CASE STUDY

Case study one: Rifò

CONTEXT:

Rifò is a clothing brand entirely produced in the Prato textile district with regenerated fibres. The project started in 2017 from an idea of Niccolò Cipriani, who at the time had just come back to a working period in Vietnam, one of the main countries for fast fashion production. There he realized the immensity of clothes that are disposed every year, and that end up in landfills, exactly in the same countries where they were produced.

DESCRIPTION:

Back in Italy, he reconnected with the tradition of his hometown, the regeneration of fabrics, and started his fashion company with the mission to minimize the waste of the fashion industry. The first garments were made in regenerated wool and cotton, and with time the production expanded, involving also regenerated denim.

The secondary raw materials used by Rifò come both from pre- and post-consumer waste: old cashmere jumpers and jeans, from which they create pullovers and denim fabrics; but also cotton from industrial waste, used to create T-shirts and Polo shirts, as well as beach towels and shawls.

Rifò is not only a brand but a real circular economy project: over time they built partnerships with other local companies and associations involved in textile regeneration, to structure and systematize this process, giving also private individuals the opportunity to contribute to a circular fashion project as well.

In fact, they created an alternative service to the city dumpsters to dispose of their old clothes, where people can leave their old garments, that will be transformed into new products, without going to pollute faraway countries.

Moreover, Rifò production chain is located entirely in the textile district of Prato, within 30 km.

LESSON LEARNT:

The advantages of this model are for sure the drastic reduction in the use of raw materials and fuel due to delocalized production, as well as the elimination of intermediaries: an advantage in terms of price and of a more direct control over the quality and conditions of the production. Being so close to production sites and working with small businesses, Rifò can also avoid the logic of the big storage, favouring small quantities and pre-sale, and because of all these things, keep process lower.

Source: https://rifo-lab.com/

Case study two: Casa Gin

CONTEST

After working as a buyer for a variety of Italian luxury brands and experiencing first-hand the negative influences of this industry, the founder Daniela wanted to create a brand that could be a source of wellbeing for the earth and for people.

DESCRIPTION

Casa Gin uses natural, hypoallergenic, and biological fabrics.

From beech fibre to GOTS organic cotton, from recycled nylon to biodegradable lace: only entirely eco-friendly fibres, created from natural, renewable and circular raw materials.

At the end of 2017 she started her own small business from home, a completely self-financed women’s business. CASAGIN started with underwear, as it is the first item of clothing that is in direct contact with one’s skin and can therefore convey a unique feeling of well-being and then decided to use the same soft, natural fabrics to expand the product line to loungewear, pyjamas and even some garments.

CASAGIN organic cotton is GOTS certified, Global Organic Textile Standard: this is the certification that guarantees the organic origin of the raw material and the lowest possible environmental impact throughout the production chain, with great attention to ethical aspects. Organic cotton fibres are longer and purer, this is why CASAGIN uses it in blends with more technical yarns i.e. for the socks, in order to provide the finished product with more strength and softness.

CASA GIN chose Econyl to create an eco-friendly fabric made in Italy with countless technical characteristics. Their swimwear line is characterized by a perfect fit and breathability, and provides UVA protection of +50, resistance to sun creams and oils, excellent coverage, and ultra-chlorine resistance. In their sportswear line, they emphasize its incredible softness, the quality of being a muscle-containing fabric, slowing the formation of lactic acid and promoting fitness recovery and resistance to pilling.

LESSON LEARNT

CASAGIN is a great example for their choice regarding sustainable materials, without compromising their desire to create new, comfortable, and performative products.

Source: https://www.casagin.com/chi-siamo/tessuti-ecosostenibili/