Renzo Rosso: Creating the supply chain for sustainable fashion is very expensive

“It is possible to create a supply chain for sustainable fashion but it is very expensive and at the moment it is not a priority, as food is. We will get there in the future, but over a longer timescale.” These are the words of Renzo Rosso, head of Diesel, who was a keynote speaker during the afternoon session of the Milano fashion global Summit 2015, an initiative organised by Class Editori in collaboration with the Italian National Chamber of Fashion.

“The great multinationals can change the world: because if the world changes we have to adapt to it. I have invested in NaturaSì, and in the culture which it embodies, because it is an example of a modern enterprise. The object is to reach a point where we can give the customer the confidence of one hundred percent organic products. We have to put the emphasis on agriculture, which is an important element for Italy,” Rosso added.

For Capasa “sustainability is a theme on which we have had a round table since 2011, in which Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo, Renzo Rosso and Zegna take part in.”

"Sustainability has been an important theme for some time"

Carlo Capasa, chairman of the Italian national chamber of fashion, emphasised however, that sustainability has been an important theme for some time. “It is a subject on which we have held a round table since 2011, in which the most important brands on the Italian scene take part, such as Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo, Renzo Rosso and Zegna, and we are working quickly to try to involve as many players as possible.” “For this reason we are also talking to the chambers of fashion in other countries, particularly in France, Great Britain and the United States, to try to bring our experience to an international table,” he added.

“Made in Italy luxury products can even be made with scrap materials. This is the spirit behind Carmina Campus, a sustainability and solidarity project which today takes various forms: from the prisons project, where we offer training to prisoners, to a small laboratory in Catania where we work with felt. Yesterday I was happy to be part of made in Italy, today I am enthusiastic about being part of social Italy”, stated Ilaria Venturini Fendi, chair and creative director of Carmina Campus.

Photo: Milano fashion global Summit 2015