Gnutti: Either You're 100% Sustainable or You're Not; Berto: Don’t Want to Over-Produce

There is increasingly an assertion (and not without reason) that circularity starts at the design stage. How has your own understanding of design changed in the light of more information being available today about sustainability/circularity? What has been the key change in your design thinking?
Paolo Gnutti: I absolutely agree that circularity starts at the design stage. My concept of design has NOT changed at all. When I create a new fabric or a new capsule collection, I think of the finished product and from there I work my way backwards and design the wash stages, the style, the fabric structure, the dyeing colour, the yarn slubs and, consequently, the yarn title in weft and warp to achieve the desired weight and compactness resulting in softness, stretchiness and weft look. When creating my new collections, I have been taking advantage of any manufacturing process and tool supporting a circular and sustainable production, but this has in no way changed my way of thinking about design which, first and foremost, must surprise for its beauty.

What challenges does a denim designer face today? How much is the creative process burdened by other considerations like raw materials, standards & certifications, etc?
Paolo Gnutti:  Certainly the process of carrying out a creative 'idea' while complying with current production requirements including recycled fabrics, upcycled cotton, 'eco' washing is certainly not a simple undertaking. A REALLY sustainable product must take into consideration a large amount of factors in order to live up to expectations. Why do I say ‘REALLY’? Because labels such as eco, green, recycled, sustainable are commonly misused. If only 20% of the products in a collection are sustainable, this does not make either a brand or a manufacturer sustainable, either you are 100% sustainable or you are NOT.

Given the flurry of activities related to environment-related legal frameworks/laws/regulations particularly in Europe, it has become extremely important to keep the future in mind. How are you future-proofing your work?
Paolo Gnutti:  The future is defined by our present as our past has set the ground to maintain a biodynamic balance for our future. Education is a continuous journey that starts early on; laws are a warning, but as we all know, having made a law you find your way around it. Education was either taught to you from an early age or you are unlikely to learn it when you grow up. 

I am very doubtful that a few laws can change the labour system, but I am very much convinced that we, as individuals, must be committed to doing our own work and making our own choices with the knowledge that we only have one planet as there is no Planet B!

As a designer, what do you look forward to at trade events (like Denim PV)? Feedback would of course be of all kinds. What is that one recent feedback that has set you thinking?
Paolo Gnutti:  There are plenty of fairs, events, exhibitions, aren’t there? I no longer expect what they have offered so far, an opportunity to connect with different customers, that is more like a social gathering rather than a business meeting. At future trade events I’d love to see companies that can spark my creativity, be amazed by innovative ideas and products. In short, I expect my time to be rewarded with a WOW, not a ‘well... that’s not too bad’.

What new products/ranges is Berto showcasing at Denim PV this time? A related question: You participate at these events regularly. How can you offer something new every single time? How much pressure is there to showcase something new all the time?
Francesca Polato: For the Autumn/Winter 24-25 collection, Berto Industria Tessile proposes several themes and concepts. The first is entitled ‘Comfortable Warmth’. Within this package, we find fabrics with precious compositions, from cashmere to tencel-cashmere; the soft hand is also achieved thanks to wool and brushed finishes. The second package is called 'Durable Density'. This package includes heavyweight fabrics made of high-quality yarns that last over time. Organic and recycled versions of this package are also available. 

For the fashion part of the collection, we find the 'Elegant Reflections' package, featuring laminated fabrics with lurex weaves. In the 'Touch of Velvet' package the fabrics are flocked with a special viscose that combined with denim gives a unique effect. Finally, we offer a special capsule of fabrics called 'Reactive Indigo', which therefore does not bleach. Ideal for accessories and/or tailored garments.

Our collection is mostly made of fabric already existing from the previous seasons, but there are always some new items. It's important for us to offer every season something new to clients because they must be curious to see our collection every season.

There have been lots of developments in the EU in the last one year, including a number of directives on due diligence, supply chains, etc. How has this affected both denim production as well as denim garmenting?
Francesca Polato: Our production fully complies with current EU directives. Since we have always produced our collection in Italy, we have always had to comply with strict rules in environmental and social terms. So not much has changed for us. From the garment production point of view, we hope that the new directives will lead Italian and European brands to buy more Italian and European fabric.

Flat collections, little research and few ideas was the grouse by a leading denim designer last year. The emphasis was also on — “Produce less, produce better and produce what is necessary”. What do you think is the right path to go and how?
Francesca Polato: We agree with this statement. In fact, in the last few collections we have included few but very targeted novelties. We study the market well thanks to specialised consultants and only include what is necessary in the collection. This is because we don't want to overproduce and because we are a small company, and we offer few things but of very high quality.

Tell us what is the latest on the Dyneema Project. What is Berto doing on that front?
Francesca Polato: Dyneema is a very special and particular fibre. We propose it only for exclusive customised projects. It isn't in the running collection.