” a global initiative aimed at reducing workplace accidents. Labor science results from application-oriented research are also presented and discussed at the event.
The organizers point out that as of June 1, an APP of the fair will be available, which in addition to providing information about the fair aims to become an important working tool by fostering business matches among operators.
Finally, the international portfolio of the German security fair is being enriched with a new foreign trade fair event. After those in Shanghai, Istanbul, Singapore and Bangkok, this year the first edition of “JIOSH+W – Japan International Occupational Safety and Health + Well-being” debuts in Osaka, Japan, from July 16 to 19.
Lars Wismer and Tommaso Honegger at the May 13 press conference in Milan, Italy.The distribution of pavilions at A+A 2025
We drew extensive inspiration from the last edition of Lineapelle and produced a comprehensive report featuring all the exciting new materials showcased at the fair, along with some trend suggestions to explore.
Summer Vibes
The uppers of sandals and slippers, as well as those of other light and typically summery models, are likely to aim for simplicity. It will be the soles and heels, then, that will make the difference. In some cases with a more decisive edge, in others by simply choosing more unusual shapes.
Strong and sculpted
The sculpture of the bottom, the typical carrarmato texture reinvented through unusual patterns or out-of-the-ordinary colour tones, will have their say in the coming summer.
Training Styles
The trainer continues to thrive in all collections. If a few bottoms are still aiming at larger than average volumes, there are more and more proposals that are going back to flats, or at least to more traditional thicknesses. This applies to both the sportier and the more elegant models.
