Astri is an association made in Prato who wants to do lobby action to give visibility to the wool district.

PRATO. Since 1840 and still today, workers turn rags into raw materials, producing textiles and woollen yarn. Brands as H&M and Zara like very much recycling and sustainability.

Astri strongly promotes the circular economy. It is a new enterprise born in Italy and already 112 partners joined it. Ferrymen, old rag-and- bone men, dealers, finishings, firm against third parties, wool mills and
dyeing groups: is it possible to note that Astri believes really much in textile chain. Regenerated wool “made in Prato” is the most sustainable wool ever.

“According to the ministry rule DM 264 13th October 2016, every by-product is considered waste”, says Fabrizio Tesi, member of the Com.Istra firm, who turns for more than sixty years rags into raw materials
thanks to recycling. Above all foreign countries know it, in fact the Com.Istra firm is really often a destination of many foreign schools. “Recycling is both wealth and resource, not rubbish”, adds Tesi, who is
also the president of the new association.
“Astri is a voluntary movement, it doesn’t want to be in competition with other associations, but, at the contrary, cooperate with them”, says the vice-president Sauro Guerri. Astri wants to be listened by
institutions, doing lobby actions with the legislator. Yesterday morning took place the first meeting with the mayor Matteo Biffoni. Tesi e Guerri add: “It’s a shame to know that a dealer of rags has to pay €24.000 if
he has a given quantitative. It is very sad to feel guilty for something we do in a good way and for a good reason”. The treasurer Gabriele Innocenti (filati Omega) explained that brands must be re-educate, in
order to understand the real importance of recycled materials.

Article Il Tirreno
Written by Maria Lardara