Sustainable creativity: students design with Manteco

Florence, March 20, 2025

A new adventure for our students of the senior year of the Fashion Design Bachelor Degree Course of the Florence campus, who tested themselves in the first semester in the conception and realization of sustainable garments in collaboration with Manteco.

Founded in 1941 by Enzo Anacleto Mantellassi, Manteco began as a small spinning mill dedicated to producing recycled wool yarns from old military clothing and blankets. By 1943, the company expanded into woven textiles, maintaining its commitment to circularity and sustainability from the start. Over the decades, Manteco has evolved into a benchmark in the fashion industry, celebrated for its creativity, innovation, and sustainable practices.

Inspired by and following the company’s virtuous values in sustainability, the students, divided into teams and guided by the teachers, designed a men’s, women’s or gender-neutral collection and created a final outfit, with an entirely sustainable approach, as well as using the fabrics offered by the company.

It is with pleasure that we announce that Accademia Italiana, thanks to its project, has won the first edition of Manteco Sustainability Award. The prize was awarded to the team of students from the third year of the three-year course in Fashion Design at Accademia Italiana with the project "Menda". 

The name "Menda," meaning defect or imperfection, invites reflection on self-acceptance, emphasizing the importance of embracing one’s imperfections in a world often driven by perfection. This clothing collection redefines comfort and elegance through an approach that celebrates individuality, showing a perfect balance between oversized silhouettes, layers, trimmed details, fabric manipulations and contrasting elements.