June 30, 2022 — ANFAO, the Italian Association of Manufacturers of Optical Goods, recently held its annual meeting near Padua, Italy.
 
“The forecasts we had made for this first part of the year are being confirmed, which instills optimism in companies and throughout the [eyewear] sector,” says Giovanni Vitaloni, president of ANFAO. “The liveliness of the fairs and events, as we saw at the latest edition of Mido, shows that operators are motivated by the desire to do business, and this is essential to keep the sector and the entire supply chain alive and healthy. Although up to now the data is positive, the situation must be constantly monitored due to the complex international context.”
 
Following a presentation about the year’s first-quarter data, the new sustainability certification project was unveiled—an environmental qualification label for eyewear products. The label, promoted by ANFAO and certified by Certottica, aims to strengthen the industry’s commitment to improving the environmental performance of the supply chain. By developing a program that certifies the sustainability of both the individual components and the finished product, companies can let consumers know they’re focusing on the issues of transparency and sustainability, ANFAO explains.
 
Within the presentation, ANFAO shared that 47% of consumers consider a brand’s attention to sustainability fundamental to influencing their purchases, while 83% believe that the design of a product must reduce its environmental impact.
 
"This project aims to give a new and competitive tool to all companies that already operate following the concepts of transparency and sustainability,” says Vitaloni. “In fact, through this label, they will be able to certify it in an official and voluntary manner.”