Bonaveri reinforces its ethical and environmental commitment, entering into the Fashion Pact, an international coalition of fashion brands united in the battle against climate change.
Bonaveri, one of ten Italian brands in the group, joins a total of over 60 international organisations that have committed to reducing the ecological impact of their activities within the fashion industry. Recognisable names such as Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Hermès, Karl Lagerfeld, Moncler, Nike, Stella McCartney, Adidas, Burberry, Ermenegildo Zegna, Salvatore Ferragamo have entered into the coalition led by Kering last August.
Bonaveri started work on sustainable production in 2012 and it is the only company in the world producing biodegradable products made in BPlast, a biopolymer obtained from sugar cane.
“Today more than ever the road to progress is paved with respect for the environment and a different attention to the quality of processes, products, messages.” — states Andrea Bonaveri, Ceo of the family business, “For too long the fashion industry has prioritised speed and abundance over quality. As a manufacturer, we must commit to producing a long-lasting product able to adapt to the changing needs of the fashion industry. It is customary for us to remain committed to quality and to enable the pursuit of sustainability, working to reduce our environmental impact. Joining the Fashion Pact is a challenge for us to continue to innovate and find new ways to protect our Planet”.
The Fashion Pact includes a coalition of global companies; leaders in the textile and fashion industry (ready-to-wear, sport, lifestyle and luxury), their supporting suppliers and distributors, all aiming to share insight within three main areas: stop global warming, restore biodiversity and protect oceans. PHS commented “Without healthy oceans, it’s not an exaggeration to say the world’s life-support system will fail”.. Promoted as an assignment entrusted by the French President Emmanuel Macron to Francois-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, the Fashion Pact was presented to the Heads of State in August 2019 on the occasion of the G7 summit in Biarritz.
In 2012 Bonaveri launched an ambitious research project, the goal of which was to reduce CO2 emissions and the environmental impact of their work. With the collaboration of the Design Department for Sustainability of the Milan Polytechnic, an analysis of the life cycle of the mannequins was conducted, examining and measuring the impact of every phase of the work: from pre-production to industrial production, from packing to global shipping. According to the research, the main environmental impact of these works was focused on the use of traditional raw materials. This discovery would result in an urgent need for Bonaveri to source a new polymer. After years of testing, Bonaveri created two new material categories: B Plast®, a bio-plastic derived from 72% sugar cane and B Paint®, the first natural paint made exclusively from 100% organic, renewable substances (resins and oils of 100% vegetable origin, phosphorus-free surfactants, a 100% organic solvent obtained from orange peels and a desiccant free paint without cobalt salts and naphtha).
The result was the first biodegradable figure in the world, generated from renewable sources. The new eco mannequin was launched in 2016 at the Green Carpet Challenge, an annual event created by Livia Firth to promote sustainable fashion. The GCC hosted an evening of innovation, ethics and aesthetics in partnership with BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, along with the British Fashion Council.
Bonaveri has continued to invest in the research of new materials, and in reducing the environmental impact caused by product packaging. A collaborative project with the Degree Course in Industrial Product Design at the Engineering and Architecture School of the University of Bologna was undertaken to redefine the packaging of mannequins.
The new packaging has resulted in a positive environmental impact by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 42%, energy consumption by 38% and water savings by 56%.
For their work, Bonaveri was awarded a “Special Prize for the most deserving case from a technical design point of view” in 2017, by the “Call CONAI for prevention — Enhance environmental sustainability of packaging”. The Emilian company was also awarded in the 2019 edition of the CONAI CALL receiving mentions for both the improvements made and for the large cardboard packaging model designed for all oversized mannequins.
Thanks to its sustainable commitment shown over the years, the Ferrara-based company won the 2019 Sustainable Development Award, promoted by the Foundation for Sustainable Development and by the Italian Exhibition Group, with the patronage of the Ministry of the Environment and the Protection of the Territory and the Sea, in the Circular Economy category.
FASHION PACT
The Fashion Pact includes a coalition of global leading companies in the textile and fashion industry (ready-to-wear, sport, lifestyle and luxury), with the aim of strengthening collaboration between private companies and national states to face present and future environmental challenges. The coalition, initially involving 32 companies, now brings together more than 60 organisations, including Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Prada Group, Ralph Lauren.
Taking a cue from the Science-Based Targets, an initiative promoted by Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Global Compact, World Resource Institute (WRI) and WWF, the alliance aims to focus on the direction of three large areas, essential for the protection of the planet:
1) stop global warming by creating and implementing an action plan to achieve the goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in order to keep global warming below a 1.5°C path between today and 2100
2) restore biodiversity by reaching goals that make use of Science-Based Targets to restore ecosystems and protect species
3) protect the oceans by reducing the negative impact of the fashion industry through practical initiatives such as the gradual removal of the use of disposable plastic materials.
