Italian textile company Manteco showcased its innovations at Premièr Vision's (PV) Smart Creation, the fair's most cutting edge epicentre showcasing innovators pushing for a sustainable change and making a difference in the fashion business, recently. With key sustainable values, Manteco was selected by PV as a Smart Ambassador within project 'Smart Creation'.Manteco's latest responsible fashion innovations, selected by the Smart Creation team, were displayed in the Smart Library, located in the Smart Creation area, hall 3 of Première Vision. The Prato-based company is a leader in the production of next generation recycled wool due to a specially designed KM0, traceable and circular economy model. Behind the sustainable approach and the premium quality textiles, there are generations of 'saper fare' know-how, in Italian - indeed, Manteco's products are not only responsibly Made in Italy but imbued with the skills of the artisans and makers working within 10 kms around the company. "Made in Italy does not only mean processing high-quality materials with international technologies and then label the final product for export. It means products grown, taken care of and handcrafted in the country," said Matteo Mantellassi, CEO of Manteco. "But there's a further step to this: harnessing the local 'genius loci', meaning the skills, traditions and human potential of a territory. We are proud to say that since 1943 we have always been 100 per cent Made in Italy." Total traceability is a key value as well. Manteco is able to verify each single production phase from raw material, yarn, spinning, weaving, to the finished fabric. "We process 1.650 tons of recycled material per year, often starting with post consumer material, for us a precious raw material for some of the most cutting edge developments. Then, we blend it with other sustainable fibres in order to offer properly qualified and innovative solutions," said Mantellassi. Over the years, the company has established itself at the international level as a reference point for its high level of creativity, smart research and development investments and exquisite textile solutions . The results of such commitment can be quantified in the saving of 41 million litres of water, 24,8 tons of dye products, 4,9 million kWh of energy and 1.484 tons of carbon dioxide per year. Manteco is also certified by influential bodies and institutions such as the Global Recycle Standard (GRS) certification from the Textile Exchange, and the RWS certification. The company is member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and sustainability, and draws up a yearly sustainability report based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicator of economy, organisational, environmental and social aspects. In 2015 Manteco integrated the management of hazardous chemicals within all production processes, following international protocols, with a structured and monitored framework that implements the ZDHC MRSL. As proof of this strong commitment, the company is offering a unique range of smart ingredients. BiBye, a heritage superfine wool coming from the best farmers in Australia and New Zealand, gives life to a double splittable traceable fabric with the best performance due to its unique construction and processing techniques. Born in 2009, today Manteco can deliver next generation recycled wool obtained from innovative processing and controls for the wool production, offering a new possible smart choice to the market. Available in more than 100 colours, the wool is obtained without the use of chemical or dyeing products. Woolten is a Manteco product with proven sustainability credentials and a fabulous unique touch, made with a patented special carded yarn that blends the next generation recycled wool by Manteco and Tencel by Lenzing. Project43 by Manteco, is a 'zero waste' circular economy system, which is fully integrated and allows customers to confer their production fabric scraps made with Manteco fabrics, and get back a totally engineered P43 new smart fabric. It is the only sustainable recycled fabric with a genealogical heritage.