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Italy: Tonello Is Working On A Very Important Project That Will Become The Most Sustainable Finishing System In The World

• By  Henry Dsouza
• July 07, 2014

Tonello has had a strong focus on sustainable garment finishing. How and why did this happen?

Fashion and textile industry leaves behind a huge environmental footprint and all of us know it. But how many of us care about it? We do. That's why, since our foundation, we have been producing technologies which perfectly combine sustainability, performance, safety and look. For us it was a natural evolution.

Tell us about the latest developments in Tonello technology, and how these compare with conventional technologies?

Following the environmental path, we have invested a lot in research. The intent was to create sustainable technologies which can replace conventional processing techniques, while getting rid of any danger for the operators and reducing to minimum the environmental impact.

An example of our technologies that combines these three values is ECOfree, a revolutionary ozone washing system which can also replace stone-wash processes with impressive savings in terms of water, energy and chemicals. Unlike standard ozone systems, ECOfree ensures healthier garments and a safer workplace. We call it The Ozone Revolution and I assure you it is.

How do your machines ensure the huge resource savings you claim?

An important branch of our company is the Research & Development Department, where experts, designers and engineers constantly experiment, in order to develop new technologies, refine and upgrade already operative ones and implement new solutions based on the market trends and on the needs of our customers. Among the research activities, we test and study our technologies in real production situation with reliable data, in order to acquire the most precise amount of the savings offered by the machine. We are certified as a Supplier of Sustainable Technologies by ACIMIT and successful testing has meant that our entire production range has been awarded the Green Label.

Where is your customer base? How many installations do you have in the industry?

We invest in various markets across the globe, depending on the needs and trends of each market. Our technologies are operating all around the world and almost every brand, laundry, as well as chemical and fabric producer relies on our products and knowledge.

Our installations at present are calculated at 6,400 units. This important number strongly underlines how much the industry cares on producing sustainable garments.

How do you find the Indian, Chinese, Bangladesh markets? What is your strategy to expand in these markets?

We invest a lot in the Asian market, which is world-renowned as the most important for the production and development of apparel. Many of our long standing customers are from this area and the most loyal ones, in particular from Bangladesh. This long-lasting relationship proves how much our clients count on us and on our technologies.

We give them specific solutions based on their needs and on their market, studied by our Research Department, as well as a constant assistance during and after the start-up of the plants. For our customers, this is what makes the difference between being just another supplier and being a real partner.

How do you view competition?

We like competition, but we don't really feel it. Since 1981, year of Tonello's foundation, our products are studied, designed and produced completely in-house here in Sarcedo, Italy. This means not only the possibility of following and checking each working phase, but also an easier planning, short communication routes and the opportunity to perfect our experience day by day. This way, we can give immediate assistance to our customers without the need of any third party.

Unlike our competitors, we can also provide technologies for a wide range of treatments, combining top-level performance, energy savings and environmental compatibility. That's why our products work in perfect symbiosis: in order to ensure total control and reproducibility of every process.

Were you present at ITMA Asia in Shanghai?

Yes, we were. We consider ITMA Asia as the most important showcase for the Asian market. We recently participated as speaker in Great Ideas in Cotton conference by Cotton Incorporated in Hong Kong with the sustainability topic and we got a really good response from the public during and after the event.

This emphasises how much sustainability and garment healthiness are now key factors for the industry and that's why we were present again at ITMA Asia.

What new is in the development pipeline?

I can't reveal too much but, as a hint, I can tell you that we have a really important project now under development that, in my opinion, will become the most sustainable finishing system in the world, able to replace many dangerous and manual processes unfortunately already in use in the industry.

Anything else you would like to highlight?

I would like to underline the importance of being eco-friendly. It means not only giving an amazing added-value to your garments, but also gaining a big economic advantage.  Less water, less energy, less chemicals, less scrap and less emissions, means huge costs saving. 

Textile Excellence