Focusing one’s effort on what is, today, strictly necessary for the sector. The input from which the presidency of Fabrizio Nuti of UNIC – Italian Tanners starts, is fairly direct: identifying the priorities of the Italian leather segment and consequently act to satisfying them, as he, also owner of Nuti Ivo (Nuti Ivo, Lloyd, Everest, Papete, Deluxe), tells us in this interview.
What does it mean to take over UNIC’s presidency during an historic time period such as this one?
The moment is extremely challenging. Uncertainty is as high as ever and everything is made more complicated by the difficulties tied to strategizing for the future. Those that work specifically with fashion clients know how important Christmas sales are. Yet, this is an outcome that cannot be forecasted well, as of today.
What can the sector do?
In a moment such as this focus must be on what is strictly needed by the sector, as well as identifying the priorities of Italy’s leather segment and really valorize our industry. In doing so, make sure that the characteristics that made it renown around the world. These priorities, from my point of view, are 3.
Italy’s leather segment’s priorities
The first
Sustainability is still on top, because during this critical time period, the question has become even stronger and more pressing. We have been at the front of the field since the 70s’ as we undertook this path early on, and our level of sustainability as of today are extremely high. Now we must make strives to improve not only “what” we manufacture, but also “how” we manufacture it. We need competencies that can’t be improvised, but this is an objective that we must pursue with profound determination.
How important is, in the overall contest, the renewed attention for circularity?
It’s a consolidated status for us, yet it is “static”. We need to think in the long-term, about investments in innovation and training, investments to educate consumers to make more intelligent choices and some aimed at facilitating legislations that can promote such initiatives.
The second priority?
We are used to take actions that matter and communicate it later. We are precursors in terms of sustainability, but few are aware of that. The challenge here is communicating our intrinsic substance. We must be more impactful when it comes to communication, with simple messages that carry more relevance and have more aggressive tones.
And the third?
Lineapelle. There is really no need to say it. An international landmark and a miraculous creation of synergy among different segments. It has been and remains an irreplaceable stimulus for our businesses, as they all aim to continuously improve. Brining it back to its usual glory, after this pandemic, is another priority of mine, with additional aspects and tools that can make it even better under an organizational and commercial standpoint.
Would you agree with those that believe it cannot be as it was before?
The pandemic accelerated changes and trends that were already happening. It brought, for example, more mergers and acquisitions that, I believe, will continue to take place in the near future. But this is a mechanism that has always existed, it was just accelerated by the crisis. The same can be said by the increased requests for sustainability, traceability and flexibility. Moments of widespread changes always offer opportunities. The challenge is in recognizing them and, later on, taking advantage of them.
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