TFR | Strategy Consulting

ITMA, the world’s largest international textile and garment technology exhibition, took place in Barcelona in June 2019.

One of Europe’s largest denim producer, Candiani SpA has won the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award, held in conjunction with ITMA 2019. Its innovative product, Candiani Re-Gen is a ‘circular denim’ fabric created from regenerated and recycled raw materials.

Water-footprint is a big issue as 47% of the population will face severe water shortages by 2030 according to the OECD and it takes around 2,000 gallons of water (around 8,000 liters) to produce a pair of jeans.

Fifty per cent of the Re-Gen fabric comprises Tencel x Refibra Lyocell made of pulp from cotton scraps and wood pulp using Lenzing’s efficient closed-loop process; the other 50% consists of post-industrial recycled Candiani fibres. Candiani’s fabrics are also dyed using green technologies, resulting in substantial reduction in the use of water and chemicals in the fabric production and jean washing process.

As sustainability attracts more customers, fashion brands are increasing its efforts to transform their manufacturing process, from niche players to big players. Candiani Denim was established in 1938 in a tiny town near Milano and is a family-run company ever since.

In 75 years of experience the enterprise grew to become the World’s finest and most sustainable denim mill creating the fabrics that gave birth to the Premium Denim Industry.