Ecodesign

The regulatory turning point for footwear

The fashion industry, and consequently the footwear sector, is undergoing a profound transformation. New European directives such as E.P.R., E.S.P.R., and C.S.R.D. are reshaping the entire industry toward a circular and transparent production model.

ESPR, EPR, CSRD: from reputational value to operational requirement.

Regulations

Traceability, verifiable data, and document consistency are now essential. Re.Nova guides the process, supporting brands and processors in achieving these objectives.

Delivering circularity
with Re.Nova

At Re.Nova, we do not simply produce recycled polymers. We define the production process, reducing its impact and involving all stakeholders within a transparent framework.

This approach allows us to develop concrete circularity projects applied to finished products, both in open-loop and closed-loop systems, starting from the recovery of waste, semi-finished materials, and pre- and post-consumer products.

Operationally, this translates into:

Certifications and data for DPP and EPR/ESPR audits: LCA, certifications, traceability, sustainability credits, Digital Product Passport.

Environmental reporting through MINUO: we associate carbon footprint data and credits with each supply.

Charlie. A circularity manifesto for footwear: process-driven approach and “tailor-made” production innovations that generate quality guided by supply chain transparency.

Environmental impact:
MINUO, from measurement to action

MINUO is the Carbon Transparency Service developed in partnership with Olians Plast, enabling the measurement of CO₂ emissions associated with each specific OLIFOUR supply.

Thanks to MINUO, every OLIFOUR product is monitored across its supply chain to determine its corresponding CO₂ value, calculated according to the GHG Protocol. This approach is also relevant for CSRD compliance and Scope 3 emissions management. The service indicates the amount of CO₂ generated for each OLIFOUR batch. Equivalent emissions are balanced by supporting ecosystem services in the UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines through a sustainability credit project.

Supply chain:
Charlie, the transparent footwear revolution

Our commitment to supply chain transparency takes shape in the Charlie project: a children’s sneaker designed according to ecodesign principles and fully recyclable at end-of-life. Charlie is not just a product, but an ecodesign-driven system: from design for real recyclability (aligned with ESPR/EPR) to the availability of audit-ready data.

At the core of the Charlie project is the Digital Product Passport, which follows the shoe throughout its entire lifecycle and provides certified data on origin, processes, recyclability, and impacts.

LCA

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis was used to compare the impacts associated with the commercialization of plastic granules intended for the production of finished goods (e.g. shoe soles), across two scenarios:

100% virgin granules produced from fossil sources;
granules containing recycled material (OLIFOUR).

The study considered all major emission sources associated with the different stages of the process, including upstream and downstream activities (such as sourcing, processing, and product commercialization).

The results highlighted a significant difference between the two scenarios, showing an overall reduction in impacts for granules containing recycled material.

In particular, the LCA demonstrated that OLIFOUR products:

reduce the demand for virgin fossil-based raw materials and consequently all upstream phases and material and energy inputs required for their production;

reduce primary energy demand: in practical terms, the use of OLIFOUR granules decreases primary energy consumption by an average of 83.7% compared to traditional methods;

reduce di CO₂eq emissions: mainly due to the significant decrease in emissions associated with fossil-based granule production (transport, production, and related processes). In concrete terms, using OLIFOUR granules with 100% recycled content reduces CO₂eq emissions by 81.7% compared to traditional methods;

reduce waste generation, thanks to the recovery of processed waste materials used to create secondary raw materials for new production. In practical terms, using OLIFOUR granules with 100% recycled content reduces waste generation by up to 87.5% compared to traditional methods.

Ecodesign

The regulatory turning point for footwear

Regulations

EPR: Extended Producer Responsibility

ESPR: Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation

CSRD: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive

Delivering circularitywith Re.Nova

Environmental impact:MINUO, from measurement to action

Supply chain:Charlie, the transparent footwear revolution

LCA

Delivering circularity
with Re.Nova

Environmental impact:
MINUO, from measurement to action

Supply chain:
Charlie, the transparent footwear revolution