MILAN — OTB Group has joined ZDHC Foundation’s Roadmap to Zero Programme, an international initiative promoting sustainable chemical management across the textile, leather and footwear value chain.
The program’s ultimate mission is to enable brands and retailers of these industries to implement best practices to reduce their chemical footprint and advance toward zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.
By joining it, OTB Group — which comprises Diesel, Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf and a stake in Amiri, as well as production arms Staff International and Brave Kid — strengthens its commitment toward a more sustainable approach to business while engaging actively with other leading brands and contributors.
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These include names such as LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton; Kering; Burberry; Hugo Boss; Nike; Adidas; Stone Island; Inditex; H&M; Fast Retailing; Target; Asos, and United Colors of Benetton, as well as textile players of the likes of Albini Group, Candiani, Isko and Ratti, among others.
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“Sustainability is a fundamental asset for all the fashion companies that want to lead the change and remain competitive on the market. The commitment to the environment and the reduction of the impact of our industry on the planet must be a priority for everyone,” said Sara Mariani, chief sustainability officer at OTB Group.
Mariani underscored the company has embarked on such a journey long ago and it has “ambitious standards for reducing the use of chemicals and water in the industrial processes.”
“We have already worked on wet processes and with printing and laundries systems to gradually eliminate dangerous chemicals,” she added, further stressing that joining the ZDHC program will enable the company to collaborate with other players and ultimately “promote a positive change in chemical and water management.”
To favor these interaction and synergies, OTB Group will host the ZDHC Foundation’s Southern Europe Regional Conference event at its Breganze headquarters on Thursday.
Different contributors to the Roadmap to Zero Programme will gather to share their experiences, best practices and learning from implementing ZDHC tools and guidelines. According to the schedule, OTB will also share its sustainability strategy and explain how the program fits in it.
“To increase our impact, it is of paramount importance to report what the ZDHC community has achieved in the implementation of a sustainable chemical management. Implementation with purpose is one of our next targets and the most effective way to achieve this is to lead by example,” said Elisa Gavazza, the ZDHC Foundation’s regional director for the Southern Europe area.
As reported, OTB last month also joined the Aura Blockchain Consortium, becoming its fourth founding member after LVMH, which initiated the Aura platform in 2019, Prada Group and Compagnie Financière Richemont. The consortium promotes the use of a single blockchain solution open to all luxury brands worldwide to help consumers trace the provenance and authenticity of luxury goods.
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