Creating a high-quality, fashionable textile product that is also sustainable, owing to its limited impact on the environment. That was the challenge taken on by the Bergamo-based Italian multinational RadiciGroup – a world leading manufacturer of polyamides, synthetic fibres and engineering polymers with applications in a variety of industries, mainly in the textile/fashion sector – and the high-end hosiery brand Oroblù owned by CSP International – a group engaged in the production and sale of hosiery, men’s and women’s intimatewear and swimwear, headquartered in the province of Mantua, Italy. The aim was to be the first in Italy to produce tights using yarn made from recycled PET bottles.
The two companies, both of which are innovation- and sustainability-oriented and recognized as symbols of Italian excellence, decided to combine their know-how to create a high-performance, stylish and eco-friendly product.
“Oroblù Save the Oceans”
It is with this idea in mind that “Oroblù Save the Oceans” was created: black, 50-denier tights made of Repetable, a new RadiciGroup polyester yarn derived from post-consumer recycled PET bottles. This process reduces CO2 emissions, as well as the consumption of water and energy.
After a careful study and evaluation of the material, Oroblù chose RadiciGroup Repetable yarn for its unique properties and high technical performance characteristics, which fully meet the Save the Oceans project requirements. Repetable yarn uses no virgin material and is coloured by solutiondyeing, a method that saves water and electricity during production.
“Our product strategy,” Angelo Radici, president of RadiciGroup, pointed out, “is increasingly focused on expanding the use of recovered raw materials without compromising the performance of the products we propose to our customers. We have worked side by side with Oroblù to bring to market beautiful, high-quality and eco-friendly tights – a product capable of meeting the needs and demands of even the most environmentally conscious customers. And we are very proud to work with a company of excellence in our region.”
Our project will enhance the value of a textile product usually bought on impulse, by making it a desirable object, especially for consumers of the new generation, who are always looking for garments that are not only comfortable and feminine, but also environmentally friendly. Today, these tights – a fashionable garment once a symbol of women’s emancipation – must also satisfy the demand for stylish and sustainable clothes by the young generation of women.
“Our company has always realized collections of quality products, created by a team of design and product development experts who have constantly striven for eco-innovation,” Carlo Bertoni, executive director of CSP International Fashion Group, explained. “We have implemented an approach integrating sustainability into and across all our activities, through the selection of recycled and recyclable raw materials and the assurance of full traceability all along the production chain. The latter process is facilitated by the fact that almost the entire production cycle is performed within the Province of Mantua, Italy. We have collaborated with RadiciGroup for years and, more recently, have developed the important “Save the Oceans” project together for the production of tights to adorn women's legs and, at the same time, benefit the environment."
This partnership between the two family-owned businesses, both with strong local roots and an impressive international reach, has given birth to a totally transparent, traceable and zerokilometre Italian production chain located in the Provinces of Bergamo and Mantua.
"Oroblù Save the Oceans" tights will available for purchase at selected premium lingerie boutiques and department stores starting in August 2021, when the Fall/Winter 2021 collection is delivered to sales points.
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RADICIGROUP – With approximately 3,100 employees, sales revenue of EUR 1,092 million in 2019 and a network of production and sales sites located throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia, RadiciGroup is one of the world’s leading producers of a wide range of chemical intermediates, polyamide polymers, high performance engineering polymers and advanced textile solutions, including nylon yarn, polyester yarn, yarn made from recovered and bio-source materials, nonwovens and personal protective equipment for the healthcare field. These products are the result of the Group’s outstanding chemical expertise and vertically integrated polyamide production chain and have been developed for use in a variety of industrial sectors, such as: automotive – electrical and electronics – consumer goods – apparel – furnishings – construction – household appliances – sports. The basis of the Group’s strategy is a strong focus on innovation, quality, customer satisfaction and social and environmental sustainability. With its business areas – Specialty Chemicals, High Performance Polymers and Advanced Textile Solutions –, RadiciGroup is part of a larger industrial group that also includes textile machinery (ITEMA), energy (GEOGREEN) and hotel (SAN MARCO) businesses.
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CSP International Fashion Group S.p.A. established its headquarters in Ceresara, located in the Mantuan hosiery district, in 1973. Since 1997, it has been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange in the MTA market. In 2017, it acquired Perofil Fashion S.r.l. CSP International Fashion Group is a multinational with subsidiaries in France (Paris), the USA and Germany. The company’s core business is the design and production of hosiery, corsetry, beachwear and intimatewear sold under the brand names Oroblù, Luna di Seta, Perofil, Lepel, Sanpellegrino, Cagi, Well, and Le Bourget. In 2019, CSP’s sales revenue was €108.6 million, with exports accounting for 70.2% (France, which makes up 56.5% of total sales, is the Group's leading export market). CSP International Fashion Group contributes to ethical and responsible behaviour in the world of fashion, based on research, innovation and seeking long-term value for all stakeholders and consumers, who are increasingly oriented towards innovative and eco-sustainable products.
