Italian Converter presents new materials and finishings of the E.C.O. KOSMOS cross-collection

Italian Converter, a leading manufacturer of innovative fabrics for fashion, footwear and accessories, expands E.C.O. Kosmos, the fully traceable, transparent and 100% Made in Italy cross-collection. The acronym E.C.O. - Ecologic, Conversion, Optimization perfectly reflects the founding values of the Italian Converter philosophy and represents a further step in the company's responsible path. E.C.O. Kosmos has also been selected to be part of C.L.A.S.S. (Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy) and also welcomed with enthusiasm the proposal to support C.L.A.S.S. Smart Materials Bank, the educational platform and e-shop of C.L.A.S.S. designed for young designers who want to discover and experiment with innovative and sustainable textile solutions from the best manufacturers in ways suitable for their reality. “E.C.O. Kosmos is more than a collection. It’s a system of actions, values and materials that began almost a decade ago and which develops during the entire process of transformation and improvement of quality", comments Costantino Karazissis, founder of Italian Converter. The process involves a dedicated team that develops, produces and constantly monitors with the utmost care and attention to sustainability; from the selection of innovative materials to the collaboration with equally responsible partners and suppliers.

“In the last 4 years we have increased the rate of sustainability exponentially through continuous and accurate attention and measurements on production and products; in addition, since a long time we have started a selection and activation of our suppliers, especially in terms of reducing the chemicals that impact the environment, following a proactive approach. The number of subscriptions to the parameters of the RSL (Restricted Substances List) is an important indicator of the company policy on the now confirmed and growing interest in increasingly smart products. Among our customers, from 30 commitments of documents relating to this topic in 2016, we have moved to over 256 commitments in 2019”. In the last 3 years the number of subscriptions to the parameters indicating the right values and sustainable substances has grown to double percentage figures. The signatory suppliers to which the company asked and collected adhesions went from 27.3% to 92.7%.

“We are very positive because we see an increasingly positive and concrete response from our entire Supply Chain. It is in this direction that our Code of Ethical and Responsible Behaviour is positioned and we are promoting it to all our suppliers”.

“With the expansion of the collection, Italian Converter continues its process of sustainable conversion but also ethical and attentive to the social impact”, marked by the perfect balance of technology, style and market trend in terms of design and materials. “Sustainability is a fundamental value like quality for us and for our customers. It is for this reason that the new references of E.C.O. Kosmos use materials and processes with the lowest environmental impact and supported by the certification criteria STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, an   independent and uniform control and certification system at the international level of the textile sector for every level of processing. Being able to measure and certify not only materials but also products is a fundamental step in our path”, concludes Karazissis.

Here are some highlights of the collection:

- E.C.O. Alba – E.C.O. Aurora, fabrics made of 50% casual cotton combined with AMNI SOUL ECO ® technology, the biodegradable nylon thread in an anaerobic context created by Solvay. Visually they recall natural fabrics and are highly appreciated for their structure, a particular texture that gives three-dimensionality. Both fabrics have been analyzed and are being certified STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX by the Centro Tessile Cotoniero in Busto Arsizio.

- E.C.O. Sonica is a semi-shiny satin with an elegant and refined appearance. It has the particular characteristic of being stretch with a soft hand and is appreciated for its elegant look and for the wide variety of colors proposed. It is composed of Newlife™, a new generation yarn resulting from the High Tech Conversion Model which transforms 100% of post-consumer plastic bottles, whose origin is fully traceable, into a high-tech polymer of unparalleled quality, through a mechanical process Made in Italy. The savings generated for the production of 1kg of Newlife™, when compared with the production of 1Kg of conventional polyester are significant: -94% of water, -60% of energy consumption, -32% of CO2 emissions, as declared by the LCA - Life Cycle Assessment study conducted by ICEA. Newlife™ also has GRS - Global Recycle Standard certifications, that certifies products obtained from recycled materials and manufacturing activities. It enhances products made with recycled materials, respecting the environmental and social criteria extended to all stages of the production chain and it’s promoted by Textile Exchange, one of the most important non-profit organizations that promote responsible and sustainable development in the textile sector at an international level.

- E.C.O. Aly is a vintage effect raffia, a very trendy theme right now. It consists of GRS certified recycled polyethylene wire (see above) and responds to PRSL (Product Restricted Substances List) issues, a list of chemical substances whose presence in product data (raw materials, semi-finished and finished products) is limited or prohibited based on national and international laws and/or voluntary commitments.

Italian Converter is a market leader and collaborates with some of the most internationally renowned luxury icon brands. E.C.O. Kosmos represents the progressive sustainable integration of know-how, production processes and research and development. “A path and a journey that we are determined to pursue for a responsible future.