Carvico and Jersey Lomellina’s work ethics

An interview with Stefano Eretti, Carvico SpA CEO

Stefano Eretti, Carvico SpA CEO, has told us about Carvico and Jersey Lomellina main objectives for the new year.

We are going to provide you with an overview of the two companies which have grown over the years to the point they have become, thanks to their consistent commitment and research and the undisputable quality of their products, the global references for the whole sector.

Both businesses can boast a significant historical background but, at the same time, can rely on a sharp foresight which have allowed them to develop several innovative projects and  high-end products, all focused on sustainability.

Two different souls sharing the very same heartbeat: people who turn every project into reality and who have made it possible for the two companies to achieve amazing results.

In 1962 you were the pioneers in Italy. Nowadays, you have become the global leaders in the production of warp knitted and circular knitted fabrics for swimwear, sportswear and outerwear. Carvico and Jersey Lomellina represent Made in Italy in the world. Which are the ingredients which have allowed you to evolve while staying true to your identity?

Quality, foresight, research.

Over the last sixty years we have become the global leaders in the production of warp knitted and circular knitted fabrics.

We have always relied on our strong identity while investing in the quality of our fabrics through a consistent process of Research and Development. This has led to the creation of unique and successful products, and to our ability to anticipate market trends and our customers’ demands.

Our foresight has led to the opening, in 2001, of our first sales office in Asia. Following our pioneering spirit, we created the conditions to compete with the Asian giants which would then revolutionize the global scenario.

Our secret? We have always believed in ourselves.

Carvico and Jersey Lomellina’s sustainability is feasible and involves their whole supply chain and has led to clear and certifiable results. Although safeguarding our environment is a must for every Green Company, you have argued talking about “zero impact” is not fair. Why?

We have been trying to reduce our environmental impact to the minimum, by analysing our production processes and adopting a virtuous  approach towards the whole supply chain: from workers to the final consumers. Let’s be honest: we cannot claim we have reached a zero impact. Still, we need to work every single day to safeguard our world. It is a must for us as companies and also as private citizens. It’s a fact. Period.

However, since we are “responsible businesses” we can confirm we have planned, for the near future, several relevant investments into sustainability.

Carvico and Jersey Lomellina have been taking part into various international projects aimed at creating a circular economy model. Could you tell us about “Healthy Seas a Journey from Waste to Wear”?

Since 2016 we have been supporting Healthy Seas – a Journey from waste to wear, an NGO which operates to recover discarded fishing nets and especially those irresponsibly abandoned in the sea which are deadly traps for our sea wildlife.

They do not only recover fishing nets, though, but also carpet fluff and tulle which, despite being waste materials can also be regenerated through a complex industrial physical-chemical process.

ECONYL®, a regenerated nylon yarn we use to produce many of our most successful products, actually, the crown jewels of our collections, derives from such waste materials. And Carvico and Jersey Lomellina have exclusive licenses for the sale of such fabrics to the global swimwear market.

Laura Colnaghi Calissoni, President and CEO of Carvico, was listed by Forbes as one of the top 100 most influential women of the world in 2021. Does your company value gender equity?

Gender equity is a natural process which has always characterized our companies. We did not need to define any specific method to ensure equal opportunities to all our employees, we have simple been operating on the basis of our principles and the values we believe in.

Our President is a woman and many of our managers are women, too. In our companies, success is not defined by gender but by competencies and merit. 

In Carvico and Jersey Lomellina equal rights and opportunities are granted to all employees.

2 Milion Euros: the amount invested by the company into its digitalization process, with the aim to make our production smarter, automated and interconnected. Carvico and Jersey Lomellina are moving towards the industry 4.0, could you tell us about your targets for 2022?

Machinery, software and new production processes which will make our companies even more competitive and efficient. This won’t lead to a reduction in the number of employees; on the contrary, technology will be used to support people, with the view to  cut down on costs, make our working environment safer and improve our industrial processes.

And this takes us back to eco-sustainability. On the one hand, we need to respect our environment, on the other hand we also need to respect employees who shall always work safely and in the best possible conditions.

In 2022 we want to keep growing insisting on what we have always believed in: reliability, quality, creativity, research and development and investments. And we need to do it with the enthusiasm deriving from the fact that we know that working in the textile industry is a privilege. This sector has often been underestimated and misunderstood, despite the fact it represents one of the key sectors in our country.

Could you describe for us Carvico and Jersey Lomellina approach to the future by using just 3 adjectives?

Instead of describing our approach to the future, I would like to underline the importance of our main objectives: carrying on improving, never being fully satisfied with ourselves, keeping believing in what we do.