On Wednesday, July 10th, EUCOTTON, an initiative by the European Cotton Alliance (ECA) to promote European cotton and its sustainability, organized an event dedicated to sustainable and high-quality European cotton. Over 80 textile and fashion industry professionals attended the event.
The pan-European campaign to raise awareness of European cotton
EUCOTTON has recently launched a pan-European campaign to increase European cotton’s visibility and raise awareness about its sustainability and quality characteristics in various European markets. This campaign is co-financed by the European Union under Regulation (EC) 1144/2014 - Enjoy it’s from Europe.
As part of this pan-European campaign, an event titled Europe designs a sustainable future with European cotton was organized in Milan. The event brought together representatives from well-known luxury brands and textile companies such as Gucci, Superga, Trussardi, and Versace. Additionally, professors from three prestigious Italian universities, namely NABA, Polidesign, and Cuoa Business School, collaborated with EUCOTTON to create exclusive workshops for their students.
Cavaliere Francesco Casile, founder and member of the operational committee of CSM Camera Showroom Milano, opened the event by emphasizing the growing importance of using sustainable yarns and fabrics. Representatives of the Greek-Spanish delegation of ECA Antonios Siarkos, president of ECA, and Dimitris Polychronos, CEO of Nafpaktos Textile Industry, spoke about EUCOTTON’s innovative approach to creating high-quality, fully European, sustainable, and traceable garments from field to store.
The event also featured a roundtable discussion moderated by Maria Cristina Pavarini, Senior Editor of THE SPIN-OFF, which focused on the possibilities and synergies that the European cotton industry and the Italian textile and fashion industry could exploit to make garment production more sustainable and conscious. The discussion included participation from Simon Giuliani, Global Marketing Director of Candiani Denim, Dimitris Polychronos, Vassilis Markou, CEO of Violar SA, Flavio Berto, CEO of Berto Industria Tessile, Tommaso Cumerlato, Chief Sales Officer of MIC Spa, and Lucinda Spera, Chief Marketing Officer of John Richmond. Participants emphasized the increasing importance of tracing production from raw materials and utilizing tools such as the EUCOTTON platform.
The evening concluded with a networking aperitif and a demonstration by the artist Emina of a traditional hand-dyeing method on European cotton fabrics.
European cotton: a superior quality, locally produced natural and renewable fiber
“Global textile production nearly doubled between 2000 and 2015, and clothing consumption is projected to increase by 63% by 2030. This substantial rise in consumption has significant impacts on natural resources, the climate, and the environment. In Europe, this impact is estimated to be the fourth highest after food, housing, and mobility. In response to the challenges of the textile industry, the European Commission has recently introduced a new strategy for a sustainable and circular textile industry. The EU’s new strategy outlines the vision and proposes actions to ensure that by 2030, textile products placed on the EU market are more durable, reusable, and recyclable, free from hazardous substances, and produced in compliance with social and environmental rights. This presents an opportunity for the development of regional, resilient, traceable, and transparent supply chains capable of effectively supporting the advanced requirements of brands and retailers aiming to meet the needs of their customers better. This is particularly applicable to European cotton: a tightly regulated crop, cultivated from non-GMO seeds, resulting in a high-quality natural and renewable fiber, and above all, produced locally,” stated Antonios Siarkos, president of ECA.
What are the European Cotton Alliance and EUCOTTON?
ECA is a European association founded by cotton producers and industry associations in European cotton-producing countries, i.e., Greece and Spain. The EUCOTTON initiative brings together the European cotton chain to ensure the quality and traceability of the fiber. European cotton offers a sustainable solution for textile companies and fashion brands to use more sustainable raw materials. It also helps meet the growing demands of consumers who seek shorter and more responsible supply chains while upholding social values.