Sustainable Development Does Not Just Mean Using Environmentally-Friendly Materials.

Zegna Baruffa is one of the largest yarn producers in Italy. It is also the only one in the textile industry that publishes sustainable development reports. The report is based on the GRI sustainability reporting standard and is audited by DDT.

As a leader in the field of wool yarns, Zegna Baruffa owns Bartia, Chiavazza and Botto Poala brands. It has been exhibitors of Florence Pitti Filati yarn Exhibition for many years, and is also one of the few companies in the exhibition that did not make a great deal of products on the concept of "recycled fiber, traceable raw material or waste old fiber".

"Sustainable development does not just mean producing a batch of yarns with environmentally-friendly materials. You may even have no idea what process these materials have undergone before," explains Paolo Todisco, chief executive of Zegna Baruffa.

Zegna Baruffa was controlled by the Alfredo Botto Poala family (51% of shares), and sales in 2018 increased by 12.5% over the same period last year, reaching 113 million 700 thousand euros, operating margin of 6 million euros, and pre tax net profit of 1 million 200 thousand euros. The total yarn sold increased by 7.1% to 3 million 400 thousand kg over the same period.

Todisco said: "real sustainable development must stick to production in Italy and respect gas and wastewater discharge, safety and labor related regulations, instead of moving production to Bulgaria to reduce costs. Safeguarding Italy's employment, properly handling waste materials and creating a supply chain close to local communities: This is truly sustainable development.

　　 In addition to the introduction of Civetta, Zegna Baruffa is more concerned about the essence of this concept. Todisco added: "for us, true sustainable development is sociable. 99% of our 757 employees are permanent employees, and all the steps of yarn production are done in Italy or even in our own factories.

The Zegna Baruffa sustainability report, issued in 2018, totaled 124 pages, which was printed on recycled paper. It elaborated on the initiatives and results related to sustainable development implemented in the year: the economic benefits of generation and distribution, transparency of corporate governance, responsible use of chemical products, geographical distribution of suppliers' origin, and supplier code of conduct established and implemented in 2018.

The report on sustainable development of Zegna Baruffa covers 100% renewable energy sources, ongoing emission reduction measures, improvement of purification equipment to reduce consumption of chemicals and water resources (50 years of company's insisting on all industrial waste water), management and disposal of wastes, and personnel, accident and safety policies. The appendix is devoted to presenting environmental related data.

"The sustainability report is committed to rethinking the beliefs we have been adhering to in an objective way and to make clear and reasonable choices in line with established routes," wrote Alfredo Botto Poala, the group's chief executive, in an open letter to shareholders.

About Zegna Baruffa

Zegna Baruffa Lane Borgosesia was founded in 1850, and is headquartered in Biella City, Italy. It owns Baruffa, Chiavazza and Botto Poala. The company's Manifattura Lane Borgosesia plant now has more than 500 employees, mainly producing all kinds of classic worsted yarns, and dyeing all kinds of other yarns.

Zegna Baruffa has over 160 years of experience in producing high-end yarn and knitwear. Zegna Baruffa studied yarn dyeing and top dyeing in about 30 thousand colors, some of which were exclusively customized according to the specific requirements of customers. The Chiavazza dyeing laboratory is a laboratory for chorionic dyeing of carding yarns. Since its inception, the company has consistently adhered to the strategy of sustainable development and adhered to the manufacture of 100% pure Italy.