Made in Italy footwear chooses Retex.Green for the circular economy
A strategic agreement at a time of profound transformation for the entire fashion and accessories sector, with the aim of supporting companies across the supply chain as they tackle the regulatory and market changes linked to sustainability, the management of products at end of life and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Europe’s new regulatory landscape is, in fact, no longer seen as a mere compliance obligation, but as a genuine competitive lever for consolidating and defending the position of Italian companies in global markets.
A SUPPLY CHAIN WORTH OVER €14 BILLION AT THE SUSTAINABILITY CROSSROADS
The figures for the footwear sector paint a picture of one of the key industries of Made in Italy, with turnover of more than €14.5 billion, over 73,000 direct employees and a strong export orientation, with exports accounting for as much as 85% of total production.
The complexity of the present day demands that companies be able to look to the future without losing market share. This is the context for the vision of Giovanna Ceolini, who explained the reasons behind the partnership between the association of Italian footwear manufacturers and the Retex.Green Consortium. The President of Assocalzaturifici explained how the current historical moment requires companies to balance the handling of day-to-day challenges with the planning of the structural changes that lie ahead for the supply chain: ‘In this scenario, continuing to invest in innovation, sustainability and competitiveness is essential to strengthen the position of our companies in international markets. Our collaboration with Retex.Green was created precisely to guide businesses through regulatory change and to provide tools and expertise that allow them to turn this period of change into an opportunity for growth and value creation’.
THE ROLE OF RETEX.GREEN AND THE SAFE HUB
The partnership brings together Assocalzaturifici’s in-depth knowledge of the needs of footwear companies with the technical and environmental know-how of Retex.Green.
‘At a time when companies are having to deal with a complex international scenario and a profound transformation of industrial models, we believe it is essential to provide them with expertise, certified systems for traceability and flow control, and a qualified network of logistics and processing-plant partners already operating in Italy and abroad’, said Mauro Chezzi, Deputy Director of Confindustria Moda and the association’s representative for Retex.Green.
Founded at the initiative of Confindustria Moda, the Fondazione del Tessile Italiano and the country’s leading industrial players, Retex.Green sets out, in fact, to be the national point of reference for the circular economy in the fashion system, protecting brands through expert, traceable and fully legally compliant management of textile waste, clothing, footwear, leather goods and accessories.
The consortium’s operational strength is guaranteed by its General Contractor, SAFE – Hub of Consortia for Circular Economies, a specialised body able to optimise logistics, actual recycling and reuse processes, with the ultimate aim of turning waste into new secondary raw materials and making the Italian supply chain genuinely circular.