2024 Sustainability Report: a year of resilience and responsibility

2024 tested our industry’s resilience. However, it was also a year of determination, progress, and measurable impact for us. Amid global uncertainty and rising cost pressures, we chose to reaffirm our commitment to sustainability, guided by our long-held belief that the future of denim must be both high-performing and environmentally responsible. We expanded the use of regenerative cotton and pioneered new dyeing technologies, demonstrating that sustainability and quality can—and must—go hand in hand. This article summarizes the key highlights from our 2024 Sustainability Report, reinforcing that innovation, transparency, and Italian craftsmanship remain at the core of everything we do.

Our 2024 highlights

As our president, Alberto Candiani, explained, 2024 presented significant challenges for the denim industry due to global geopolitical instability and economic uncertainties. Price continued to be the primary factor in purchasing decisions, prompting many companies to reduce or abandon investments in sustainable and innovative materials in favor of cheaper alternatives.

At Candiani, however, we made the choice long ago to pursue a different path. We remain committed to sustainable innovation and continuously improving our processes and efficiency. Our belief is that truly valuable denim should not only be beautiful and high-performing but also eco-friendly and respectful of our planet. This conviction drives every decision we make and every product we develop.

Our new Sustainability Report highlights our achievements in 2024, emphasizing that sustainability is not merely a trend for us, but a fundamental aspect of our operations, alongside innovation and the quality of made-in-Italy products. Let’s take a closer look at the most important highlights.

Driving impact with the Sustainable Brand Platform (SBP)

We adopted SBP to collect reliable performance data, reduce environmental impact, and improve supply chain traceability and transparency.

Building circularity through our partnership with Retex.Green

In support of circular fashion, we partnered with the Italian consortium Retex.Green to responsibly collect and manage production waste.

Defining our climate mitigation transition plan

Our plan includes:

• Enhancing the monitoring of Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the calculation of Scope 3 GHG emissions measurement by 2025
• Setting Science-Based Targets by 2027

Accelerating progress in regenerative cotton

Regenerative cotton made up 30% of our total cotton supply in 2024—a key milestone in our commitment to regenerative agriculture.

Pushing boundaries in sustainable denim innovation

K-NEW, a breakthrough indigo dyeing process using chitosan and ultrasound, is setting new standards for eco-friendly coloration. Additionally, the revamped Re-Cyclone program expands the use of recycled materials in Candiani fabrics, further reducing environmental impact.

What’s next?

Building on our past practices, we will continue to prioritize our key sustainability goals in the years to come. The ongoing objectives related to business practices are as follows:

• Monitoring the supply chain: increase the number of second-party audits from two to four per year by investing in expert consultants and training two internal staff members to become auditors
• Transparency and anti-corruption training: implement two hours of training annually for at-risk functions, managers, and relevant administrative bodies, up from zero hours
• Pursuing improved profitability: aim to increase the economic value retained by the company
• Enhancing traceability of raw materials: confirm or renew the product catalog on the Product DNA platform, involving efforts from internal staff
• Research and development for product innovation: allocate an annual budget dedicated to R&D programs to promote product innovation

Read our full Sustainability Report.