The green manifesto of Prince Charles to be born

A manifesto for regenerative fashion favoring a bio-based, circular and inclusive industry, with positive effects on climate and nature. This is the next step of the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) Fashion Task Force of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, chaired by entrepreneur Federico Marchetti and bringing together managers of important companies, such as Andrea Camerana, Board director of Giorgio Armani, Giuseppe Marsocci, CEO of the Group, Gabriele Maggio, CEO of Stella McCartney, Riccardo Bellini, CEO of Chloé, Jonathan Akeroyd, CEO of Burberry, Anne Pitcher, Managing Director of Selfridges and Riccardo Stefanelli, CEO of Brunello Cucinelli, to mention but a few.

After having created a digital passport for products presented at the G20 Rome Summit, today the task force is taking the next step by addressing companies upstream of the fashion chain, with the support of the Circular bioeconomy alliance led by scientist Marc Palahi. Regenerative fashion means holistically addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis by generating fair and inclusive prosperity along its value chains. At the same time, it is committed to supporting local and indigenous communities who are responsible for creating regenerative territories. The first concrete project will be the Himalayan Regenerative Fashion Living Lab.

The initiative is based on a one million euros investment with the aim of regenerating degraded territories, recovering the traditional skills of textile craftsmanship to improve local economies based on cashmere, cotton and silk, addressing —in the meantime— global challenges related to climate change and loss of biodiversity. The work will start next month with field assistance from Reforest'action and Balipara foundation. Waiting for new ad-hoc created initiatives for individual brands to be announced, as Federico Marchetti explained to MFF.

How was the manifesto born?
A year ago, at Prince Charles' request, I started to put together and lead a fashion task force. I brought together brands, retailers and tech companies with two clear goals, deriving from my vision on the future of fashion. The first one, targeting end customers, was to give them more information about products by providing a digital passport. The second goal was to progressively embrace the regenerative path that is upstream of the chain. Involving the two extremes of fashion value, upstream and downstream. Extremes that in my vision can probably be integrated in the future.

What does the project involve?
A commitment by all brands to progressively embrace the regenerative path of materials. That is why we involved scientist Marc Palahi, Director of the European Forest Institute and President of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, with the aim of creating an innovative path in the fashion industry. And in order to demonstrate our concrete commitment, my role as a tech entrepreneur and Innovation Manager has pushed me to put on the ground the first project to regenerate all the degraded territories of the Himalayas with the purpose of producing silk, cotton and cashmere in a regenerative way and giving local people a role and a job, since they will be an integral part of this pilot initiative.

Will there be more to come?
This project will be the first one of a long series. In May there will be communications on what is concretely being done with the manifesto and on the progress that will be driven by the brands that will take over everything. We are trying to intervene in a tailor-made manner, also based on the needs of the individual brands and where they are working. This is a task force aimed at getting actual results and it makes me happy to be leading it. All the members are highly motivated and are visionary leaders themselves. I did not have to convince anyone to trace the future of sustainable fashion.

A cohesion that you have demonstrated by launching the digital passport as well...
When I think that the EU Commission launched the digital passport for textiles only a few days ago, we are proud to have been ahead of our time. We are in an implementation phase through a committee led by Riccardo Bellini of Chloé. As individuals, we have been ahead of the public by showing them a way and being pioneers.

How is fashion moving in terms of sustainability?
I am President of this task force and I am honoured because the investiture comes from a genuine person like Prince Charles who has been talking about sustainability for 50 years. I never thought I would become his advisor and I am very honoured to be part of a task force of visionaries. In fashion, this spirit of innovation is not so common and I am happy to be part of a group that wants to share the path to sustainability. We have reached goals beyond our wildest expectations. It is a new phase of my life at the service of fashion —in which I have worked so much— and the planet.

You have received so much and are giving a lot back to fashion...
I have given, received and am continuing to give. In 1999, I started talking about digital. Now it is an integral part of all fashion brands and the vast majority of Italians have put a foot in the industry with me. Now I feel like I am someone who is trying to help everyone out again by identifying the high road and putting innovation and technology to use. The difference is that I used to do it for a company, while now, pro bono, I do it for the good of everyone and the planet. (All rights reserved)