Herno’s ‘Made in Italy’ fabrics have been at the heart of the outerwear label since its beginnings as a producer of raincoats in 1948. Seeking protection from the elements, founder Giuseppe Marenzi and his wife Alessandra Diana discovered a way to treat cotton with castor oil from abandoned Second World War warplanes to make it waterproof.
Seven decades on, such innovations remain at the heart of Herno, which is headquartered on the shores of Lake Maggiore, northern Italy. The complex has run on solar power since 2010, a reflection of the brand’s commitment to environmental concerns. Indeed, this commitment provided the impetus to launch Herno Globe in 2019, a sustainability-focused mens- and womenswear offshoot with a focus on pioneering low-impact fabrications.
Herno Globe: Best Sustainable Style
Recycled Letters bomber jacket with hood, £840, by Herno Globe
Herno Globe’s A/W 2022 collection represented new strides forwards, the various fabrics comprising regenerated satin nylon (crafted from recycled PET plastic bottles), local virgin and organic wools (Herno says it can monitor the ‘environmental, social and economic standards of the entire supply chain’), and the innovative ‘Fast5Degradable’ nylon, which takes just five years for anaerobic degradation (as opposed to the usual 50). Each was utilised across a vivid, youthful collection adorned with playful motifs – from an alphabet print on a bomber jacket (crafted from recycled taffeta) to slogans that read ‘Take Care of Our Future’ and ‘Be Part of the Green Revolution’.
‘I believe in continuous improvement, in constant change through investments in research and advanced technologies,’ says Herno CEO Claudio Marenzi. ‘The future requires attention.’
The winners of the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023 are revealed in the February 2023 issue, available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
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