Ovs continues its journey in the name of sustainability: the new stage is a collaboration with Santiva, for the procurement of cotton grown in the province of Palermo . Today the largest producers of cotton are in India, China and the United States, but this has not always been the case: in the 1950s it was also grown extensively in Italy and the Sicilian initiative is a positive sign that fits into the strategy of many industries. , including that of fashion, to “shorten” the value chains.
Cotton at the heart of Ovs’ strategy
Greater sustainability of cotton has been a priority for Ovs for years and in 2021 an important goal was achieved: 100% cotton sourcing from more sustainable sources. Now the goal is to use an entirely Italian cotton yarn, in partnership with Santiva, which is active in Pollina. “This initiative represents for us a way to support Made in Italy and bring back to Italy the production of such an important raw material in the clothing sector, guaranteeing the traceability of the entire supply chain – explains Simone Colombo, head of corporate sustainability of Ovs -. If the experimentation is successful, we do not exclude a significant increase in volumes “. The choices of a group like Ovs can really make a difference: let’s talk about the leader in Italy in the women’s, men’s and children’s clothing market with a 9.3% share. Ovs is present with over 2,050 stores in Italy and abroad through the Ovs, Upim and Stefanel brands. Listed in Milan since March 2015, it closed 2021 with a turnover of 1.36 billion.
The path of Santiva
The Palermo-based company has rediscovered the agricultural techniques that were once widespread in the area, giving new impetus to the cultivation of a long-staple cotton of the highest quality and reduced water consumption. Cotton is the most used raw material by Ovs and represents about 70% of the total materials that make up the garments. Using organic farming techniques, avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and drawing exclusively from small basins for the irrigation of plants in the warmer months, the cultivation practices used by Santiva protect the health of the soil, reduce the consumption of water and respect biodiversity. They also involve several young farmers, thus representing a significant opportunity for growth for the local economy.
First sowing in April
On April 22, coinciding with World Earth Day, the cotton plants purchased by Ovs were sown, the harvest will take place between September and November 2022 and the cotton will be used starting from spring-summer 2023 for the production of approximately 30 thousand heads.
The goals achieved by Ovs in 2021
In the path undertaken for some time to promote transparency and respect towards all stakeholders, 2021 was an important year for Ovs, which achieved significant results in various areas: first place in the Fashion Transparency Index, 100% procurement of cotton from more sustainable sources, the monitoring of the product supply chain with the adhesion of suppliers to the Higg platform of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the choice of materials and manufacturing processes with reduced environmental impact and the new decarbonisation objectives, approved by Science Based Targets initiative and focused on further reducing CO2 emissions by 46% by 2030 (already down by 85% from 2017 to 2019). All the activities and goals achieved are told in Making progress, the 2021 sustainability report just published which this year is renewed in form and style thanks to the images of the well-known London illustrator Michael Parkin who, in dialogue with the text, interpret the key themes with creativity and irony.