Founded in 1836, Italian wool manufacturer Marzotto is betting on sports and high-performance products and is increasingly caring for the environment. SI spoke with Giorgio Todesco, CEO, Marzotto Wool Manufacturing, about its new projects.
What is Marzotto mostly focused on today?
Performance, digital transformation and sustainability are our main concerns today. We have participated the last edition of Ispo show in Munich and presented our Marzotto Scudo group of multilayered, high-quality wind- and rainproof wool fabrics. Their wool outer layer allows natural temperature regulation, while a breathable micromolecular inner, a fine and impalpable membrane, enables moisture to escape.
During the Milano Unica July 2019 edition we presented our three standout collections: Touch 96, B-Dynamic and Organic Project. Touch 96 is a machine-washable 100% wool fabric that is particularly soft, does not become felted after washing and does not crease during use. Our Performance selection offers fabrics that adapt themselves to the modern man’s comfort needs and body, allowing him to move freely. The B-Dynamic collection, which Marzotto has developed thanks to natural stretch 100% wool high-performance fabrics, used for both the warp and weft, remains impeccable over time thanks to its unsurpassed anti-crease performance. We have also developed our Ink project, a special wool fabric treated to be garment-dyed and also aged by using laser, while also easy care and machine-washable.
In addition to your last participation at Ispo are there other projects focused on sports?
We have developed a special capsule collection and collaboration for Guabello, our over 200-year-old historic wool fabric company always focused on high quality, style and sustainability. For the f/w 2020-21 collection we have launched a special edition fabric, Royal Flannel Motion, that was used for a capsule collection collaboration together with the prestigious Italian bicycle brand Bianchi and upper casual designer brand Camo by Stefano Ughetti.
The new fabric is made with 100% wool fibers and features an original concept of natural elasticity, an expression of this company’s high level of technology and innovation, and was treated with a unique, eco-friendly finish. Its fibers are twisted to be stretch without using elastane. The fabrics are superthin, though also high-performance, breathable and thermo-regulating while keeping the wearer fresh. Royal Flannel Motion is Guabello’s perfect answer to the question of sustainability, which the brand certifies for all its supply chain and which, thanks to the traceability of its fabrics, guarantees the end customer maximum transparency.
How is Marzotto involved with the sustainable cause?
Since our early days in the 1800s we have always cared for the environment as our workers lived near our facilities and also today as we own productive facilities also outside of Italy like in Czech Republic. All of our plants are ISO 14001 certified. Moreover, in the last three years we have also invested a total of €18 million to reduce 11% of water consumption and 30% of CO2 emissions. Our commitment to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world for future generations is fundamental for us, so we try to improve our production processes every day, from the selection of raw materials to the finished fabric.
Our Organic Project collection I previously spoke about testifies to the company’s commitment to protecting the local area’s biodiversity, to animal welfare and to raising awareness among all the actors in the production process. All the Organic Project fabrics are certified with the GOTS–Global Organic Textile Standard, RWS–Responsible Wool Standard, a voluntary certification that guarantees respect for the welfare and fundamental freedoms of animals, and Authentico, a voluntary ethical code that ensures the transparency of the whole production chain, connecting farmers to the entire supply chain.
What are you doing in regards to digital transformation?
Marzotto started “Marzotto Immaterial Fabrics,” a project of digital presentation of the fabric. It is a new concept aimed to establish an interaction between manufacturer and customer, which will allow us, at the end of the project, to quickly interact by simulating the physical characteristics and appearance of the real fabric. We have already started it with Hugo Boss. Through it we can simulate how a product will look like while saving time and fabric leftovers.
How is Marzotto Group performing?
The group closed 2018 registering €478 million in sales, 5% more than in 2017 when we reached €455 million. Marzotto Wool Manufacturing, a company that is part of Marzotto Group that manages production and distribution for wool fabrics for apparel, closed 2018 reaching €246 million in sales. Out of our total sales 10% is from sportswear fabrics though our aim is to increase this quota. Our main market is Europe counting for 65% of our sales followed by the US that represents 15% of our sales.
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