The NextGen Summit brought together key players in the denim sector to discuss future challenges and opportunities, emphasizing innovation and sustainability.
Jeanologia, a specialized manufacturer concentrating on jeans and fashion treatment technologies, recently inaugurated its 30th anniversary celebrations with the NextGen Summit, held at its headquarters in Valencia and various significant textile industry locations across Spain. This initiative assembled some of the foremost denim manufacturers globally, positioning itself as a forum to inspire, motivate, and empower emerging leaders in the denim sector.
The summit facilitated discussions centered on addressing future challenges within the industry, emphasizing a sustainable, technological, and collaborative vision. The agenda was structured to include various formats designed to enhance learning and interaction, with industry leaders delivering talks on their experiences and insights.
A particular focus of the discussions was on generational transition and innovative solutions to the challenges facing the industry, which spurred exchanges among key players in the sector. Highlighting this point was Bart Sights, the head of Innovation at Levi’s, who delivered a keynote address reflecting on his career trajectory. Sights, who began his journey working alongside his father as a supplier, articulated a disruptive vision for the future. His emphasis on the necessity of presenting bold ideas resonated with attendees, inspiring them to embrace change and leverage new technologies for accelerated transformation.
The program also included a visit to Mango’s headquarters as part of a tribute to Isak Andic, the company’s founder, who recently passed away. During this visit, Andrés Fernández, the head of sustainability & sourcing, shared Mango’s vision and strategies concerning sustainability. His insights prompted enriching discussions among the participants.
“The NextGen Summit is just the beginning of a global movement,” noted Pepa Silla, representing the young leadership of Jeanologia. She added, “We have built a community where the next generations openly share challenges and solutions, motivating each other to accelerate change in a disruptive, responsible, and collaborative way.” Silla further emphasized that it is now the responsibility of the new generation to tackle the industry transformation with an innovative mindset, novel working methods, and a firm commitment to a sustainable future.
Jeanologia is focused on empowering the next generation of leaders, who are seen as pivotal in the transformation of the textile industry. The NextGen Summit marks the onset of this initiative, and the company has expressed intentions to continue hosting similar events in the future to serve as benchmarks in transitioning towards a more digital, automated, and sustainable industry.
Since its inception, Jeanologia has committed to reshaping the textile industry into a more ethical, sustainable, and efficient model. The company collaborates with brands, retailers, and suppliers, offering innovative technologies and new operational models in this endeavor. Among its notable innovations are the introduction of laser technology in denim finishing in 1999, along with advanced solutions like G2 ozone, Dancing Box, e-flow, H2Zero, and ColorBox. These innovations aim to significantly decrease resource consumption, including water, energy, and chemicals. Looking ahead, Jeanologia has set Mission Zero as a key initiative aimed at the dehydration and detoxification of the textile industry.
Source: Noah Wire Services
