TONELLO: PIONEERS IN GARMENT FINISHING

Interview by Jas Bhachu

​We live in a world where everything is fast paced, everything is accessible and disposable as quick as a click of a button. Fast fashion is one of the key offenders that has been under public scrutiny over it environmental impacts. 

It was a great to catch up with the team over at Tonello, the family led Italian company who have been instrumental in making systematic solutions to garment finishing. We spoke with Alberto their Marketing Executive, to find out more.

 
​You are pioneers in garment finishing technology. Could you explain to our readers you company ethos and ultimate goals in the garment industry?

When we started our activity in 1981, the word ‘sustainability’ was just another word and none of our customers was interested in it. But that far-sighted vision reveals today to be the right choice: saving energy, reducing chemicals and water consumption are now absolute musts. Every processing phase realized with our technologies is documented and certified. Because transparency is a daily work in progress, not just a step in “factory life”. It is actually more of a never-ending process, which involves the organization of work and the features of our products.

The All-in-One System is simply groundbreaking. The reduction in water and chemical consumption are just the start of the long list of benefits. How do you find the development process of creating such a complex system? I can only imagine how much time and dedication it takes.

It was just the end (or maybe the start) of a journey that lasted for years. The All-in-one system is simply the combination of all the finishing technologies we developed over the last few years and that combined together gave life to an all-around solution. Our All-in-one system has become a reality with the arrival of ECOfree 2, being added to the already proven NoStone®, Core, and UP. The system saves energy, reducing water and chemical consumption, cutting down processing times and total production costs: respecting the environment, reducing manual labor and protecting the health of operators.

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There is a lot of scrutiny on the environmental impacts of garment manufacturing in the fashion industry. Do you think sustainable production choices will be taken seriously or is this an ongoing battle that will take time to implement?

Sustainability is very trendy in the industry nowadays and there’s no company that is not promoting sustainable products. However, sustainability should be communicated in the right way to attract and influence the main players of the market. Treating the garments in a completely sustainable way is not so simple; we must take care of any aspect that goes from the processes, the technologies, the products used. In addition to this, the result should also be fashionable and original. The next step will be to educate. Consumers are more and more interested in knowing how the garments they are buying are made and produced. All the information should be communicated through labels explaining exactly how the garment was made, the chemicals used, the water consumption… more or less like a food label.

Denim is undoubtedly timeless in fashion. There are many trends that come and go but denim is always a key staple. Do you have any forecasted trends in denim that we should be looking out for?

Next season we will still see a great presence of ‘80s and ‘90s styles, with their worn-out looks, strong finishes and overwashed fabrics, combined with vintage logos and retro esthetics. Colored denim and dyed garments will also have a lot of momentum, especially in pastel palettes with a cooler, more contemporary feel.