Yesterday, on the eve of the closing of Milan Fashion Week, they held the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2024, a contest that awarded ten players, between entrepreneurs and companies, that distinguished themselves for their commitment, vision, support for craftsmanship, circular economy, environmental justice and biodiversity, among other categories.
Edward Enninful awards Remo Ruffini
The event was organised by Italian Fashion Chamber in collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) of the United Nations ITC Agency and with the support of the City of Milan. It took place at the Milan La Scala theater to the presence of 1,000 guests.
Among others, the Sustainable Fashion Award (SFA) Education of Excellence Award went to Moncler for its MATE, Moncler Academy for Technical Excellence – the company established in 2022 and invites recent graduates of professional institutes to embrace the value of technical training and approach a craft that celebrates quality, excellence, and innovation through world leading research in every detail.
The three-year program, aimed at ensuring Moncler’s specific know-how and expertise is passed on to the artisans of tomorrow, involves on-the-job training by highly qualified internal experts, initially focusing on foundational knowledge followed by a more specialized technical education.
Since its inception, 50 participants have already had the opportunity to work alongside Moncler’s qualified and highly specialized internal instructors, and more than 80% have now been employed permanently at the company.
The SFA Climate Action Award went to the Dirt Charity brand by Arizona Muse. Dirt Charity is a UK-based organisation working to transform fashion into a climate solution. Dirt’s biggest project is to create ten new standards for the fashion industry with Demeter International, a certifier for highest standard regenerative grown and processed produce.
Upon completion, these standards will ensure regenerative agriculture practices and sustainable processing of raw materials, waste management, labor, packaging as well as many other aspects within the supply chain that are currently harmful to the planet and the communities involved. Garments made to these standards will be fully compostable in any compost bin, thus becoming food to the microorganisms and contributing to healing the planet.
Renzo Rosso
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation Award for Circular Economy went to Renzo Rosso, owner and founder, OTB, the parent company of Diesel.
The jeans and lifestyle brand has been investing in partnerships, products and services that support circular business modelsand help extend the life of existing products through resale, repair and remaking.
Among other initiatives, Diesel has integrated pre-consumer recycled content into the Diesel Rehab Denim products, retaining the value of fibers and preventing them becoming waste or landfill. It set up a system to collect pre-consumer textile waste from their production samples, and R&D departments which are then sent to Tejidios Royo in Spain.
The recycled cotton is mixed with 34% Tencel Lyocell with Refibra technology and 100% recycled spandex made from reclaimed waste. By using Tejidos Royo’s Dry Indigo technology, Diesel Rehab Denim is dyed without water and with a 90% reduction in process-related chemistry compared to traditional dyeing methods.
The SFA Human Capital & Social Impact Award went to Gucci. Throughout the years, Gucci has developed an intervention model that fosters connections among a network of critical entities, including anti-violence centers, non-profit associations, social cooperatives, businesses, its Gucci-Up circular initiative, and its Gucci Changemakers Volunteering Program. Understanding the crucial role of employment in the fight against gender-based violence, Gucci has fostered initiatives that empower women survivors of domestic violence through training and job opportunities.
From right: Rohit Aggarwal and Carlo Covini, Lenzing
The SFA Biodiversity & Water Award went to Lenzing Group for various sustainable initiatives it had been committed to and for a groundbreaking project titled “Glacial Threads: From Forests to Future Textiles.”
The pioneering project aims to address glacier protection sustainably while promoting circular practices in the textile industry. Lenzing offers cellulose-based fibers, which are both biodegradable and recyclable. These fibers are used to protect glaciers and help mitigate environmental concerns as they don’t produce microplastic as other geo-textiles used for the same purpose and can be recycled at the end of their life.
Top model Isabeli Fontana, Silvio Campara,(Golden Goose), Umberto De Marco (Coronet/Yatay) and actress Matilde Gioli
Golden Goose and Yatay B won The SFA Groundbreaker Award. In early 2023, Golden Goose announced the creation of the Yatay Lab, a collaborative initiative with Coronet Group. The lab serves as a hub for researching and developing sustainable and circular materials, marking a significant step toward a more environmentally conscious fashion industry.
A notable innovation from the Yatay Lab is Yatay B, a bio-based material made from plant sources that do not compete with the food chain. This eco-friendly alternative to conventional leather represents Golden Goose’s first foray into bio-based products and debuted with the Yatay Model 1B sneaker. Yatay B provides significant environmental benefits, including a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions and a 65% decrease in water usage during production compared to traditional leather.
Naomi Harris awards Brunello Cucinelli
The SFA Visionary Award went to Brunello Cucinelli. This recognisement is assigned every year to fashion personalities whose vision helps plot new trajectories for the global industry and culture. In 2022 the Award went to Giorgio Armani, and in 2023 to Edward Enninful.
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