PREVIEW: EXPO RIVA SCHUH & GARDABAGS
TRACEABILITY IS THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE LASTING SUSTAINABILITY
Only by creating common ground for a traceability system shared by the entire footwear and leather goods sector will it be possible for production companies along the entire supply chain to follow a serious and comparable path towards sustainability that will help buyers and consumers assess their purchases.
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xpo Riva Schuh & Gardabags proposes to help the industry by exercising its “cultural” influence and making available its international network. Its objective is to ensure that industry professionals exploring traceability-related issues and players in the production chain can agree on shared parameters and strategies that can guide them step-by- step towards products that are increasingly more attentive to the state of the planet and people’s social and economic well-being.
Riva del Garda, 29 November 2022
“The terms “sustainability” and “traceability” are often used interchangeably, but they are not synonyms. While they exist in close proximity, I consider traceability to be a prerequisite for a sensible and lasting path towards sustainability for footwear and leather goods companies”. This is the view of Enrico Cietta, CEO of Diomedea and Chairman of the Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags Scientific Committee. For over 20 years, Enrico has been an economist working in research and strategic consulting in the fashion and creative industries.
The problems of sustainability Sustainability presents two problems above all else. The first: no company is sustainable in every single respect. As it has been interpreted to date, sustainability involves an issue-based approach (whether this be the use of water, energy, chemicals, recycling, labour policies, etc.). Enrico Cietta explains: “Clearly, only an approach such as this is possible at the initial stage of a sector’s transformation, but it is not applicable at a mature stage, because it has several obvious limitations. A segmented approach does not allow costs to be optimised or shared with other industry operators; it therefore generates additional organisational and financial burdens that cannot be absorbed”. The second problem of sustainability concerns excessive certification. In recent years, we have seen a real uncontrolled proliferation of certification bodies and systems. “This phenomenon also causes fragmentation and confusion, making it almost impossible for production companies to adapt to the individual
14 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
and varied demands that each label can make”, Enrico points out.
The lack of a pathway shared by the entire international fashion industry and the absence of common standards means that the whole value chain is forced to make investments and develop strategies that do not promote the growth of sustainable solutions. Rather, they increase expenses and organisational chaos, and mean that companies cannot present themselves to buyers or consumers with clear, unambiguous and therefore comparable communication.
Traceability as a solution In order to overcome this impasse, Enrico Cietta, in agreement with the Expo Riva Schuh Scientific Committee, suggests focusing on traceability, and interpreting the many issues related to sustainability with an unambiguous and transparent traceability system as the basis. This system would gradually implement key parameters that would allow all companies
in the international fashion sector to embark on a step-by-step journey towards increasingly sustainable collections, without fear of surprises or unexpected demands. Buyers and consumers could also refer to this system, to form a clear idea of how sustainable each product is. This system would not only imply a cost for
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