Held in the Textile District Workshop Area at Ecomondo 2026, the panel brought together the partners of Inside the Making, a strategic initiative curated by Menabò Group.

The project was developed to address fragmentation within the textile sector by connecting six European industry players covering garment manufacturing, trims and accessories, finishing technologies, dyeing and washing, digital printing, and strategic branding and communications.

Its central message is that the transition towards circular textile production cannot be achieved by individual companies alone. Instead, it requires cooperation across all stages of manufacturing, supported by transparent processes and measurable environmental performance.

European regulations increase pressure for transparency

Moderated by Prof. Marco Lucietti of Sapienza University of Rome, the discussion focused on the implications of European regulatory developments, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the Waste Framework Directive and measures against misleading environmental claims.

“We’re presenting ‘Inside the Making’ to show how essential the supply chain is for brands to bring high-quality, lower-impact garments to the market. Our value chain will increasingly have to comply with strict European regulations such as the EPR, the ESPR, and the Waste Framework Directive, and give consumers full transparency on how garments are made,” explained Lucietti.

He also addressed the economic dimension of sustainability:

“People in our industry still tend to see sustainability either as an added cost or as a marketing tool. The real challenge we are addressing today is how to achieve true profitability alongside more sustainability, and how ingredients and supply chain players can help brands communicate real value rather than just competing on price.”

Digital product passports and responsible material sourcing

Federico Corneli, CEO at C&S, highlighted the importance of certifications, recycled materials and transparent production processes in preparing for future regulatory requirements.

“We are deeply focused on improving performance across our entire supply chain, which is why we hold numerous certifications. We work extensively with recycled materials and are preparing for the upcoming Digital Product Passport (:), which means opening our company doors to show with transparency how and where our garments are made.”

Barbara Gnutti, representing ACM and NextPrinting, described how material selection, production technologies and resource management can contribute to more sustainable manufacturing.

“At ACM, a continuous research is focused on combining custom engineering with sustainability: they run on 100% renewable energy, recycle process water internally, and work with GRS-certified recycled materials, both in metals and leathers, to provide branding components that last throughout the garment’s lifecycle.”

She also highlighted the potential of digital textile printing to reduce resource consumption and make better use of existing materials.

“With digital printing, NextPrinting prints patterns directly onto the fabric before cutting, significantly reducing energy, water, and chemical consumption. Beyond eliminating limits on creativity, this technology allows them to repurpose deadstock and leftover fabrics, turning what would otherwise be waste into high-value garments.”

Laser and ozone technologies reduce resource consumption

The discussion also addressed technological developments in denim finishing and garment washing.

Carlo Cossiri, Partner and Plant Manager at Green Lab, explained how laser technologies are replacing conventional manual and wet processing steps.

“We have shifted a significant portion of manual and wet operations over to laser technologies. The washing process now primarily stabilises and refines what the machine has already marked, significantly reducing energy, water, and chemical use compared with conventional washing. It works with a reverse logic: taking out rather than adding.”

Carmen Silla, Global Marketing Director at Jeanologia, presented the company's approach to reducing water consumption and hazardous chemicals through alternative finishing technologies.

“Through our MissionZero initiative, we aim to minimise water use and eliminate hazardous chemicals from the process. Instead of relying on traditional, resource-intensive practices like conventional stonewashing, we use our Airwash technology: we take atmospheric air and transform it into ozone to wash and fade garments using air rather than water, significantly reducing water use while protecting workers’ health.”

Communicating sustainability through verifiable evidence

Beyond technological innovation, the panel emphasised the importance of communicating environmental performance accurately and transparently.

Margherita Verlicchi, Partner and Brand Strategist at Menabò Group, explained the growing responsibility of companies to substantiate sustainability claims.

“New European regulations require companies to substantiate environmental claims with proven, verifiable performance in all consumer-facing communications. At Menabò, we study the technological innovations of the companies we support to ensure their impact is communicated accurately, knowing that data alone is not enough: reaching people always requires an authentic, empathetic, and compelling narrative.”

The discussion illustrated how textile manufacturers, technology providers and communication specialists can work together to connect technological improvements with measurable environmental benefits.

Through Inside the Making, the participating companies aim to demonstrate that sustainability is not limited to individual production processes but depends on coordinated efforts across the entire textile value chain.