Milan, February 2022. Awareness is what makes the difference for Gen Z consumers, who are giving voice to their thoughts and desires also for what concerns the wedding. With a view to a more conscious approach, the wedding is embellished with an ecological, ethical and sympathetic touch in which the bride and groom share their values and vision with the guests. The green footprint starts with wedding invitations, up to stylistic choices such as dress and honeymoon, thus involving the entire upstream supply chain. But how can sustainability turn into a profit for the bridal industry? This was the focus of the webinar organized by Sì SposaItalia on March 1st, with the presence of experts in the sector and top managers in order to give an insight of the main changes taking place within the entire segment, “Recycle, reuse, repeat: the new wedding mantra. Green Trends, Business Opportunities and Case Studies for the Bridal Industry”. The digital talk was also an opportunity to present the results of the 2022 edition of the Sì SposaItalia Observatory "Meet The Generation Z Bride: discovering the brides and grooms of the near future", to understand how the new interpreters of the market are approaching the wedding. The result was surprising: on the one hand, a new sustainable approach and, on the other, the importance of a traditional moment which, despite the current scenario focused on technology, does not disregard its classic assets.

Starting from the wedding dress, the main protagonist of this eco-fashion trend, that has become a catalyst of ethical choices: the object/subject of a change that expresses a predilection for vintage and the "second chance", the reuse of the wedding dress on other occasions. A triumph of the upcycling, to which bridal maisons have adapted to make it a strong point, such as for the Re-Love project by Atelier Emé (in collaboration with Mending for Good): an example of circular design that reinterprets old dresses in a handcrafted and creative way so as to give them new life and new uses.  

According to what emerged from the survey, the importance of the dress, as well as its emotional content, remains central, and “physical” sales channels are preferred at the time of purchase, although social technologies can be of great help for experiencing the atelier.

But clothing is only the tip of the iceberg of a process that has to involve the entire supply chain: new generations tend to prefer no-name, sustainable brands that are not giving up on style. Knowing the history of the brand and being aware of the transparency of its production processes are essential assets that make the difference at the time of purchase: more than half of those surveyed, in fact, would spend up to 10% more for a sustainable creation! An approach in favour of those companies that have always followed ethical production principles, such as Aquafil, one of the world's leading nylon producers, which made of yarn obtained from waste and turned into material the absolute protagonist of its (winning) idea of circular transition.

The Observatory shows a consistent attitude that proves an increasing need to relate with informed consumers, whose choices are influenced not only by aesthetics, but also and above all by an ethical approach. A trend that becomes an opportunity for the companies, starting with their communication, as demonstrated by the analysis of Mediatyche, a leading consulting firm, where clarity and concreteness, together with the risks of green washing, are the key points on which companies must build an appropriate strategy. Not to mention the economic benefits that companies can reap, both in terms of saving resources and reducing costs, from which also derives a greater possibility of investment in technology, often supported by ad hoc government programs. As pointed out by Mr. Niccolò Bacci, Head of Fashion & Textile Desk at Intesa San Paolo, financial solutions were signed with Sistema Moda Italia to help companies support their growth towards a green perspective, fostering investments on innovative materials and fabrics, the launch of sustainable capsule collections, co-branding activities and second-hand reselling platforms. Finally, Sergio Tamborini, the President of SMI, Sistema Moda Italia, explained how the SMI Consortium is working to encourage the growth of more relevant technologies and recycling capacities, in order to identify some clear measurable indexes to evaluate the degree of sustainability of a company.