Promoting the ethical values of environmental sustainability and social responsibility in the luxury sector so that Made in Italy can be resilient to the new challenges of the fashion supply chain, in line with the demands of the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

With this objective, after more than two years of study and sampling of companies in the sector, which led to an extensive database with specific data on the environmental impact of the various matrices used in the different finishing technologies of metal accessories, the LEAF Foundation was able to present a unique initiative: a certification for the entire metal accessory supply chain in the fashion sector.  

“We have developed a standard capable of measuring the environmental sustainability of the entire metal accessories production chain. An innovative tool intended to help companies move towards a more circular, responsible production with an environmental impact that can finally be measured” explains Luca Cartocci, President of the LEAF Foundation.   

The LEAF Hardware certification represents the first standard for calculating the environmental impact of metal components (accessories, costume jewellery, and jewellery) in the fashion sector and aims to enable companies to be, towards their consumers, a guarantee of transparency, ethical and social responsibility of the product they place on the market.

“Through our certification, companies in the sector whose history and production is profoundly linked to and identifiable with Made in Italy, can measure the social and environmental impact of their industrial performance. This is an important but now necessary change: the companies that export Italian high fashion all over the world now need to deal with more circular and sustainable processes - Cartocci continues - Our certification acts a guideline for them, helping the entire supply chain to be traceable and resilient to the challenge of ecological transition, a challenge that can no longer be postponed to ensure the survival of Made in Italy, so that it can continue to be synonymous with excellence and quality in the world.”  

But let’s see what the LEAF Hardware product certification consists of and how it is obtained in detail.  

As a first step, it is necessary to carry out a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on the product to be certified. The LCA is an internationally recognised methodology for calculating environmental impact and is standardised by ISO 14040 and 14044. The output of this study will be the environmental impact over the entire life cycle of that product, grouped into six categories: global warming potential; consumption of mineral and fossil resources; water consumption; ozone depletion potential; ecotoxicity, and human toxicity.  

“These categories are the result of the two-year study we carried out - Luca Cartocci further explains - Having all the values of the six categories below the limits enables the company to declare its product as LEAF Hardware certified. Exceeding the limit value, even in only one of the categories, does not entitle the company to obtain this certification. However, the company will be able to take the necessary corrective actions, improving its processing in terms of environmental sustainability to align with best practices and move towards a more ethical and sustainable production.” 

The LEAF Foundation has been able to sense and anticipate the requests coming from Europe (of which will there will be increasingly more in the future) and, more in general, from the planet that hosts us, working on a tool that can make the difference for a company that deals with metal accessories, at all levels, and that intends to move towards a more responsible production in line with recent European directives. In time, before the paradigm shift also in the luxury accessory sector becomes inevitable.