Isabella supports companies in adopting targeted legal solutions for the ethical and transparent management of business practices, specializing in industrial property, environmental and social sustainability and transparent communication. Camilla focuses on legal advice in the area of ​​sustainability and ESG responsibility, helping companies comply with industry regulations and promote sustainable strategies.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction to Sustainability in Fashion 0:00
• Need for Sustainability Evidence

2. Role of Lawyers in Sustainability 0:24
• Legal Support for Companies

3. Regulations and Responsibilities 1:38
• Shared Responsibility (Consumers, Companies, Government)
• Adaptation to Regulations

4. Emblematic Case Studies 2:43
• Case of a Textile Brand
• Case of Cosmetic Products

5. Risks Related to Communication and Marketing 11:19
• Use of Vague and Generic Slogans

6. Impacts of Sustainability Communication 12:28
• Risks of Greenwashing
• Types of Washing

7. Regulatory and Competitive Approach 15:17
• Need for Regulatory Compliance

8. Is Certification Enough? 17:11

9. Regulations: Obstacle or Opportunity for Sustainable Brands? 23:46

10. Conclusions and Recommendations 29:25
• The importance of consulting and education

Interview Transcript::

We often talk about the need to work on multiple fronts to reduce the negative environmental and social impact of the textile industry and fashion. When we talk to the public, who we then call consumers, we hear that companies must do their part.
When we talk to companies they tell us that government intervention is needed with more severe regulations. So today here we are to address the topic of regulations that are already or will soon be in act. While it is clear that everyone – consumer, company and government – has their share of responsibility, we are here today to talk about what companies have also asked for: regulations.
However, it seems to me that when the regulations have arrived, are arriving, brands feel a very distant need to implement them now and to comply, without waiting any longer, perhaps perceiving as distant the possibility of receiving sanctions or fines, or something that is still so distant from their daily reality. We would like to avoid especially small and medium brands from finding themselves unprepared when all these regulations become, perhaps overnight, in place, catching them unprepared and finding themselves facing obstacles from a legal compliance point of view. I know you have also followed some interesting cases, do you have one to tell?

Camilla: “Yes, we have followed several cases, certainly one case that we can consider emblematic was that of a textile brand. It dealt with fashion, and used slogans referring to its products, proposing them as sustainable with zero impact, therefore a whole series of requirements that are certainly very interesting nowadays for those interested in sustainability. The problem of this brand was not so much the actual presence of these qualities as the lack of evidence to support their existence. Having to demonstrate to the consumer what zero impact was, what the advantages of this product were, there was actually no concrete and clear proof, there were no third-party certifications, there was no real traceability system. So it became a bit complicated to be able to explain why this advantage existed. We therefore decided to also do a rebranding job from a communication point of view, therefore working both with the communication department and obviously the production department and the entire traceability system to support the company and actually understand how to change this problem. Because unfortunately even having truly sustainable products it is necessary to also have an entire internal structure that can show it. This is what becomes a little difficult to understand for certain companies and certain realities and therefore we try to raise awareness and support in this sense. Even the new regulations are certainly helping to understand these dynamics.”

Isabella: “Among other things, in this case a very important element, an aggravating factor of this whole situation was given by the fact that an association of environmentalists had reported both via email directly to the company, and via reviews on various platforms, precisely this deceptive conduct, these false statements, in any case misleading or considered not very transparent. So also in this sense it goes without saying that we had to do some work on the credibility of the brand that risked being lost a bit and therefore the work of collecting data and collecting concrete evidence helped to defend ourselves in this sense.”

So as a small brand gains visibility, it still has to pay more and more attention because it ends up being in the sights of associations that defend this type of causes that touch and are touched by the claims that brands make. This case is very interesting also because sometimes it seems so far away that it could happen, that is, it seems that it could only happen to large companies, big names that we often mention within the various channels and instead it actually makes us think that it is something close to us. Do you also have another case to tell, always linked to regulations?

Isabella: “Yes, actually it is another interesting case that happened to us in this sense it concerns a brand of cosmetic products that basically went to define its products in general its production with the use of natural elements.
This aspect created a little bit of problems. Not so much for the use of materials that in reality were actually natural products, but for the fact that for a system of manufacturing procedures these products could not actually be defined as 100% natural. Among other things in this case another aspect that we would like to bring to attention is that the term natural in itself does not mean sustainable. It has evolved a bit in common language that saying natural means sustainability, but in reality it is not exactly like that both from a sustainability terminology point of view and also from a legal point of view, because in reality the term natural does not provide for this classification. So this aspect should also be highlighted because it clearly requires a certain underlying basis to be able to use it.”

Camilla: “Yes, let’s say that unfortunately the term is not directly linked to the word sustainability, on the other hand it is also true that unfortunately fortunately most consumers think so and therefore also in this sense, from a legal point of view, one could actually play on this thing. Because maybe the product can actually be 100% natural, let’s suppose, but on the other hand it still gives a message that can be considered misleading and therefore even with the regulations in force at the moment, since last year, in any case the use of this term could already be considered problematic. Let’s see now that then it is more right it can no longer be used fundamentally but there is also this element to consider in advertising.”

It is widely used, it often happens to read natural almost everywhere in cosmetic products but it also happens in fashion. I happen to find written in cotton therefore 100% natural very often and actually even for us who are not in your profession “natural” immediately evokes sustainable. There is very but very often this association that we should talk about more. It is not actually so appropriate, not everything that is natural and sustainable and not everything that is sustainable is natural. Thank you because this case is also very interesting.
We have also reported cases of big brands that have been the subject of complaints or public checks by consumer protection authorities or by consumer groups due to perhaps misleading statements. For example, we have witnessed the revocation of the Conscious label by H&M, the Joy Life label by Zara and in the same way ASOS has removed the Responsible Edit line. Can you think of other cases to mention relating to big brands?

Camilla: “Yes, it is a case that we remember because this too has been quite discussed, it is the case of Decathlon, for example, which had used the word ecodesign for several products. It qualified its products with this term, but in reality without actually specifying what ecodesign meant or why it fell under this terminology. Eco design is also a European regulation that then determines what the aspects of the product must be, but such a vague term without reference to the regulation and without reference to the sustainability characteristics was misleading. Also for this reason, in the case of Decathlon, this term was then removed and they implemented a completely different policy. Even the use of words that evoke sustainability but which are not specified, that is, it is not indicated why they are used, can be considered misleading for the consumer. The brand might not actually be sustainable or it could be but without demonstrating it, it still falls into a problem of communication of perception.”

If it isn’t demonstrable, then it’s as if it’s not sustainable, is that the right point?

Camilla: “Exactly, yes. This obviously applies to both large companies and small brands because the rules are always the same. Clearly, the larger the company, the more difficult it may be to actually trace the entire product process. Perhaps it starts out as a super sustainable natural raw material, then it gets lost in the process. Support and control are essential.”

What are the risks? What are the most common risks for those who have a sustainable fashion brand today in 2025, but also from now until next year, shortly?

Isabella: “In general, we can say that the most immediate risk, precisely in the choice and implementation of advertising and marketing campaigns, is that brands use generic assertions and slogans such as 100% sustainable, 100% green, environmentally friendly and so on. Certainly very catchy for marketing but based on a lack of concreteness. Because it is now well known that a 100% sustainable product is impossible to produce, so clearly the main risk in using these assertions is receiving reports from consumers. Because the attention that consumers now have towards issues concerning sustainability is very high. There are specific associations or websites where consumers can report the conduct and uses, advertising of certain brands. Furthermore, there is a clear risk of checks by the authorities, issuing sanctions, having to undergo both control procedures and clearly then issuing provisions that are not only economic, but are also inhibitory, that is, they can include the suspension of production in the most serious cases. Obviously also economic sanctions. Above all, however, enormous reputational damage. This concerns both the small brand that perhaps finds itself in a start-up phase of its business, but it also concerns the large company. Unfortunately, one false step is enough to end up in the cyclone and therefore have very large reputational damage.”

Camilla: “For a small brand it is perhaps even more impactful because, especially if at the beginning, it is true that many sanctions are based on what the turnover is, therefore they are proportionate to the turnover and the seriousness of the behavior, for a small brand however low the turnover may be there has perhaps been a large investment and therefore on the other hand these sanctions have a great impact and really risk blocking the birth and growth of this reality.”

That is what we would like to avoid. This is why we are here to talk about it today in this episode and in other contexts. We will tell what we are doing together. Hearing you talk about the risks reminds me of a maxim that a lawyer we turned to in the past for a matter related to the podcast. This maxim that I will never forget was: “Better to go to the lawyer sooner rather than later”. How true! I also think about the initiative that we are proposing now, where the value invested in a workshop that allows you to know and understand the risks and how to avoid them, the regulations that are in place, this value is certainly at least ten times less than the cost of perhaps many legal interventions later. Not to mention the reputational damage. Better to get informed sooner rather than later more than ever applies in this case too.

Isabella: “Yes, it is always better to act in advance. Education and consultancy from expert consultants in sustainability or lawyers, in general those who deal with these things, is essential for prevention. Also because the direction of legislators, both national and European, and in general international, is clear. A brand, whether small or large, that moves in that direction not only avoids, as you rightly said, significant damage also at an economic level, but will also become more competitive. Because it is a change that will be inevitable anyway. If the regulations have not already come into force, they will come into force soon. Let’s say between the end of 2025 and 2030, most of the regulations will come into force and therefore we must be ready precisely to be more competitive on the market.”

Camilla: “We know that everything is part of the European Green Deal package of regulations, but with many individual states that have already moved early. We see France, which has always been a bit of a pioneer in this sense, Italy perhaps a little further behind. From a point of view that is not strictly regulatory, but of guidelines and best practices, Italy is also absolutely moving. From an advertising point of view, for example, we have seen that even the IPA (editor’s note: Advertising Self-Discipline Institute) has moved, already providing references with respect to greenwashing, recently regulated. Or for example, even the National Chamber of Fashion has developed a series of fairly substantial guidelines that give practical indications for brands, even if not strictly related to regulations but to start a change that could previously be slow, which now necessarily becomes very fast. 5 years is nothing and at the latest in 2030 all the regulations, even those that are still being discussed, will come into force. So moving is absolutely necessary.”

For those who already have a brand, but also for those who are starting it, as you said before. Also because for those who are starting it, it is logical to immediately implement something that will be here in 5 years. Is having the certification enough? Does it guarantee that we are in compliance, that we avoid risks and sanctions?

Isabella: “Let’s say that certification is certainly a useful element and an element of great value, because it goes without saying that the name already says it certifies a certain procedure and a certain production. However, it is not a sufficient element to be able to say that the brand or company is 100% protected. This is because first of all there are certifications and certifications, more rigid and less rigid, which therefore require controls, procedures by different authorities, and there are those that have more or less value in terms of protection. There are certifications that are self-produced, which therefore have a different value from a certification that comes from an impartial body, a third party obviously. On this we see that there are in reality various self-certifications that are advertised in a certain way, but in reality we must also be very careful here. Because the regulations that are in force now and that will come into force provide for the certain and verifiable value of certification only if it comes from a body outside the production activity, an impartial body and therefore also on this. we must be careful.”

Camilla: “We have seen several companies, even quite structured ones, that have produced self-certifications, certainly with experts, all useful, but not sufficient. Because self-certification is worth what it is worth. On the other hand, it must also be said that certification may not be sufficient, also because there are many certifications that qualify the product. We said before for example as natural, I am also thinking of organic cotton, but then you also have to see what other products the company offers, what other impacts the company has on the environment. Having a product certified for certain requirements does not automatically imply sustainability, because for example then on everything else you are not actually sustainable. Then we talk a lot about environmental sustainability which is a bit of a focus, it is also perhaps the most difficult part at this time to manage, but let’s remember that sustainability is also social, it is also economic. So maybe a certification is about being green, but on the other hand it doesn’t really fit in with social sustainability, with equality in the workplace, a whole series of issues that instead need to be evaluated, because sustainability is 360 degrees.”

Thank you for remembering it, because this is a fundamental concept that the more we talk about it, the more we tell about it, the better. It reminds me of another question, because we touched on the topic of green washing, in the communication section. In addition to everything that concerns the environmental impact, in reality there are also risks when you touch on other types of washing. This is something that we will explore in the workshop that we are proposing, but I ask you to mention these other types of washing that can be risked.

Isabella: “In fact, in recent years, different types of washing have been classified. We have green washing, which we talked about now. We have pink washing, that type of phenomenon whereby certain periods of the year are exploited, usually around November, when there is the day against violence against women. That type of advertising that exploits support for women’s rights or in general for women’s rights to job opportunities, equal access to job opportunities, to give prestige to their products or their marketing campaigns. The same thing goes for rainbow washing, therefore for support for the LGBTQIA+ community which often uses colors, therefore the rainbow flag, to modify the packaging of products to make the consumer associate that product with support for the specific community. We could really list many washing phenomena.”

Camilla: “It also concerns ethnic minorities, but we have also seen in other cases where support for sport is promoted for example and then it actually isn’t there. Many types of washing, actually misleading advertising, because we are talking about cases in which support is professed but then in reality it doesn’t exist. We always come back to the same thing, to be able to demonstrate, to have concrete proof of the support, of the commitment that the company or small brand actually wants to give to certain categories of people or to certain types of environmental, social well-being. We have seen in the case of rainbow washing for example Primark. It was attacked a lot precisely because it had prepared this very captivating campaign, which actually gave the impression of important support for the community, but on the other hand it then started a collaboration with Turkey and other states where in reality the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community are not actually so protected. So this contrast was created that the public didn’t like, which actually reported the conduct. From a reputational point of view it was quite heavy. The Primark case was emblematic with respect to rainbow washing.”

Thank you for giving a clearer example of what is meant and what is involved when you risk entering a somewhat delicate area, and what it means to avoid this type of risk as well.
Do regulations, in your opinion, help or complicate the work of brands that are sustainable? Are they a brake or a push for sustainable fashion? What do you think?

Isabella: “As lawyers, we think that at first glance the regulations, especially at a time like now where they can be many and fragmented, can certainly generate a lot of confusion. At first glance they can seem like an obstacle to production, to placing on the market, to freedom of communication. In reality, the global system now speaks clearly: we are in a moment where a change of direction must necessarily be made, with regard to overproduction, excessive production, the lack of a recycling system that allows for a lower environmental impact. The direction is clear as we said before. If the brand or the company decides to move in this direction and it is a decision that is actually inevitable, because sooner or later it must be done for everyone, this will allow them to be more competitive. We recommend, not because we are lawyers but in general, to take these steps, to decide to make their production compliant, to regulate their production. If done alongside consultants, sustainability consultants or lawyers, it helps step by step to create a process that is, in addition to being sustainable for the brand itself at an economic level, at an investment level, which also allows you to implement all those steps that then allow you to be protected, to work in peace, to exploit advertising marketing, but to do it in the right way. In addition to being protected from a legal point of view, also to be competitive and real, that is, to provide concrete data, true data.”

Camilla: “Paradoxically, perhaps the legislation is true that it is very varied and abundant, especially in the last period, but on the other hand it actually allows us to have very concrete, very specific guidelines that did not exist before. Before, there was a bit of this freedom whereby everyone did what they wanted and we were all sustainable, let’s put it that way. Instead, this actually allows us to qualify companies that are truly sustainable and give added value and also allow the company to understand what it means to be sustainable. They are a little complex, they need to be analyzed and the support of external consultants certainly helps, but this investment absolutely returns in everything that is a reputation, communication, the well-being of both the company and society.”

We too, as consumers, feel slightly more protected, and that we could trust a little more in the future what companies tell us, knowing that there is a system that guides and supports us from this point of view. Regardless of the regulations and the risk of sanctions, do you think that the actions that are proposed by Italian and European regulations are in any case steps that show us a serious and credible commitment on the part of the company? What do you think?

Camilla: “Certainly yes, because they give these indications on the certainty of the information that is given and this regardless of what the legislation is fundamental, because the consumer can make an informed, free choice and therefore choose to support companies that are concretely committed to their activity. This is certainly a step forward, it helps regardless of what the risk of sanctions is. Clearly a company should choose to take these steps regardless of fear, danger but for a concrete commitment to the environment, but even those who have greater difficulty understanding some dynamics the legislation can help.”

Are these steps of planning how to treat fabrics at the end of their life cycle or introducing a digital passport or designing a garment with the end of its life cycle in mind useful in your opinion? It’s not that just because the regulations tell us so, but do all these initiatives within the royal framework actually go in a sensible direction?

Isabella: “Yes, it absolutely makes sense and the direction taken is clear in general. In our opinion there is an increasing attention among consumers, associations but also by companies themselves, brands. It is all channeled in the same direction.”

We have anticipated the workshop that we are organizing together. We are pleased to launch this initiative precisely because we want small and medium-sized businesses to also be informed and ready to be in line with the regulatory framework. And not only that: within the workshop we will also touch on the part of sustainability strategy, so we have the two parts, legal and strategic. We will see all the various phases of production and also of the sale and what follows after a garment, a fashion accessory, how in all these various phases you can improve your own environmental and social impact.

To learn more, click here.

This annual event is not only a celebration of creativity but also a powerful ecological message: nothing is thrown away, nothing is wasted.

Every year, Frasso Sabino welcomes us with a setting carefully decorated with reused scrap materials by the Pro Loco Frasso, helped by friends and volunteers. This year, the wind-swept fabric scraps, a textile monument reminiscent of the “Venus of the Rags,” mannequin chandeliers, and wardrobes serving as doors strongly emphasize the theme of sustainable fashion.

In the picturesque setting of the medieval village, the audience admired unique creations that demonstrate how what we consider waste can be transformed into runway fashion.

The initiative kicked off with an upcycling and creative reuse workshop we organized together with artisan and seamstress Irina Mariana Andronic. Participants witnessed the transformation of forgotten garments into runway outfits, all in the name of sustainability.

Following this, the talk “Upcycling, Reuse, and Quality” enlivened one of Frasso Sabino’s squares, decorated with recycled materials for the occasion. Among the guests, Erasmo Fiorentino, official stylist of Miss Universe, Sara Piccinini Leopardi of Resrcle, and Silvia Filippi of Accademia di Ecologia ed Arte Riarteco APS, discussed with us the importance of a sustainable approach in the fashion world.

After an outdoor dinner celebrating local cuisine, the fashion show came to life, hosted by the veteran presenter Viviana Rapisarda, showcasing extraordinary creations to the public. This year, we were on the jury again, tasked with the difficult job of evaluating increasingly elaborate and innovative outfits.

The first prize went to “Allegria” by Valeria Zingaretti, a dress made from fabric samples collected since 2016. The second place was awarded to “CD…spiace” by Alessandra De Angelis, Simonetta Ruggeri, and Nadia Pellacci Puglielli, created from old CDs, curing sacks for salami, and tights. The third prize was given to “Lorelei” by Alejandra Deaza Silva, crafted from a children’s inflatable pool.

Other standout creations included the dress by Graziella Cestari and Eugenia Benedetti, made from grandchildren’s toys, and the one by Francesca Niata, created from an umbrella. Rossella Calbi and Antonella Ragno impressed with a dress made of cutlery, placemats, tea wrappers, and plastic bags, while Donata Claps presented “R..esistere,” symbolizing water, life, and resilience. Silena D’Angeli from the Angelita Anti-Violence Center in Rieti proposed a dress made of book pages and newspaper, conveying a message of women’s rebirth. Maria Grazia La Terza surprised with a dress made from Easter egg wrappers, disposable tablecloths, and dental placemats, showing how unusual materials can become fashion. Finally, Tiziano Cioccolini presented “Black Swan,” a sensual dress created from X-ray plates from the 1980s.

We decided to gift two strategic consultancy sessions to the artists chosen by the public vote to guide them in realizing their projects. The prize was won by the dress “CD…spiace,” which captured the audience’s hearts with its sparkling combination of old CDs.

Frasso Sabino, with its cobbled streets and timeless atmosphere, proved to be the perfect stage for this event. The village, known for its beauty and the hospitality of its inhabitants, successfully highlighted the initiative, attracting visitors and fashion enthusiasts. Each year, we participate with enthusiasm in this initiative, which not only raises awareness about reuse, recycling, and upcycling of various materials but also enhances the charm of Frasso Sabino. An event that demonstrates how fashion can be creative and respectful of the environment.

Photos: cover picture, Giorgia Arosio @arsgiox ; Dress ECOde

This year, to celebrate ten years of the event, a novelty. Four thematic lounges dedicated to aspects of sustainability, attended by experts and professionals on the subject: the yellow lounge on energy, the green lounge on the circular economy, the blue lounge on tourism and the red lounge, in which I took part, on sustainable fashion.

 Thanks to Simona Maresca and Serena Benedetti for the invitation and the work they do every year to make the event more and more interesting and engaging.

1 Ajutami by Alessandra De Angelis and Simonetta Ruggieri

Disused jute bags, cardboard scraps and pasta cups consumed during the making of the dress, fresh flowers created with egg cartons passed from generation to generation.

2 Vestito di carta – Rinascita del riciclo by Nina Syc

Vecchi giornali, volantini promozionali, carta crespa, pizzo di carta bianca, fogli piegati, tubi dei giornali arrotolati, giornali, la carta e pezzi di stoffa ‘second hand’, scatola del tè.

3 Vestito Filosofico by Valeria Zingaretti

The idea stems from the desire to recycle the “Philosophical Calendar”, a dress of aphorisms and philosophical thoughts created from the hundreds (about 800) of calendar pages of past years, glued together with water and vinyl glue, and placed on a support of white TNT.

4 Note di gioventù by Nadia Assogna

5 Restitutio correntis by Elena Grippo and Nikola Koruga

6 Buona la prima by Vive e cattive show

7 Stella maris by Sara Russo

8 Tienimi per mano by Compagnia bella 

9 WABI SABI by Silena D’Angeli (Centro Antiviolenza Angelita)

10 Spicchi di LUNA by Eugenia Benedetti and Graziella Cestari

11 Tempo by Donata Claps and Vita Masi

The clothes awarded by the jury

 

 

The ideas and creativity of all the artists have impressed, the messages transmitted through the clothes are more current and heartfelt than ever, and we hope they will continue to spread them by bringing more and more people together thanks to the beauty and lightness of the clothes. Well done! The appointment with designers and creatives is for next year.

You can watch the video of the fashion show here:

Photos: cover by Utopia Aps; where not indicated, photos have been made by Dress ECOde©

With the upcycling of the most diverse materials, the ecological dresses walk the catwalk in Frasso Sabino (province of Rieti). An unmissable appointment. Every year the creativity of recycling designers shows how it is possible to look at what we would otherwise throw away as waste with different eyes.

The clothes parade through the streets of the small village under a clear sky, among the tables arranged for the occasion. In the jury, we observe them one by one to evaluate the complexity of the realization, the recycling of materials, the originality, the creative commitment. In the meantime, a special dinner cooked in a pot and without meat is served.

Thanks to Serena, Simona, the artists, the Frasso Sabino pro loco for their commitment to creating an important initiative to raise awareness on issues that are important to us, such as those of waste and more sustainable fashion.

13 are the dresses competing this year. We describe them one by one: they will amaze you for the often unusual materials for the creation of a runway dress!

Which would you have chosen? What do you think is the most ecological?

First place: Patria (Donata Claps)

It is a reproduction of the Ukrainian national costume created by the artist as an anti-war cry. Would you ever guess what it was made of? Patria is a dress that stands out as such, has no trace of waste, makes you forget about recycling and brings back to fashion.

Made with: disposable surgical masks, hospital gauze, plastic plates and bottles, garbage bags, plastic hay bale twine, umbrella cover, ears of corn.

Second place: Flapping of wings (Joy Fumi Akinseye, Sundus Saeed, Valentina Ferrari from Sartoria Sociale KORE)

Created by three designers and pattern makers from three different countries (Nigeria, Pakistan and Italy), the dress wants to convey at the same time the lightness of a butterfly’s flight and the threat of its extinction, with the hope that nature will regenerate itself.

Made with: garbage bags, kitchen filters, bubble wrap, plastic construction site net, clear plastic, dusting duvet, Coca-Cola bottles, electric cables.

Third Place: Opposites Attract (Vive e cattive Show)

Quattro colleghe hanno voluto riutilizzare i rifiuti prodotti durante il lavoro per creare un abito che richiamasse proprio la loro attività. “Il positivo e il negativo, il pieno e il vuoto che si completano alla perfezione, bianco e nero che rappresenta lo yin e lo yang, le forze opposte da cui tutto si origina”, così descrivono il vestito.

Realizzato con: film in resina di colore nero, scarto di stampa termica, impianto in pellicola litografica, polietilene espanso residuato da operazioni di imballaggio e confezionamento, carte di protezione lastre per stampa litografica, cartoncino di scarto derivato dalla fustellatura di scatole.

Four colleagues wanted to reuse the waste produced during work to create a dress that recalled their professional activity. “The positive and the negative, the fullness and the emptiness that complement each other perfectly, black and white representing yin and yang, the opposing forces from which everything originates”, so describe the dress.

Made with: black resin film, thermal printing waste, lithographic film plant, expanded polyethylene residual from packing and packaging operations, protection papers for lithographic printing plates, waste cardboard derived from the punching of boxes.

Short circuit (Simona Toma)

Inspired by the artist’s experience, who says of himself: “Being in short circuit requires the strength to dismantle, reshuffle and relaunch the self”.

Made with: corks, mosquito net, plastic straws, iron hanger.

Flames and weaving (School of arts and crafts Nicola Zabaglia – Monica Cosimi, teacher; Cristiana Pompei, teacher; Maftuna Halimova and Angelina Saura, students)

Students and teachers created a sculpture dress that recalled the flames of incinerators. The waste becomes a whole of intertwining in the fusion.

Made with: strips of photographic paper scraps, ribbons, nylon canvas scraps, plastic sticks, bottle caps, coffee capsules.

Tree (Valeria Zingaretti)

As the musical dress passes, the sounds of nature are heard. They come from the swaying of harmoniously inserted sticks to dress us with what nature itself offers.

Made with: waste woods collected on the beach, beige organza.

Controversial (Erika Petrozzi)

Created with medical waste, the artist wishes to make us reflect on the hope of life and rebirth, after a long period of suffering.

Made with: masks, drug capsules, fishing line.

Green hope (Andreina and Eleonora Amodeo)

Soft and wide, the dress is an invitation to build a future without waste with hope and common sense.

Made with: construction site cloth, masks and masks holders, coffee capsules.

CambiaMenti (Associazione Carta Bianca)*

The only men’s suit in the competition was created with the intention of making people reflect on the changes that man is bringing to the ecosystem, to modify mentality.

Made with: paper, mosquito nets, metal structure of disused umbrellas.

*wordplay: it literally means ‘changes’ but in Italian sound like ‘change minds’

Rain of colours (Nadia Assogna)

1,710 discs cut one by one from thrown umbrellas to create 95 pom poms, hand-sewn to form flower petals on the bodice and skirt. Care and patience for a stunning result. “I would like no one to abandon broken umbrellas and any kind of waste on the street”, explains Nadia. “Do not leave waste on the street! It costs you nothing but the world gains in health”.

Made with: umbrellas of various colors and sizes now unusable collected over the years with the collaboration of friends and relatives, an old bra, wire frame, plastic and metal hoods.

The rebirth (Centro Antiviolenza Angelita from Rieti)

With this dress, the artists send a clear and strong message: “We must free the planet from the suffocation of plastic as well as every woman from all forms of violence”.

Made with: garbage bags, plastic bottles, cans, straws.

Relax (Laura Toma)

Laura was inspired by the film “Freakout” with its story full of magic, extraordinary and hateful characters, but with a great desire to improve the world and make others feel good. A meticulous interweaving of commonly used wraps and other scraps: you wouldn’t say it’s made with Easter egg cards!

Made with: Easter egg and snack wrapping, cushion lining, flower bouquet net, beer and plastic bottle caps, plastic bottles, rubber bands.

My footprint (Simona Malerba)

The intent of the dress is to lead us to reflect on the ecological footprint that each of us leaves on the planet through our choices. What we eat, the way we dress, our behaviors. Everything leaves an indelible mark.

Made with: scraps of bath sponge, bubble wrap and packaging scraps, plastic hooks made from shower curtains, toilet paper rolls, paper clips, a bunch of wheat and an olive leaf.

Here we wrote about the previous editions: find out the dresses of the past fashion shows!

Photos by: Gregorio Maria Mattei, Dress ECOde, Francesco Franceschi, Sara Gentili. Video by Dress ECOde.

Do you know how many are a lifetime of clothing? Since we usually throw away the clothes we no longer use over time, do we get an idea of how many there are in total?

To answer this question, in 2018 Benjamin Von Wong and Laura François came up with the idea of gathering them all in a single wardrobe, creating the tallest wardrobe in the world: in a single instant, those who look up can see a life of clothes with their own eyes.

The wardrobe is different for each of us, according to the economic availability, the era, the culture. Benjamin and Laura have estimated the number of garments that an average person in an economically developed country wears during their life: 3,000.

In the steel structure, assembled over five long days, 3,000 items donated by volunteer students from Fayoum University were hung on 180 meters of wire inside the Mall of Arabia in Cairo.

As we placed each one we were reminded of the different phases in our lives and just how many clothes we use aloing the way.

Can we imagine the environmental and social impact of our lifelong wardrobe?

The tallest wardrobe in the world wants to remind us to:

Love the clothes we have

Buy only what we need

Sharing what we don’t

We wanted the installation to be more than just a pretty piece of art. We wanted it to become a space which could also be used to generate tangible action and to encourage individuals to think locally.

For this reason, all the used clothes were destined to support Refuge Egypt. “Clothing donations are not always the best approach when wanting to purge your closet,” Laura explains. “Clothing bundles coming from the West and being sold to developing regions for higher prices can ultimately cause a rift in the local economy. Fortunately, this isn’t the case in Egypt. The World’s Tallest Closet was a great opportunity to call the public to action in rethinking their consumption – and also to donate directly to local communities that need it”.

Photos from: Von Wong blog

From that moment on, the spotlight began to be focused on what lies behind the fashion industry. We talk about it every year because we don’t want this dramatic event to happen in vain, and to stop the repetition of tragedies like this one.

Challenge yourself with our  QUIZ!  You can win a gift!

We talk about this and the theme of 2022 edition (Money, Fashion, Power) in the last live episode with Carlotta Redaelli.

You can listen the episode here: Soldi. Moda. Potere.

Or on Spotify:

• Belli capelli con l’upcycling (“Nice hair with the upcycle”)

Workshop for adults to make hair accessories, turbans, headbands and scrunches by recovering waste fabrics.

• Immagina e crea il tuo eco-animaletto (“Imagine and create your little eco-animal”)

Workshop for children (6-10 years) to create animals with recycled fabrics.

Silhouettes, pins, needles, pencils, chalks, spools, scissors, fabrics… the long table set up for the occasion was full of materials, and of hands industriously working to make their own accessory. Many people have tried their hand at recovering a fabric, drawing, cutting and sewing. Even those who did not know how to use needle and thread. There are those who have chosen to create a turban, some a headband, some scrunches. And also those who joined the children in choosing an eco-pet! The idea was to separate the two workshops, but in the end young and less young  joined the table, and in the midst of that creative chaos for a moment I thought: “Will we be able to follow everyone well? But, above all, will they be having fun?”.

While Carlotta coordinated experienced and inexperienced eco-fashion designers of turbans, headbands and scrunches, I let myself be carried away by the enthusiasm of those who created eco-animals. Samu, 3 and a half years old, chose a dinosaur, absolutely green: because that’s how he saw it at the museum! When you choose upcycling, you know, the materials are those available: it is the design that follows the raw material, not the other way around. Search and search  again we found a military green fabric perfect for the dinosaur!

The best part of these workshops is the final satisfaction of the participants, the joy of having created with their own hands, of not having bought, of having saved a possible refusal.

The extra happiness for us was being together live: Anne-Laure and I finally in person! And meeting Carlotta, Mayra Sallie and Grazia, , directly from the Club Sostenibilità on clubhouse. Chiara from Gipsy cip also came to give us a hand!

At the end of the workshop, the garments di Cooperativa Sociale Mani Tese, Sartoria Sociale Manigolde and Oso, because “Another fashion is possible”!
The event was born from a collaboration between: Cooperativa ManiTese Onlus Manigolde Giardini in Transito – Giardino Comunitario Lea Garofalo Carlotta Redaelli Dress ECOdeLato B – l’altro lato di Milano Corte delle Madri NaturaSì

Sfilata Frasso is an eco-fashion event, created to raise awareness in the local community on the theme of separate waste collection. Creative designers participate by proposing clothes made by recovering materials to be thrown away. Not just a more sustainable fashion show, but in the squares and streets of the town the local community creates a green work of art every time with reused materials. This year colored plastic fragments, recovered in the previous months also from neighboring municipalities happy to contribute, have embellished the village.

When Serena Benedetti and Simona Maresca, communication managers of the event, invited me, I accepted immediately. “The clothes will be, as per regulation, made exclusively with waste materials, ready more than ever to launch the message #NonSonoDaButtare! – Serena and Simona say – The pandemic has raised more than ever the issue of the difficulty of waste disposal. (Also) our handling of disposable materials has changed”.

On July 31st I took part as a juror in the best of edition of the show we love so much, with the nine artists of the recovery of first classified materials of the last seven editions competing. With me, four other jurors shared the rather difficult task of choosing this year’s winners, in the setting of a village full of charm. During the show, we enjoyed a delicious dinner with a menu created specifically for the occasion, made in a cooking pot, with the utmost attention to sustainability.

Conducted by Viviana Rapisarda, the evening was pleasantly full of clothes, interspersed with performances by the Terni jazz Orchestra. The town was laid out in cheerful and curious tables. Between courses we voted on clothes. It was not easy: the creativity and commitment of the participants in recovering the materials is remarkable. You can see here a short video that I created as a souvenir.

I show you all the clothes: creating clothes and at the same time reducing the ecological footprint is possible!

Entangled in the Net, by Eugenia Benedetti and Graziella Cestari. First place

Made with plastic bottles, mosquito nets, car sunshades, ribbons and old rhinestones. “The dress is intended to be a hymn of protest against the pollution of the seas due to micro-plastics – explain Eugenia and Graziella – It is an invitation to take care of the treasures that nature offers us”. For years, the artists have shared with SfilataFrasso the message of respect and care for the environment, and attention to proper waste disposal.

Worn by Giada Franceschi.

Pss!, by Gregorio Maria Mattei. Second place

Made with PVC inflatables with holes, assembled through real hand and machine stitching and heat melting points. An ironic and fun dress that recalls summer, the joy of living, smiles, but hides a very important message: the desire to return to a society “inflated” with positive values. Doesn’t it make you happy just looking at it?

Worn by Francesca Fortuna.

Crystal Bride, by Erica Petrozzi. Third place

Made with syringe caps, paper and plastic of tubes for drip, antibiotic vial caps, and decorated with recycled pearls and crystals, sewn with fishing line. A lively dress for a sustainable bride consisting of skirt and bustier. “The dress recalls the pain we all learned about during the Covid-19 epidemic,” explains Erica. At the same time, the dress brings back the image of a luminous bride, who comes proudly to the altar, crowning a dream. Erica is a nurse and by telling about her dress together with Silvia, the model, she has transmitted to us the emotions of an experience that she has marked her.

Worn by Silvia De Tommaso.

Sunshine, by Silvia Rossi

Made with surgical masks, plastic wrap from cigarette packs, gold plastic scraps. Silvia involved friends, colleagues, relatives asking not to throw away the masks, collecting about a hundred. Sanitized with water, sewn, woven and finished, they compose a dress inspired by Star Wars, which warms and protects a warrior woman ready to face the challenges of everyday life.

Worn by Beatrice Fiorillo.

A butterfly on flowers, by Vita Masi

Made with nylon mesh bag for seasoning cured meats, plastic sticks, aluminum can tabs, shoe laces, wallpaper, napkin scraps, tubular for electric wires. A romantic dress, with which Vita tells that a flower can be born in the midst of waste, never lose hope.

Worn by Arianna Cicolani.

REbirth, by ASD DMB Danza Movimento Benessere

Made with mesh bags for potatoes, clear plastic scraps, floral packaging, cardboard from the lids of disposable aluminum containers, plastic sticks to support balloons, wire made from crutches. The dress was born from a reflection on the difficult period we are experiencing. It is inspired by the 1980s film MAD MAX, in which a lone warrior is exiled from his city and rescued by a tribe of wild children. The warrior is the woman who in everyday life “fights with the weapons of creativity and passion against the pandemic”. “We have chosen to use a poor material – say the artists – to show that a woman can be chic even dressed with a sack of potatoes, be simple without giving up being beautiful”.

The dress received the Sustainable Passion award from the Legambiente Bassa Sabina Club.

Worn by Lavinia Luglio.

Carpe Diem, by Simona Toma

Made with recycled paper, TNT placemats, metal bottle caps collected by relatives and friends, worn cotton rags, used surgical masks, mismatched shoe laces. “A street style dress, a little rock, a little Madonna in ‘Desperately Seeking Susan’ revisited with today’s eyes – says Simona – The short top is made with old used rags sanitized by the condominium cleaning company from which they were. The macrame technique was chosen and applied for the back of the top. Carpe diem is the sound of laughter between friends who find themselves at the table together after a long time, the tinkling as you uncork the bottle of iced beer on hot days summer, the sweat of work that has never stopped, got lost, we search and search… we dream”.

Worn by Serena Perpignani.

Lines of shadow,  by Nadia Assogna

Made with an old garden net, two-tone shading, PVC from advertising billboards, a rain cover umbrella, bags of dog food. A colorful dress that fully represents recovery. “All waste materials, if not fully exploited, always have a second chance”, explains Nadia. “We must always be ready to look beyond, especially when it comes to preserving the environment and building a bright future together. To infinity and beyond!”.

Worn by Marzia Assogna.

Black and white weaves, by Donata Claps

Made with plastic twine, black garbage bags, TNT tablecloths, silver paper, 2 CDs, plastic bottles. Each braid was assembled and sewn by hand by the artist with the help of his father. Inspired during a lunch in the countryside, on the occasion of the hay harvest, it is embellished with a belt with floral decorations. “Nature knows how to give itself to man without reserve”, says Donata. “We all enjoy the benefits of him. But not all of us respect it. Hence the idea of recovering the twine for hay bales and everything that could be reused after harvesting to give life to a creation with materials that would have been discarded”. From Basilicata to Frasso to remind respect for nature.

Worn by Veronica Sinibaldi.

More info are in the following pages of the event:
SfilataFrasso Facebook
SfilataFrasso Instagram

Photos: Leonardo Priolo

“The clothes will be, as per regulation, made exclusively with trash and waste materials, ready more than ever to send the message: #NonSonoDaButtare! (#NotToBeWasted!). 
The pandemic has raised more than ever the issue of the difficulty of waste disposal. Our handling of disposable materials has changed (also). We have used and are using millions, even billions, of masks and gloves, essential for health, but not without difficulties in terms of disposal”. The official partner of the event is the Circolo Legambiente Bassa Sabina, which will assign the special Sustainable Passion award.

It will be possible to follow the parade on the official social channels of the event. To know more:

–  Facebook page
– Instagram profile

Information to book and participate in the dinner will be available on the website of the Pro Loco di Frasso Sabino in the coming weeks. Places are limited according to current legislation.

Tthe future of transparent supply chains – presented by Oeko-Texda Oeko-Tex 

Panel discussion with: Annika Sauerhoefer, Made in Green by Oeko-Tex, Product Manager; Mirjam Smend, Greenstyle Munich, founder; Andreas Bothe, Bay City & Chiemsee, Head of CSR & Sustainability

Consumers are increasingly becoming more and more aware of the unsustainable nature of current fashion practices. “We are seeing that people are thinking more about their consumer behaviour, especially since the Fridays for Future movement, which has also been accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Annika Sauerhoefer,

But to buy sustainable they face challenges; how do they know what product to buy? Can they trust what is written on a product label?
“Companies should meet the responsibility for people and the planet on their own initiative, without any regulations from the government. It should be normal that workers’ rights are respected, but as we have all seen, unfortunately that isn’t working”, Annika continued.

According to the panel, a brand needs to show that it has nothing to hide and need to strive to maintain control in the production chain.

At the current moment, it is not easy to have overview of the supply chain as the fashion industry is global, fragmented and many different actors can undermine the authenticity of a brand. For example, many supply facilities are not owned by brands. So, first step toward sustainability is transparency. Because only then the social and environmental issues along the chain can be tackled. Close collaboration and communication of every actor has been one of the main themes highlighted in the discussion.
Moreover, it was also commonly agreed that since the idea of voluntariness to greenness hasn’t worked and won’t work in the future brands must be held responsible along their supply chain by laws working to support this accountability and to pressure to guarantee transparency.

The long financial thread of sustainability

Panel discussion with: Dr Sabine Schlorke, IFC World Bank, Global Head Manufacturing; Christian Heller, Value Balancing Alliance e.V. CEO; Hans-Jürgen Walter, Deloitte, Global Leader of Sustainable Finance; Darius Nader Maleki, Maleki Corporate Group, Project Manager

The topic was the role of banks and investors in the creation of a sustainable future and a balanced investment strategy. Transparency and circularity not only in products and materials, but also with regard to the financing aspect was the main theme that emerged.
Christian Heller wanted to pay particular attention to proposing the creation of a sustainable finance platform, as the finance sector has a huge enabling factor driving the real economy. The sustainable finance platform will allow financial market players to ask real economy companies how are they running their investments and if it is contributing to a sustainable future. This will be a really driving force in the end to change the economic systems towards ‘cleaning the economy’ ”.

Hans Jurgen Walter highlighted how “Europe needs about 250 billion in additional yearly investment in the next decades to meet the Paris agreements and yet public money is not enough. This is why the European Union has proposed hard law to incentivise private capital to flow to create projects and therefore sustainable finance is needed to implement strategies towards achieving the sustainable development goals by making it part of financial decision-making”.
He goes on to state that in the financial sector “investors are increasingly recognising that climate risk is investment risk and investors are asking how they should modify their portfolios. They are seeking to understand both the physical risk associated with climate change as well as the waste that climate policy will impact prices caused demand across the entire economy […] Furthermore financial market participants will have to disclose to their clients the impact of sustainability in financial return and the impact of their investment decision on sustainability”.

Achieve more widespread and standardised adoption of transparent financial and measurable data is going to be the major challenge, and find a way to incentives companies to find solutions regarding basic sustainable goals, ultimately progressing through the entire value chain and a global system to generate this data would be a great start to find these solutions.

Dr Sabine Schlorke instead focused on highlighting the need to find “a business model that works. Something that we can scale and then work with. every time we work at low scale in manufacturing the prices will be high and scaling is really hard in production, but prices only go down if you start scaling these business models”.

Transparency, a global system to have measurable data, and accountability have been pivotal points of discussion and elements that, according to all speakers in this panel, will be crucial in pushing financial institutions to sustain, promote and embrace ecological and sustainable projects that will minimize their impact on climate change.

Product is key – the Timberland 2030 vision for net positivity

“A net positive impact” by 2030: that is Timberland’s goal. To achieve it, the cult US brand has set itself the goal of having a net positive impact on nature by designing 100% of its products for circularity and making them from natural materials sourced from regenerative agriculture. Watch the full interview with Elisabetta Baronio, Sustainability & Responsibility Manager at Timberland, and Max Gilgenmann, Content Director of Neonyt.

Does it sound a little complicated? This is how Ms. Baronio explained it in short: “Our 2020 vision is about creating products that have a net positive impact on the planet. We are looking to create products, our boots for instance, that are able to sequestrate more carbon from the atmosphere rather than what is emitted through the production process” .
To the question as to how they have started thinking about this vision, she said: “We have a lot of data when it comes to carbon emission but our net positive vision in the future is going as well towards other directions; biodiversity, water retention, and hopefully one day we will be able to also quantify the social impact, the net positive social impact, that we can have with our products […] We’re going to focus on circularity and on regenerative agriculture to ensure that we will reach this net positive vision by mirroring nature’s true course of regeneration and no waste”.

Sounds incredible doesn’t it? Well, according to Timberland it is possible. I guess the benefit that comes with being a global brand is also the power to experiment and push the boundaries of what is possible. At Dress Ecode our focus has always been on promoting mainly small and independent sustainable brand. However, sometimes it is also important to see what brands such as Timberland are doing in the industry to see what can be possible to achieve in the quest for a more sustainable and fair fashion world.

Certification – transparency, credibility and trust

Panel discussion with: Franziska Dormann, a representative from the Global Organic Textile Standard; Rapha Breyer, spokesperson for textile policy and partnerships at Fairtrade; Ingo Strube, spokesperson for sustainable consumption at Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Environment

Guaranteeing transparent processes and supply chains, preserving brand credibility and building up consumer trust are the most important and also difficult aspects for certifiers and environmental labels. And in these times of the coronavirus in particular, it is proving a real challenge to maintain the quality of the certifications at a high level and to guarantee good and transparent results.

Even though certifications are becoming more and more accurate, sought after by costumers and more widespread in general, all the speakers in the discussions agreed on the needs of 3 major points:
• A good set of rules to develop standards for certifications and continuous involvement of experts and other stakeholders;
• Focusing on building trust within the industry to become fairer by showing that it isn’t only good for business but also for longevity;
• Creating government regulations to prevent businesses exploiting developing countries for example by creating a minimum ‘floor’ of payments as Mr. Beyr said, where businesses can’t go below
• and last but not least, being patient as this path toward transparency, credibility and trust will take time until it will become widely institutionalized.

Panel discussion with: Christian Schultze-Wolters, Blockchain Solutions – IBM, Director ; Dr Stefan Rennicke, Kaya&Kato, founder and CEO; Michael Krake, Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Deputy Director General.

The journey that an item of clothing covers before it ends up hanging in our wardrobe and the conditions that it was made under should become more transparent and traceable with the use of blockchain technology.
It all begun from the food industry, in which blockchain technology had been first experimented and it is now moving on toward the fashion industry to promote sustainability and transparency. After mentioning the green deal of the EU Commission, all speakers agreed upon the idea that governments should be the risk takers and the regulators when it comes to blockchain as it would allow them to progress faster with a relatively low impact on their resources when compared to private industries.

All in all, blockchain technology should be complementary because:
• it allows for stronger interaction of partners along the supply chain;
• it enables th immutability of information stored in the blockchain and thus promoting transparency and accountability;
• quickness in transferring information, create an open market solution to keep expanding the blockchain technology to see if there can be more partners involved.

10 x positive from the start – SOMWR

Interview: Thimo Schwenzfeier, Show Director of Neonyt, meets Svein Rasmussen, world-class windsurfer, future fighter and CEO of Somwr & Starboard, and was nothing short but inspiring.

Consumption that contributes to protecting the environment, reduces the amount of plastic in the ocean and ensures that mangrove trees are planted – still a utopia or already a reality?
Thimo Schwenzfeier, Show Director of Neonyt, incontra Svein Rasmussen, world-class windsurfer, future fighter e CEO di SOMWR & Starboard

This is what Mr. Rasmussen had to say about his idea on having a positive impact on the planet through fashion: “We want to start a ‘10 times planet positive’ that means that we are basically absorbing 10 pounds more CO2 than what we are emitting during the production of the products or other brand services such as driving their cars to photo shoots for example, and the production of every part of the brand in general. We try to see if we can do that 10 times over, and so we started some 5-6 years ago to plant 650,000 mangrove trees, that means 650,000 tonnes of CO2 will be separated in the next 20 years. […]. Basically, when we make a piece of apparel, we pick up the same amount of plastic as the weight of the item. If that item happens to be some recycled polyester of the best grade or if it is prime organic cotton, we still pick up that amount at the beach (in Thailand) and also every item is then ‘10 times planet positive’. We do these things are just setting the imprint in people’s minds that you know here are simple solutions”.
Mr. Rasmussen goes on to explain his plan for the future of his project:
“Our plan is to plant like maybe a million trees and pick a million kilos of litter within 2025, and then since our customers and all our stakeholders are on that journey to make a positive impact through solar panelling and so on, they are part of our accounting and I think that’s what I look forward the most is to really prove, and show, that you can do this together with our customers and the community as a whole”.

Many topics have been discussed during the conference, some of which are the ever existing difficulties we face in improving the fashion industry and some other, luckily, are some of the policies, ideas and projects that companies are trying to implement to not only reduce the ecological impact of fashion but to even make it have a positive impact.

Transparency throughout whole of the supply chain, quicker communication, increased government regulations, more conscious financial investments, implementation of new technologies like blockchain and strong case studies such as the one of Timberland and SOMWR & Starboard are the main issues to focus on. It will surely take a collective effort from institutions to companies to the final consumer to create real progress.

We at Dress Ecode are convinced that this efforts will pay off in the end, and are looking forward to see how the topics discussed at the Neonyt On Air Conference will progress in the short and long term future.

Riccardo Zazzini

Photos: cover, from Neonyt’s website; Vishal Banik, Waldemar Brandt, Vitalijs Barilo, Fran Hogan.