The Importance of the Made in Italy in a Sustainable Fashion Supply Chain. The Italian District Model

Sustainability is not a new term in the fashion industry, however, it was earlier viewed just as an option and often linked with a rustic and hand-made aesthetic. It all changed when the news about the horrors hidden throughout the supply chain started reaching the final consumer, as well as industries from different segments started assessing their environmental impact. Considering the pace fashion has been working for the last decades, it came as no surprise that its industry is unsustainable. Nonetheless, the hurry to right all the wrong in the industry might have neglected an important aspect to be taken into consideration. “Made in Italy” has always been understood as a guarantee of quality; the Italian value chain guarantees high control standards on both the processes and products of the supply chain. Following the UN 2030 Agenda, the Italian Fashion System is reducing its impacts: from the environment, so that there is greater awareness of the problems of sustainable development, to consumers’ rights to be informed by reducing greenwashing; furthermore, attention to the use of microfibers and microplastics that are released into the water reducing the generation of chemical waste in the creative process. Using a desk research methodology, on the analysis of the most contemporary sources, the paper presents an analysis of the current situation of the Italian supply chain, showing how Alanui, an interesting case study of an Italian company, still interprets the value of “made in” as a value for its products.