Promoting positive change: In conversation with Matteo Tugliani, founder of Moaconcept

Moaconcept is an Italian sneaker brand founded in 2013 by Matteo Tugliani. Since then, the brand has continuously followed their mission to create contemporary products that are an inspiration for people from different cultures and countries. In this interview, founder Matteo Tugliani gives insights into the past, present and future of Moaconcept and shares his vision on social and environmental responsibility from a brand perspective.

What made you start Moaconcept? What was the inspiration behind the brand?

Social and environmental sustainability have always been one of Moaconcept's main assets. In recent years we have decided to implement our commitment by allocating the budgets previously invested in licensing with brands such as Disney, Looney Tunes and Peanuts, in pro-environmental and pro-social projects with the aim of becoming directly involved in change and being an example for our community.

Sneakers have always had a special reputation in the fashion scene. Where do you see the Moaconcept sneakers in regards to street style, casualwear and cult items?

Our collections are contemporary and inspired by the urban fashion world. But for us, the sneaker is also the means to achieve a common goal: to promote positive change in the world through the adoption of responsible actions in everyday life. Our goal is to give birth to a community of responsible actors who share our same values.

Moaconcept became a Benefit Corporation in May 2022. What changed for the brand with this step and how does it differentiate Moaconcept from others?

Since our founding, we have always sought to make our contribution to the betterment of society. Becoming a Benefit Corporation was the natural fulfillment of a path characterized by constant attention to the land and people. This encourages us to adopt socially responsible behavior through concrete actions, involving our community that shares the same respect for people and the planet. Our acronym MOA (MyOwnAction) is precisely meant to emphasize our non-didactic approach, as we act in the first person to set a concrete example.

Moaconcept repurposes part of their annual profits to activities that restore the planet and support social welfare. What are some current projects that Moaconcept is involved in?

After activating urban requalification projects with street artists in the past years and activating a collaboration with WeForest for the reforestation of a part of Tanzania, this year we started the MyOwnAction project, a program to collect used sneakers of any brand in order to promote their collection, recycling and reuse, while at the same time reducing the CO2 impact on the planet. In fact, extending the life cycle of a shoe or recycling part of its components allows us to significantly limit these emissions.

The brand also frequently collaborates with young artists for special capsules. How important is external creativity to keep a fresh spirit for a brand?

We are always open to new collaborations especially when they allow us to innovate and enhance the creative talents entering the fashion world.

Moaconcept works with over 50 retailers and department stores worldwide. What was the process of global growth like for the brand?

We also aspire to increase Moaconcept's notoriety internationally. To succeed we are currently consolidating our new brand identity in order to be able to reach new markets consistent in terms of positioning with our mission and vision and our target audience. We want our collections to inspire people from different countries and cultures to share respect for people and the planet.

What can customers expect from upcoming collections and collaborations this year?

In the new FW23 collection, we have tried to be as much in line with our corporate social responsibility philosophy as possible, but without giving up on making a product that provokes enthusiasm in the wearer, while ensuring product quality and longevity. In particular, we have incorporated new recycled and environmentally sustainable materials, and brought 35% of our production back to Italy. We are confident that in the coming seasons we will be able to grow this figure to 100%.

Moaconcept just celebrated its tenth anniversary. Where do you see the brand in ten years from now?

Today Moaconcept is no longer just a brand of sneakers, but wants to become a state of mind, a movement aimed at creating a community of actors personally involved for change. Our long-term goals certainly include reducing our CO2 impact on the environment through the use of GRS materials, and we aim to expand the distribution of the brand with the purpose of amplifying our reach in terms of social and environmental sustainability.