LONDON — British designer Paul Smith joined the Sustainable Markets Initiative Fashion Task Force this month, becoming the group’s only new member this year and entering a sustainability coalition chaired by an Italian that is shaped around Italy’s leading luxury houses.
The Fashion Task Force is the industry arm of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, or SMI, a private sector network founded by King Charles III in 2020, when he was still Prince of Wales. It operates under the Terra Carta, the initiative’s charter to place nature and climate at the centre of business.
The group’s flagship tool is the Digital Product Passport, a scannable record of a garment’s materials and origins. The Task Force first presented the passport at the Group of 20 summit in Rome in 2021. Its relevance is growing as the European Union phases in passport requirements, with textiles among the first sectors affected, turning what began as a luxury-led initiative into a broader compliance issue for the industry.
“Paul Smith joining the Fashion Task Force signals a concrete alignment on traceability and the Digital Product Passport, not just institutional messaging,” Andrea Maragno, a design expert at JoeVelluto Studio, told Italy Now.. “In Italy we already have proof this approach works. Alcantara has been certified carbon neutral since 2009 and generates over 80% of its revenue abroad, Kartell has built an entire product narrative around traceable recycled plastic, Amorim has turned cork into a structural competitive advantage.”
“The decision to admit only one new member each year reflects our commitment to maintaining an agile and highly focused group, capable of delivering tangible results quickly,” said Federico Marchetti, the Task Force chair, founder of Italian e-commerce pioneer YOOX and now a board member at Giorgio Armani.
Ewan Venters, executive chairman of Paul Smith, said the British label joined to strengthen its progress on transparency. “Sustainability and transparency remain key priorities for Paul Smith, and we are committed to continually improving our performance in both areas,” he said.
Marchetti, born in Ravenna, built YOOX into Italy’s first technology unicorn before merging it with Britain’s Net-a-Porter. The Task Force now includes around a dozen members, with a strong Italian presence including Armani Group, Prada Group, Brunello Cucinelli and OTB, the group founded by Diesel’s Renzo Rosso.
“In a world where social greenwashing and hypocrisy towards sustainability rules the fashion system, I hope that Paul Smith joining the Fashion Task Force further supports it in maintaining its faithful promise of their path to sustainability,” Thaddeus Von Vacano, an up and coming street wear designer told Italy Now. Crucial areas include responsible sourcing, community care, reducing emissions and increased circularity, he said.
“The real question is whether the Digital Product Passport will become a genuine transparency tool for the consumer, as in these cases, or remain merely a stated commitment,” Maragno added.
Apuglia cotton
The coalition’s most tangible Italian project lies in a field near Bari. The Apulia Regenerative Cotton Project, launched by Armani Group in June 2023, is testing agroforestry at Rutigliano in Apulia alongside CREA, Italy’s agricultural research council. The five-year trial aims to reintroduce cotton cultivation to the region using methods designed to restore soil health.
