BFA organizes a clusterXchange visit to Milan in the frame of the CLOTH project
In the period February 01-03, 2023, the Bulgarian Fashion Association organized a clusterXchange event in Milan, Italy with a visit to the Milano Unica exhibition. Participating companies will receive from the project a fixed amount – 450 euro up to 10 days after the trip, after providing a copy of the documents proving the visit (air tickets, hotel accommodation, etc.). If you wish to participate, please check if you are eligible at https://clustercollaboration.eu/clusterxchange and write to office@bgfa.eu by 30.11.2022.
OBJECTIVES
To learn and share knowledge about:
- Sustainable textiles and accessories for clothing production
- Sustainability in fashion education and possibilities for internships
- Learning about fashion trends Spring-Summer 2024
- To learn more about an Italian fashion cluster and identify the potential of joint actions
- Stimulate the collaboration between different organizations
AGENDA
| DAY | LOCATION | ACTIVITIES |
| 01 February 2023 | Milan, Rho Fiera Milano | 08:00 – 08:15 KICK OFF MEETING at the hotel lobby 08:15 – 09:00 Matching B2B between participants in the clusterXchange 09:00 – 17:00 Travelling to Milano Unica. Free visit to the trade show, showcasing the excellence of apparel textiles and accessories bringing together companies and fashion professionals dedicated to the Spring/Summer 2024 collections, along with trends, novelties and suggestions for high-end fashion and sustainability. |
| 02 February 2023 | Milan, Rho Fiera Milano | 08:00 – 10:00 Exploring Spring-Summer 2024 fashion trends in the dedicated area of the trade fair 10:00 – 11:00 Visit on the booth of the company Drago – producer of Italian fabrics for menswear and ready-made garments 11:00 – 11:30 Exploring sustainability and Certification at Woolmark 11:30 – 12:00 Visit on the booth of Brunello – producer of Italian linings 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch at the fair 13:30 – 14:00 Visit to VBC (Italian wool fabrics) 14:00 – 17:00 Visiting the innovation area – IMBOTEX, SITIP, PENN ITALIA SRL |
| 03 February 2023 | Milan | 08:00 – 12:00 Visiting Raffles Milano – Discussing possibilities for internships in fashion companies 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch (own expenses) 13:00 – 16:00 Company visits, B2B matchmaking 16:00 – 17:00 Insights from the trade mission18:00 Fly to home |
SPRING-SUMMER 2024 TRENDS
Milano Unica seeks to convey a message of positivity for the upcoming S/S 2024 season by formulating a concept able to give creativity the super power to imbue everyday life with a new energy.
This inspiration led to the idea of “MU SUPERPOWER”, the theme that perfectly attributes extraordinary beneficial properties to beauty, inventiveness and imagination, with its various applications.
The ‘’MU SUPERPOWER’’ imagery sees every fabric as having a super power, a force that produces a regenerating charge because it protects, provides shelter from heat, responds to the ergonomics of the body, hides imperfections and enhances lines. It evokes beauty, which in itself is already a super power.
Accessories and fabrics are not only pleasant to the touch; they are also designed to be high performing, protective, comfortable, efficient, sexy, resilient, for all occasions and capable of shielding the body. Moreover, even fortifying it.
Just as in the most amazing fairy tales the magic cloak provides the gift of invisibility, just as in comic strips, the winged costume turns it wearer into a super hero, so the new fabrics and accessories of Milano Unica combine the tradition of the highest Italian craftsmanship with sophisticated technological developments that can convey well-being and positive energy.
Therefore, Milano Unica, in this eulogy to the super powers of creativity applied to developing new fabrics, unusual textures and experimental accessories, proposes three themes:
The Power of Thought, The Power of Action, The Power of Emotion.
DRAGO
DRAGO is an Italian company that produces quality fabrics for men. The values of the Italian tradition are interpreted in a modern and innovative way. DRAGO is a fully integrated woolen mill: from careful selection of the best raw materials Drago produces internally more than 1.7 million meters of high-quality fabric that exports worldwide. In addition to a strong presence in the Italian market the Drago fabrics are appreciated by the best international brands, especially in Japan, Korea and the United States.
Drago Spa, increasingly attentive to the constant evolution of the development process and renovation of all business activities, works to ensure that all the various steps in the production process, both internal and external, are carried out with a view to eco-sustainability in full compliance with environmental respect and of the existing norms, thus achieving excellence through the overcoming of standard values.
WOOLMARK
Biodegradable fashion: breathe easy with wool
21 billion tons of textiles are sent to landfill every year. That’s a lot of clothes. But not every item of clothing is destined for the trash can. Clothes made from natural fibres, such as Merino wool, are not only readily recycled, but at their ultimate end of life are biodegradable, releasing valuable nutrients back into the earth. Talk about circular.
BRUNELLO
Brunello linings are a tangible representation of their values: “made-in-Italy” signature, as well as the environmentally sustainable choices, are the pillars of Brunello’s excellence. In addition to their classic plains and dobby, their patterns include traditional jacquards, squares, unique designs, checkered, stripes as well as traditional and inkjet prints. All their products are crafted from yarn or piece dyed and have the most detailed finishing.
RAFFLES MILANO
A school with a non-traditional spirit and method. A school designed for those who want to look the future straight in the eye. And above all a school that has gathered around it a formidable team of teachers, in many cases leading names on the international style and design scene.
Three-year courses
Fashion design, Interior design, Product design, Visual design
Master courses
Fashion design & Business, Photography, Product & Interior design, Visual design & Communication
VITALE BARBERIS CANONICO
2013 marked the 350th anniversary of VBC’s wool mill activities, permitting it to become a member of Les Hénokiens, an international association that brings together family-run companies that have been active for at least two centuries. Vitale Barberis Canonico continues to remain true to its origins and, by creatively renewing itself over time, never stops drawing inspiration from its historical archive, a distillation of excellence that inspires the company’s present and future.
VBC works in harmony with nature, their goal being the lowest environmental impact possible.
They manage their water consumption with care, and release it back into nature completely purified thanks to an efficient, innovative, in-house waste water treatment plant.
They buy 100% of their energy from certified renewable sources.
They enhance textile by-products with a view to a circular economy.
They pay particular attention to waste management by promoting recycling and recovery.
In 2021 they doubled recovery of wastewater in the manufacturing process and offset the amount of CO2 derived from using methane with investments in projects that generate a positive impact on the environment, the community and natural resources.
On the occasion of the Milan Fashion Week, Vitale Barberis Canonico, together with the Biellese brands Cappellificio Biellese 1935 and Mirantico participates at WSM – White Sustainable Milano – the first Fashion Trade Show entirely dedicated to the research and study of new methodologies aimed at a tangible ecological and digital transition for all those who work in the fashion world, and their end customers.
INNOVATION AREA
IMBOTEX
SITIP
All Sitip fabrics for clothing are part of a sustainable supply chain for a lower consumption of natural resources and a limited dependence on non-renewable energy, in full compliance with leading international environmental standards.
NATIVE Sustainable Textiles technology is for fabrics made from recycled yarns. Sitip also offers a selection of finishing treatments with a low environmental impact. ISO 14001 certification attests to the company’s commitment to reducing the risks of pollution and its desire to interact positively with the environment.
The BLUESIGN® certification ensures that no harmful substances are used from the very start of the production process and serves to establish and monitor compliance with standards for production that is safe for the environment and people. The company holds other similar international certifications, such as OEKO-TEX®, and has joined the EcoVadis gateway as well.
The NATIVE Sustainable Textiles line uses recycled yarns that are certified in accordance with GRS (Global Recycle Standard) to guarantee compliance with environmental and social responsibility criteria across all stages of the production chain, including the traceability of raw materials. Sitip offers superior treatments, including stentering with a low environmental impact, like the ACQUAZERO ECO Fluorine-Free Water Repellent treatment and the 2DRY Enduring Freshness absorbent stentering.
Sitip also participates in the SEAQUAL® initiative, which establishes and manages collaboration between industry, NGOs, communities and local and national authorities to clean up our oceans from marine litter.
Together with its partners, the SEAQUAL INITIATIVE builds the infrastructure needed to recycle marine waste, cleaning up our oceans and producing a wide range of high-quality products made of Upcycled Marine Plastic such as SEAQUAL® YARN, used by Sitip to make textiles. This is, therefore, a project that engages all supply chain players and promotes the circular economy.
PENN ITALIA SRL
ECOINNOVATION
Their ECOINNOVATION line offers a wide selection of recycled and degradable fabrics, made with reconverted polyamide yarns to create a new sustainable and quality product that highlights the innovative aspects of the company.
This group also includes articles in organic cotton, grown, produced, processed, and certified according to organic agricultural standards, thus promoting the protection of our environment.
BUDGET
We work with an agency that offers a discounted group price for an excellent HOTEL 4* at a central location
312 euro for 3 nights
415 euro for 4 nights
Flight and other travel costs – depending on the participant
(*) Each approved company will have one voucher of 450€ from Fashion ClusterXchange programme of CLOTH project.
For more information, please visit https://clothproject.eu/
__________________________
The content of this document represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.
