Cotton: currently being tested in Apulia through regenerative agriculture methods. Silk: efforts are underway to rebuild a high-end Italian supply chain. Wool: the focus is on restoring the Italian Merino sheep breed. And beyond that, a digital passport and 5.0 technologies are being implemented from field to garment to ensure full-spectrum sustainability, traceability, and circularity. Natural, eco-friendly fibers and cutting-edge solutions are at the core of a fashion future where an increasingly conscious and demanding consumer can bring the principles of “One Health” into their wardrobe.
According to a recent 2024 IPSOS survey, 74% of Italians express interest in sustainable fashion—a significant percentage that spans across generations. This was the main takeaway from the conference Fashion & Research: The Future of Italian Fashion, held yesterday and organized jointly by the National Research Council (CNR), CREA, the European Forest Institute (EFI – Biocities Facility), and BESTE. The Giorgio Armani Group also took part in the event. The company, long committed to sustainability, launched the Apulia Regenerative Cotton Project in 2023, in collaboration with SMI and CBA, coordinated by EFI and CREA.
The meeting highlighted agriculture, innovation, and technology transfer, all under the banner of sustainability, circular economy, and quality. It served as a platform for dialogue between the fashion industry, research institutions, and policy makers to assess the needs, prospects, and challenges facing the Italian fashion system—an undisputed symbol of Made in Italy excellence and a key element of Italy’s international reputation. The discussion also involved students and schools of fashion and agriculture—two very different yet complementary pillars of Italian excellence, with a strategic role in shaping the country’s future.
The event was held as part of the Made in Italy Day celebrations, which aim to showcase and promote Italian excellence across all sectors—a true symbol of the nation’s creativity, quality, innovation, and tradition.
What They Said
Institutional Voices
Tommaso Foti, Minister for European Affairs, Cohesion Policy, and the NRRP:
“We are moving beyond tariffs; we’re implementing a plan to help businesses boost competitiveness and raise the level of research. Unfair competition is a problem that requires decisive action, because allowing production that ignores regulations clearly creates market distortions. We must maintain high quality standards. In terms of ecological transition, it’s vital to strike a balance between environmental regulations and business development to avoid deindustrialization, which would also have social consequences.”
Patrizio La Pietra, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture:
“Today’s students are tomorrow’s workers, so it’s our duty to involve young people in understanding sectors of excellence such as fashion and agriculture. ‘Made in Italy’ is not just a label indicating origin—it must represent knowledge rooted in history, skilled craftsmanship, and pride in representing Italy. Innovation and research—areas where CREA is strongly active with MASAF’s support—must involve youth directly, through activities like cotton farming in Apulia. These efforts can generate jobs and economic growth in high-value sectors like fashion and agriculture.”
Chiara La Porta, Member of the Agriculture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies:
“Today’s event was born from a dialogue with researchers and the discovery of the ITACO project. The Ministry was organizing a delegation to visit Italian cotton production, and intrigued, we wanted to create a space for discussion. We’re here to listen and to take back to the Agriculture Committee and the Ministry the insights and reflections we gather from all stakeholders involved in this exciting initiative.”
The Organizers
Andrea Rocchi, President of CREA:
“The synergy between research, development, and technology transfer is essential. CREA is leading several projects focused on raw material production like silk and cotton. Agriculture is a key player in the entire research chain. However, it’s also time to rethink the business model and paradigm, focusing on quality and environmental, social, and economic sustainability.”
Carlo Calfapietra, Director, CNR – IRET:
“I believe that scientific research and the two institutions present today can make significant contributions to innovation in the agricultural supply chain. This includes both textile material production and the full product life cycle. Our growing commitment is to sustainability and reducing environmental impact, while protecting biodiversity and ecosystems. One of the key messages is that productive activities can and should be carried out with both environmental and social inclusivity in mind—especially in a sector of excellence like textiles.”
Beniamino Gioli, Director, CNR – IBE:
“Agriculture is transitioning toward more sustainable practices, where crops also deliver additional environmental services. We’ve learned that agriculture can be a tool for carbon sequestration. Research is now focused on defining better standards and methodologies to quantify ecosystem services and optimize these processes. At the same time, the textile industry is increasingly concerned with sustainability and traceability, with an emphasis on short supply chains and circularity. Combining all these factors is crucial across all sectors.”
Giovanni Santi, CEO of BESTE:
“The ITACO project is the beating heart that inspired this event at BesteHUB—a project that brings together politics, fashion, supply chains, and agriculture in a concrete and necessary dialogue. Now more than ever, those working behind the scenes of the Fashion System—producers, farmers, technicians, innovators, researchers—play a vital role in building a truly sustainable and traceable future. This event shows that only through the integration of skills and visions can we shape an Italian fashion system rooted in tradition but with eyes set on the future.”
Giuseppe Scarascia-Mugnozza, Director of the Biocities Facility – European Forest Institute:
“The pioneering initiative to create the first experimental site for regenerative agroforestry cotton in Europe—established at CREA’s ‘Maria Elisa Venezian’ experimental farm in Rutigliano (Bari)—is a key step toward reintroducing cotton cultivation in Apulia and southern-central Italy. It’s also a chance to generate new scientific knowledge supporting the shift toward nature-positive and climate-neutral cotton production. Launched in 2023, the project has already expanded to over five hectares of land. Together with Giorgio Armani and BESTE, the goal is to involve more farmers and agricultural enterprises to make regenerative cotton a real economic and agricultural opportunity for southern Italy. The aim is to create a supply chain directly connected to industrial transformation and valorization—anchored by Italian fashion brands of absolute excellence on the global stage.”
Did You Miss the Event?
You can watch it at the following link:
LA MODA ITALIANA CHE VERRÀ
PRESS CONTACTS
Micaela Conterio – Journalist – +39 335 845 8589
CREA Press Office
Cristina Giannetti – +39 345 0451707
CREA – Via della Navicella 2/4 – 00184 Rome
📧 stampa@crea.gov.it | 🌐 www.crea.gov.it
For CNR IRET
Valentina Di Paola – +39 393 7163981 – valentina.dipaola@iret.cnr.it
Photo Cretits: Vittorio Tulli, CNR