otb has launched the MADE campaign to promote the Italian fashion supply chain. The Italian luxury group founded by Renzo Rosso – which owns the brands Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor&Rolf, the companies Staff International and Brave Kid, and which holds a stake in the Amiri brand – presented at the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy (Mimit ) the campaign for the promotion and enhancement of the Italian fashion supply chain. The event was attended by minister Adolfo Urso.
Otb's commitment
Fashion is a sector made up of small and medium-sized businesses capable of realizing the very essence of Made in Italy. From this awareness comes the commitment of Otb which has taken action to concretely contribute to the development of the entrepreneurial fabric that constitutes its supply chain by activating, already in 2013, the CASH project (Concessionary Credit - Suppliers' Help). A program that allows suppliers to collect in advance, through a banking institution, the credits owed to Otb at favorable economic conditions, thanks to the high creditworthiness of the group acting as guarantor. The project proved to be particularly effective because it allowed companies in the supply chain, and more generally in Made in Italy, to face even the most complicated moments, such as the pandemic. CASH currently involves 65 active suppliers who have sold 86% of their credits and, since the start of the program, the total volume of payments disbursed has exceeded 450 million euros.
“From the desire to give voice and highlight its suppliers, as well as from the bond that has been established over the years between them and the Group, the MADE campaign was born, Made in Italy, Made Perfectly, acronym for Manual Skill, Craftsmanship, Dedication and Excellence”, underlines a note. A tribute to those who, working behind the scenes, are fundamental in the process of creating excellence and quality of well-made Italian products, and deserve to be protagonists.
Otb's MADE project
The project, which Otb will launch through its own communication platforms, will culminate in Made in Italy Day which the Council of Ministers has set for 15 April. The initiative will tell, through the faces, the materials and the working environment, the stories of some of the most important OTB suppliers, selected according to specific criteria, ranging from the long-term relationship with the Group, to participation in the project CASH, attention to sustainability and innovation. The participating companies are located in different regions of Italy and belong to the fabrics, ready to wear, footwear, tannery and leather goods, and metal accessories sectors.
Rosso and Urso's comments
“It is the small producers, the artisan businesses, the true artists who give life to Italian fashion supply chain. It is precisely thanks to them that Made in Italy is recognized and loved throughout the world. With this campaign we want to make protagonists the artisans of the beautiful and well-made Italian, where creativity, craftsmanship and innovation meet. The Otb group has intervened in recent years, offering its supply chain opportunities for growth, training, innovation, digital and technological transformation and guidelines for respecting the values of sustainability and transparency." commented Red. And he added: “To really help the supply chain and Made in Italy we cannot think in terms of assistance and the Government cannot do everything alone: resources must be invested well and for this reason they must be entrusted to large and medium-sized companies who have the tools to manage them and the ability to support the smallest in terms of development and growth. I am proud that this campaign celebrates Otb's commitment and 10 years of the CASH project, which has guaranteed our suppliers stability and security from a financial point of view. of the companies and professionalism behind the finished product that we see on the catwalks and in shops all over the world", concluded the founder of Otb.
“MADE rightly wants to highlight the wealth of knowledge and know-how of all those who, on a daily basis, through their work, create value along the entire supply chain. This is the greatness of Italian fashion which gives us new records every year: we are the first exporters of the sector in Europe and the second in the world because everyone looks at our creations as a "MUST HAVE" capable of giving a piece of the beautiful country that goes well beyond the garment itself,” declared the minister Urso.
