Cene (BG), 10 October 2020 – The Giro d’Italia scheduled for 3 to 25 October 2020 will be remembered not only as the edition that was held in the autumn instead of the spring because of Covid-19, but also as the one with a low environmental impact. For the first time in grand tour history, the leaders’ jerseys will be eco-friendly. All four are made with a recycled polyester yarn derived mostly from recycled plastic bottles. The fabric was produced by Sitip Spa, a company from Bergamo and world leader in the production of warp knitted and circular knitted fabrics for the industrial textile sector.

The “Maglia rosa”, along with the purple, blue and white jerseys, to be worn by the top cyclists in their respective categories (general, points, climbers and under 25), are made of Sitip fabric obtained from recycled yarns certified in accordance with the GRS – Global Recycled Standard: an international and voluntary textile industry certification guaranteeing that the products are made from recycled materials and that environmental and social responsibility criteria have been met throughout the production chain.

This is not the first time Sitip has focused on sustainable projects. In recent years, Sitip has invested over €25 million in rolling out comprehensive environmentally sustainable production, from the research and development of new green techniques and materials to various structural investments, such as the optimisation and unification of production areas and plants, the installation of last-generation smoke suppression systems and a new cogeneration system:

“In 2013, we began pursuing numerous strategies for the environment, starting in our local area, where we have reorganised production and logistics spaces to create a single, more energy-efficient facility,” explained Sitip’s CEO Giancarlo Pezzoli.

The Cene-based company is certified in accordance with IS09001-2015 (quality management systems), Bluesign® (for environmentally-friendly production and use of safe chemicals) and OEKO-TEX® (for environmentally-friendly fabrics and production free of harmful substances), in addition to other certifications since last year.

“Our commitment to sustainability naturally continues, each year with different steps,” added Giancarlo Pezzoli. “In addition to the recent GRS Global Recycle Standard and IS014001 (environmental management systems) certifications, since May 2020 Sitip has been registered with the ZDHC platform, a rigorous program for the development of safe and transparent chemical processes within the textile supply chain.”

Sitip’s decision to move towards increasingly sustainable production marks the final step in a journey that began more than 60 years ago, thanks to the creativity and especially the far-sightedness of its founder, Luigi Pezzoli, who established Società italiana Tessuti Indemagliabili Pezzoli-Sitip – now Sitip Spa – in 1959 for the innovative production of synthetic warp-knitted fabrics, joining Bergamo’s textile tradition, renowned around the world.

Tradition, the result of experience and craftsmanship, now meets technology: the recycled yarn fabrics of the next Giro d’Italia are a concrete example of this.

Sitip’s response to change has earned the admiration of the international textile industry. The fabrics produced are among the best on the market and ensure maximum comfort, excellent qualities, lightness and aerodynamics, resulting in extremely high performance, for amateurs and professionals alike.

“All of Sitip’s fabrics for sportswear are developed to meet the needs of athletes and improve various levels of comfort: physiological, sensory and biological. We have poured all our technical know-how and utmost care for the environment into the development of our fabrics for the Giro d’Italia jerseys, in line with the principles and policies of a circular economy, in which the company firmly believes,” concluded Silvana Pezzoli, vice president and commercial director of Sitip.

As an Official Supplier of the Giro d’Italia since 2014, with the supply of fabrics for the 2020 jerseys, Sitip thus reinforces its ties to cycling. This is another chance to demonstrate its significant expertise in the production of highly technical sportswear fabrics, used by the biggest international active brands.

Producing the jerseys for the top cyclists at the Giro d’Italia is Manifattura Valcismon of Fonzaso (BL) with the Castelli brand.