Argomenti Tessili is a historic company that focuses on innovation and research. Today customers are asking for flexibility and rapidity of execution. We talked about it with the owner, Michele Bentivogli. 

How has the way of doing business in fashion changed in this time of pandemic? 

This period has brought about a great selection in the market of clients. Low-end customers have disappeared, while, especially abroad, medium-high-end customers are booming. In addition, the fashion world has shifted to online primarily. This push to sell on online platforms comes in particular from young designers.

How did you manage to “survive” during this period? 

Our strength was that we had a lot of goods “on the ground”, i.e. ready in the warehouse. This was decisive, because the goods didn’t arrive and those that did arrived had exorbitant prices, due to the increase in raw materials and shipping costs. Not only that, today fashion works two months in winter and two months in summer. Mid-season no longer exists. The market is very fast and cannot wait. We have focused on partnerships with laboratories, printers and yarn producers, in order to have a chain that never stops. 

You have a great past, but what are you doing to project yourselves into the future, to innovate? 

I have to say that since we moved to Centergross, I realized that we needed to find new channels, look for new customers, and for this reason we have invested a lot in research and development. On the technical side, we experimented and created systems for fabric treatment and printing. It was a winner. 

Half of your turnover comes from abroad, what is the current situation? 

China is producing less at the moment because companies have to stay put for ten days a month due to the lack of electricity. The U.S. has rebounded, but today our new customers are these fledgling brands that only market online.

Flexibility and speed of execution: two buzzwords for your company too? 

Unfortunately, yes, because it means that there are months where you have to work very long hours. During this period you start in the morning at 5am and finish in the evening after 11pm. Our customers are pushing to get their merchandise, because they have to get it out quickly, because they have fashion shows. This new system of working has eliminated the possibility of scheduling. 

Let’s talk about sustainability. 

How can fashion help the planet? We have been working for some time on the theme of eco-sustainable fibers and recyclable materials. Thanks to this commitment we have also obtained certifications. However, the absurd thing is that being eco-sustainable means increasing our costs and not all companies can afford it. 

Is doing business in Bologna and within Centergross an added value for you? 

Bologna has an important airport that allows us to bring our customers from all over Europe and at the same time to reach our 23 foreign offices around the world. Centergross is a strategic hub and I hope that, with the new policies that will be put in place, it can get even better. 

Has the Made in Italy brand increased its value? Does quality make a difference? 

In Italy there is no perception of how important we are, while abroad we are like icons. Italian institutions should protect Made in Italy much more. Let me give you an example: goods arrive in Italy from China and Korea with ridiculous duties, while we have to pay very high duties to enter those markets. Not to mention the unfair competition that we have to suffer from those companies that underpay their workers and do not pay contributions. 

Your greatest satisfaction as an entrepreneur? 

Being sought after by big brands. It’s really nice to be sought after for what you do and not just for what you offer. This is also because in the last 15 years we have done trade fairs all over the world and today we are reaping the benefits.