Enel X: Driving Energy Transformation with Innovative Solutions

As a company within the Enel Group, Enel X delivers innovative products and services to advance energy transformation across industrial, residential, and urban sectors, all with a focus on sustainable development.

Project Overview

This initiative supports fashion brands in embracing the “Green Disruption.” Specifically, brands within the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society platform have the opportunity to win a free green disruption consultancy. Through this programme, the selected company embarks on a circular transition journey, facilitated by implementing the Circular Economy Report.

Participation Requirements

All brands within the platform are eligible to apply. However, the sole requirement is that the brand must have an in-house production process. Ultimately, the final decision rests exclusively with Enel X.

Prize

As a result, the selected company receives a Green Disruption consultancy by Enel X, valued at €10,000, completely free of charge.

Winning Brand

Lanerie Grosber — Visit Website

The second edition of Phygital Sustainability Expo®, a landmark event in the sustainable fashion calendar.

September 2021 – Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane

Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane is a public Italian company operating in railway transportation, local public transit, and freight services, managed through its subsidiaries.

Project Overview

In collaboration with the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society, Ferrovie dello Stato launched the “Contest of Ideas,” aimed at selecting the most innovative idea for a line of sustainable gadgets (USB drives, eco-friendly shoppers, and other original items).

Timeline

• Contest launched: July 5, 2021 at the Phygital Sustainability EXPO
• Proposals deadline: September 30, 2021
• Winner announced: October 31, 2021

Prize

Consequently, the winning brand received extensive visibility across Ferrovie dello Stato’s media channels, along with an exclusive interview featured in “Le Frecce,” the official onboard magazine on all Trenitalia trains.

Winning Brand

Made in Carcere

October 2021 – ASviS

Founded by the Unipol Foundation and the University of Rome “Tor Vergata,” the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) brings together over 200 of the most prominent institutions and civil society networks.

Project Overview

For this occasion, the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society curated a narrated fashion show of eco-sustainable brands during the closing day of the 2021 Sustainable Development Festival, hosted by ASviS at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni. Notably, the event amassed 173,000 views across the Facebook pages of ANSA and ASviS, and ASviS YouTube.

Selected Brands

• Opera Campi: Patent holder for the world’s first stretchable hemp fabric
• Herotex and Lanapa: Pioneers in natural hemp-based textiles
• Fusioni: Italian leader in garments made from bamboo, rose, and milk fibers
• Made in Carcere: A social nonprofit offering manufacturing jobs to Italian inmates
• Soul Daze: Specializes in recycled natural fibers, biodegradable packaging, zero-mile suppliers

November 2021 – FORTUNE

Valeria Mangani, President of the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society, was a speaker at the “Creative Renaissance Luxury Summit 2021,” organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce and Fortune Italia.

Moreover, the event brought together leading voices in luxury, creativity, and innovation, highlighting the transformative role of sustainable practices in redefining the future of the luxury industry.

November 2021 – Green Hole

In November, the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society hosted an exclusive networking and inauguration event at the Green Hole, one of the most eco-friendly venues in Italy, as a prelude to the Sustainable Development Festival fashion show in collaboration with ASviS.

Event Highlights

During the evening, Society President Valeria Mangani presented the four selected brands: Opera Campi · Made in Carcere · Fusioni · Soul Daze.

In addition, all brands registered with the Society were invited to join the event — an excellent opportunity for networking and meet-ups within Italy’s sustainable fashion system.

December 2021 – CEO for LIFE

On Thursday, December 9th, CEO for Life Talks hosted a conference featuring the President of Roche Italia and Undersecretary for Health Pierpaolo Sileri on the topic: “Prevention: Fashion and Health.”

Speakers

• Pierpaolo Sileri, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health
• Maurizio De Cicco, President and CEO of Roche Italia
• Davide Campari, CEO of Fujifilm Italia
• Giordano Fatali, Founder of CEO for Life

Furthermore, the conference was part of the “Screening Routine” campaign by Roche Italia and Fujifilm Italia, aimed at recovering lost time in the fight against breast cancer. As a result, the event garners hundreds of thousands of views annually.

Selected Brand

Zummy

January 2022 – SDA Bocconi

SDA Bocconi School of Management is the Graduate Business School of Bocconi University, ranked among the top 10 universities in the world and the best in Italy.

On January 24th, SDA Bocconi launched a new edition of the Monitor for Circular Fashion, a multi-stakeholder project involving leading fashion companies. The initiative benefits from the scientific contribution of SDA Bocconi’s Sustainability Lab and the cross-industry vision of Enel X for identifying circularity KPIs.

For the 2022 edition, in particular, President Valeria Mangani was selected as a speaker, presenting two success stories of sustainable brands from the community.

Selected Brands

ACBC · Zerobarracento

February 2022 – African Fashion Gate

At the award ceremony for social media star Khaby Lame, President Valeria Mangani spoke about sustainability and #EthicalFashion. Lame received the “Fashion Dresses Peace” Award, presented by African Fashion Gate (AFG). Significantly, the event was held at the Rome headquarters of the European Parliament on March 21st: the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

March 2022 – Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young (EY) is a global network of professional services with 300,000 employees across over 700 offices in more than 150 countries, part of the “Big Four.”

Project

EY hosted an exclusive masterclass on sustainable transition for 25 sustainable fashion & design companies affiliated with the Society. Remarkably, the €5,000 value of the masterclass was provided free of charge to selected brands. Led by the Director of Sustainability for Europe at EY, also a Professor at the University of La Sapienza in Rome, the masterclass covered key aspects of corporate sustainability.

Participating Brands

Diadora · Zilli · Hevolus Innovation · Modus Intarsia · Par.co Denim · Lanificio Nova Fides · Staiy · Tecnoseta · Zerow · 1955 · AAA Unbranded · Flavia Valentini · Fortunale · Belt Bag · Dipilli · Officine di Talenti Preziosi · Ripalta Daniello · The ID Factory · RAM · Silvia Rodorigo

March 2022 – Chamber of Deputies

Represented by President Valeria Mangani, the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society promoted the first Parliamentary Motion in Italy in support of the ecological and digital transition in the fashion sector. With Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as the first signatory, it was discussed on March 8th at the Chamber of Deputies by MP Federico Mollicone.

Consequently, the motion commits the government to adopt initiatives for more effective environmental protection in the textile sector. These include: allocation of funds for Italy’s first “Green Fashion Week” (Phygital Sustainability Expo); policies for supply chain transparency and traceability; and financial support for wastewater treatment plants from textile cycles.

March 2022 – Centro Studi Americani

On this occasion, President Valeria Mangani was a speaker at the event “Economia Circolare Made in Italy” organized by the Liber Association, discussing the socio-economic development of sustainable fashion in Italy.

March 2022 – Accademia delle Belle Arti di Napoli

At the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Naples (Aula Magna), President Valeria Mangani was a speaker at the Sustainable Fashion Seminar, chaired by Mariangela Salvati (Fashion Design Lecturer) and Natasha Rezzuti (Pattern Making Lecturer).

In particular, President Mangani discussed the ethical paradigm of sustainable fashion and its relationship with fashion-tech.

Phygital Sustainability Expo® was officially recognized as a United Nations SDG Partnership.

View the UN SDG Partnership page →

April 2022 – Innovazione PA

Innovazione PA is Italy’s leading digital portal for public administration, with a total reach of 500,000 views.

Subsequently, Innovazione PA interviewed three brands from the Society platform on its digital channels, with a focus on upcycling and sustainable transition. Additionally, the portal features prominent figures including Vice Minister of Health Pierpaolo Sileri and Carlo Cottarelli.

Selected Brands

Opera Campi · Diligentia · Accademia di Costume e Moda

April 2022 – BIT, Milan

In Milan, President Valeria Mangani was a speaker at BIT (Borsa Internazionale del Turismo), representing sustainable fashion for the Lazio Region.

Notably, the Society was invited by the Lazio Region’s Tourism Councillor to present Phygital Sustainability Expo as the most important event for Rome in 2023, alongside the Ryder Cup.

July 2022 – Phygital Sustainability Expo (3rd Edition)

The Phygital Sustainability Expo took place on July 11th and 12th, 2022 in Rome at the Mercati di Traiano – Museo dei Fori Imperiali (a historic venue dating back to 113 A.D.).

Key Highlights

• 70 participating companies (brands and manufacturers)
• 101 international guest speakers
• 25 countries represented
• 30 fashion-tech startups
• 18 multinational companies showcasing new sustainable projects

Indeed, it remains the only event in Italy dedicated exclusively to the technological and sustainable transition of the fashion and design sectors.

July 2022 – Ministry of Economic Development

Senator Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Deputy Minister for Economic Development, invited President Valeria Mangani to the Fashion Table at the Ministry of Economic Development, in the presence of Minister Giorgetti.

Specifically, the Fashion Table 2022 was held in the Sala degli Arazzi at MISE, with the Presidents of the largest trade associations in the Italian fashion system. On this occasion, the President represented the sustainable fashion system in Italy.

August 2022 – Urban Vision

Three brands from the Society community — ALBINI_next, Fibre International, and Verabuccia — became runners for #maratonagreen organized by Urban Vision S.p.A., the first large-scale editorial digital out-of-home (DOOH) dedicated to sustainability.

As part of the initiative, each brand received two large digital billboards (70 square meters each) in Rome (Lungotevere Castel Sant’Angelo) and Milan (Via Larga), completely free of charge.

September 2022 – Elisa Back to the Future Tour

At the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, Valeria Mangani moderated a talk on Sustainable Fashion with two designers who dressed the singer Elisa during her eco-sustainable Back to the Future live tour: Tiziano Guardini and Andrea Lonigro.

October 2022 – Lineapelle

An Instagram Live between Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society and Lineapelle focused on “Sustainable Innovations in the Leather Industry.”

During the conversation, Valeria Mangani interviewed Fulvia Bacchi, CEO of Lineapelle, on the question: Can tanneries be sustainable? Among the topics discussed were the chemical and technological innovations transforming the industry toward more ethical and planet-friendly practices.

October 2022 – Barcolana Sea Summit, Trieste

At this summit, Valeria Mangani was a speaker at the “Barcolana Sea Summit – Towards the General States of Sustainability in the Upper Adriatic and Central Europe” event, organized by RAI for Sustainability SDG for ASviS. Here, she represented the sustainable fashion sector.

Speakers

• Raffaella Giugni, Vice President of Marevivo Onlus
• Francesca Santoro, UNESCO
• Antonio Augeri, CEO of Ogyre
• Arianna Mancuso, University of Bologna

October 2022 – FAO

“Fashion is a story that starts with agriculture and ends with communication.”

For this forum, the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society organized the side event of the FAO — SCIENCE AND INNOVATION FORUM 2022.

Panel of Speakers

• Valeria Mangani, President of Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society
• Lavinia Mennuni, Senator of the Italian Republic
• Simone Colombo, Chief Sustainability Officer at OVS
• Nicola Tagliafierro, Head of Global Sustainability at Enel X
• Manlio Carta, President of Santiva Organic Cotton
• Andrea Salvia, CEO of Gorilla Socks
• Alberto Ziveri, CEO of Opera Campi

Senator Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, invited our President Valeria Mangani as a speaker at the Fashion Table of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.

Held in the Sala degli Arazzi at MIMIT, the Fashion Table gathered the Presidents of the largest trade associations in the Italian fashion system. Once again, our President represented the sustainable fashion system in Italy.

January 18th 2023 – SDG Lab, United Nations, Davos

Invited by the CEO of UNGSII, the President of Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society attended the SDG Lab by the United Nations in Davos.

During her speech, President Mangani presented the Phygital Sustainability EXPO® and its verticals in the SDGs, while walking through the digital and physical museum itinerary. Additionally, she announced the next edition of Phygital Sustainability Expo to be held on July 6th and 7th 2023 at the Museum of the Imperial Forum in Rome, 113 d.C.

“Choosing what to wear may seem like an unconscious gesture, yet it is far from it: it is a political act, with direct effects on the Planet and on our health.”

At the event “The Environmental Impact of the Fashion Industry and Possible Solutions for a Sustainable Future,” organized by the Embassy of the United States in Italy and the Centro Studi Americani, President Valeria Mangani delivered an impactful speech.

Among the distinguished speakers were Prof. Amy Myers Jaffe (Tufts University), Mena Marano (Arav Fashion Group), Laura D’Aprile (Ministry of Environment), Giacomo Vigna (MISE), and Nicola Tagliafierro (Enel X), who all contributed valuable insights.

Our President Mangani delivered a masterclass on sustainable events at the Master in Luxury & Fashion Management of the 24 Ore Business School, presenting Phygital Sustainability Expo as the first event exclusively dedicated to the eco-sustainable transition of fashion brands.

This represented an important moment of reflection with future sector managers on the industry’s environmental impact. Going forward, our association will continue to collaborate with young talent, involving them in the activities of the 4th edition of Phygital Sustainability Expo®.

Our President Valeria Mangani participated in the panel “Digital as a Driver for Tourism, #MadeInItaly, Welfare and PA” at #DigitalDay, an event promoted by Arena Digitale at the Italian Senate.

At the center of the discussion were sustainable responses from the fashion sector — in particular, #FashionRenting (“fashion rental”) and second-hand clothing purchases, which are solutions that combat pollution and reduce the demand for new products.

On June 15th, Lazio Region President Francesco Rocca attended the first annual meeting of the Regional Intersectoral Fashion Table, chaired by Vice President Roberta Angelilli.

At the table, Valeria Mangani participated as President of Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society. The Councillor’s invitation and commitment toward the fashion sector were deeply appreciated.

Hosted by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, the press conference for the 4th edition of Phygital Sustainability Expo® highlighted the first and only event in Italy exclusively dedicated to the eco-sustainable transition of fashion and design brands.

Introduced by Federico Fabretti (Comin & Partners), the conference featured Senator Adolfo Urso, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, alongside Valeria Mangani, President of Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society.

“Phygital Sustainability Expo® is the reference event for the sector because it brings together institutions, companies and the territory in a way that enhances the production, creative and manufacturing system of Made in Italy.”

The 4th edition of Phygital Sustainability Expo®, held on July 5th and 6th, 2023 at the Trajan’s Markets – Museum of the Imperial Forums, Rome.

▶ Watch the event video on YouTube

We are thrilled to announce that the President of Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society, Valeria Mangani, has been included in the Fortune 50 Most Powerful Women 2023 list, for her commitment to the sustainable transition of fashion & design brands.

President Valeria Mangani was a speaker during the Monitor for Circular Fashion by SDA Bocconi. We are pleased that initiatives like these help raise awareness of the sustainable fashion production sector in our country.

On Tuesday, November 21st, President Valeria Mangani participated in “Lumen Talks” as an official delegate of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.

The event was held at The St. Regis Rome and focused on luxury craftsmanship and sustainability.

On Monday, January 29th, the conference “Fashion Law, Sustainability and Made in Italy” was held, organized by the Rome Bar Association (Ordine degli Avvocati di Roma).

President Valeria Mangani participated as a speaker, with a talk entitled “The Transformative Change of Made in Italy: Green and Inclusive.”

Lawyers’ Hall — Palazzo di Giustizia — Piazza Cavour

On March 1st, at the Department of Management of the Faculty of Economics, the third edition of the Master’s in Fashion Management at Sapienza University of Rome was officially inaugurated.

Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society is a partner of the Master’s educational programme and President Valeria Mangani serves as a lecturer.

With the 5th edition of Phygital Sustainability Expo® approaching (June 4th – 5th, 2024), the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society issued a “Social Support Call.”

Through this call, the winning association or company would gain the opportunity to participate in the Narrated Fashion Show® of Phygital Sustainability Expo® 2024, completely free of charge.

Minister Adolfo Urso hosted the event “Reshoring: agricultural textiles from crop to shop” at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, organized by Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society.

During the event, two of our members — Cotone Organico di Sicilia and Gest — presented the virtuous supply chain of 100% Made in Italy organic cotton. Importantly, President Valeria Mangani’s proposal for a 100% Made in Italy label was warmly welcomed.

“I support the idea of creating a 100% Made in Italy label, representing the symbol of excellence and authenticity of the entire supply chain, from seed to shop.”

On May 21st, the press conference for the 5th edition of Phygital Sustainability EXPO® was held at the European Parliament headquarters in Italy.

Among the distinguished participants were Carlo Corazza (Director of the European Parliament Office in Italy), Antonio Parenti (European Commission in Italy), MP Alessandro Onorato (Major Events Councillor of Rome), and Matteo Masini (ITA — Italian Trade Agency).

The 5th edition of Phygital Sustainability Expo®, held on June 4th and 5th, 2024 at the Trajan’s Markets – Museum of the Imperial Forums, Rome.

▶ Watch the event video on YouTube

Invited by Micromegas to the 4th edition of Mediterranea, held at the Municipality of Sabaudia, Valeria Mangani spoke about sustainability and energy transition alongside:

• Enrico Giovannini — Scientific Director of ASVIS
• Nicola Procaccini — MEP, Brothers of Italy, Co-President of ECR
• Gen. Michele Sirimarco — Chief of Staff, Carabinieri Command for Environmental Protection

In the evocative setting of the Palazzo del Comune di Siracusa, in the heart of Ortigia, on the occasion of the G7 Agriculture summit, President Valeria Mangani presented the 6th edition of Phygital Sustainability EXPO®: Italy’s flagship event on sustainability culture.

The invitation came from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, underscoring the growing connection between sustainable fashion and agricultural policy.

Stefano Ronchi included in the prestigious programme of the new humanism of Value the presentation of our President Valeria Mangani’s latest book: “Dressing the Future. Vital Interactions as a Source of Innovation: the Case of Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society” (Giappichelli publisher).

Notably, the volume is prefaced by Minister Adolfo Urso (MIMIT) and Carlo Corazza, Director of the European Parliament in Italy.

Through its network, the Sustainable Fashion Innovation Society connected partner EY with Opera Campi, one of its 2,300 members, to develop deep-technology collaborations in the field of augmented reality applied to fashion e-commerce.

As a result, this encounter opens a dialogue that transforms e-commerce into a living experience, bringing the soul of materials into the digital dimension without losing the essence of what is authentic.

www.operacampi.com — for more information on the project.

Valeria Mangani was a guest at Radio Globo’s studios for an interview on the new sustainability podcast “Salviamo il Globo” (“Let’s Save the Globe”).

During the broadcast, she outlined the guidelines for a more responsible future, emphasizing the need for immediate action to reduce ecological impact. Furthermore, she stressed the importance of involving citizens, businesses, and institutions in a collective commitment to promote sustainable development.