Unity: aesthetics, functionality and sustainability are the engines of growth

A way to communicate the tension towards the future that characterizes this brand born in 2011, produced and distributed by the Italian Lift . «Unity, a word that recalls another, namely comm-unity, is in balance between minimalism in the image and innovation in the contents», explains senior manager Leo Padulo (in the photo below), who has been dealing with the brand for around a year year and a half, thanks to an in-depth experience in fashion and also an elective affinity with Unity, given that since the age of 20, after meeting Patrick de Gayardon , he has been passionate about sports, primarily parachuting and paragliding . He can therefore witness firsthand the performance of the Unity models, among which those made with Tricotech stand out: «A trademark registered worldwide and used in exclusive co-branding with Unity - he underlines - which identifies models made entirely or partially in a particular engineered knitted fabric, made from a new generation mechanical stretch recycled polyester fibre." The yarns are particularly resistant, thanks to a special spinning plant, and characterized by excellent dimensional stability: no problems even with the most rigorous stress tests, for a material that manages to combine the weight and comfort of a sweater with the protection and technicality of outdoor outerwear.

«The sustainability component is very strong - specifies Leo Padulo - as all the yarns are recycled and of responsible origin, certified by Global Recycled Standard , Global Sustainability Standard , Global Sustainability Certification and Inspection Services Transaction Certificate . Today our models are 60% sustainable, but we want to rise to 90% in the short term."

Distribution is divided into 400 premium multibrands in our country and 200 abroad, favoring markets such as Italy, Spain, Greece, Benelux and, recently approached, South Korea. «At present - specifies the senior manager - exports it concerns 20% of sales, but we intend to double this percentage as early as next year, pushing the accelerator on France, Germany and soon Canada, strengthened by the fact that there are many countries where the sustainability component is highly appreciated by the consumer".

For the debut in the retail channel, Italy will be at the center of the scene: «We are looking for a location, in the Milanese Quadrilatero or in Brera, to open our first single-brand store in 2024». As for e-commerce, it is equivalent to 5% of turnover, "and for now the percentage remains this, because we deeply believe in wholesale and we want to be close to our customers".

Another challenge is to expand the range of women's proposals, in a collection born and raised with men's clothing: «We have included women's clothing for two seasons and we are testing it with positive results». And who knows, this could be the first step to explore further product categories. «We are benefited both by a growing mood on the market, which rewards a functional but refined lifestyle like ours, to the detriment of streetwear and casual - says Leo Padulo - and by the uniqueness of our product, which among other things takes advantage of excellent value for money."

«The strength of Unity - concludes Giovanni Del Piano , one of the founders of the brand - is a process of research, production and development that never stops. Our outerwear, hyper-minimalist and hyper-performing, arises from creative briefs in which we involve unconventional figures for a clothing brand, such as architects and engineers, who find themselves at the same crossroads between aesthetics and functionality as us."