#PIONEERS
Luigi Candiani founded the Candiani mill in Robecchetto con Induno, a small town located halfway between Milan and Genoa, where denim was born 500 years ago. We cherish the legacy of Italian denim by continuing the tradition of producing in the same area. Unlike the original fabrics that were made here, however, today we export the most innovative and sustainable denim in the World.
40 years after the Candiani mill was founded, the geographical area where we are based was converted into the Parco del Ticino Nature Reserve. About 20,500 hectares of it have become a protected area that is now home to a rich and diverse cluster of ecosystems – a wealth of biodiversity that is unrivalled in the whole region. The Reserve imposed a whole set of new rules and restrictions, which required us to make major investments in order to adapt our production processes, and ongoing investments to constantly update our technologies and equipment for the industrial production of denim. Thus, we can say that our sustainable transition started with the park's establishment in 1974.
All the companies that operate inside the Parco del Ticino have implemented ISO 14001 standards, aimed at reducing their carbon footprint and their impact on the environment. Auditors from the Regional Environmental Protection Agency assess us periodically, to ensure that all regulations are fully complied with.
The area we produce in possesses a great historic textile heritage and is renowned for the manufacture of cotton fabrics. Among the 600 people that form Candiani's community many families are working at the mill for two or three generations. Indeed, their experience is passed on from generation to generation – a human capital with an unparalleled wealth of expertise, thanks to which our denim fabric is renowned worldwide.
We draw our strength from our people and the relationships we have built with them over four generations. Family ties among employees increase the sense of belonging to the company's community, promote a cohesive attitude to meet the company's objectives and define the distinctive value of ‘Made in Italy’. We always take care of our community and we are proud of the fact that, thanks to the advantageous working conditions we offer, staff turnover is essentially non-existent. Moreover, to date we boast an enviable balance of gender equality. As well as complying with Italian legislation, which protects the rights and safety of our employees, we have chosen to voluntarily adopt two certifications that distinguish our commitment in terms of corporate social responsibility: SA8000 and ISO45000.
In order to continuously improve our operation, we collaborate with several regional associations related to the local industry.
Confindustria Alto Milanese
Ecologica naviglio
Parco del Ticino
Sistema Moda Italia (SMI ATI)