RadiciGroup and Ferragamo Launch Circular Eco-Design Handbag ‘Nova’
An eco-design collaboration by RadiciGroup and Ferragamo redefines sustainable luxury with the launch of the Nova handbag.
RadiciGroup partners with Ferragamo under the Monitor for Circular Fashion to create Nova – The Evolution of a Star, a circular handbag made with bio-based materials.
RadiciGroup, a global leader in sustainable textile innovation, has partnered with Ferragamo to unveil “Nova – The Evolution of a Star,” an eco-design project redefining one of the Maison’s iconic handbags through principles of circularity and responsible design.
The collaboration was initiated under the Monitor for Circular Fashion (M4CF) — the research observatory of SDA Bocconi School of Management, which unites companies, institutions, and stakeholders in the Textile, Clothing, Leather, and Footwear (TCLF) sector to accelerate the shift toward circular and sustainable business models. The project was officially presented on September 30, during the launch of the Circular Fashion Manifesto 2025, signed by 27 fashion companies, positioning itself as a future European reference for circular design practices.
The Nova bag embodies a collaborative eco-design effort involving several industrial partners: Radici Yarn (RadiciGroup) supplied the textiles, Conceria Antiba provided the vegetable-tanned leather, ICEC and UNIC oversaw certification, while Temera managed the bag’s digital identity.
Guided by the principles of traceability, chemical safety, and durability, the design integrates renewable and bio-based materials. The fabric is crafted from Biofeel® eleven, a 100% bio-based yarn derived from castor oil, produced by Radici Yarn. The leather components feature certified traceability and eco-friendly tanning, while the bag’s assembly avoids metals and adhesives, resulting in a 60% reduction in packaging volume. Notably, the bio-based carbon content—measured via radiocarbon C14 testing—accounts for 84.3% of its total weight, highlighting how aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability can seamlessly coexist.
“It was a pleasure and an honour for us to take part in this innovative eco-design project, which represents a key step toward a sustainable and responsible future,”
said Filippo Bona, R&D Manager Apparel & Technical at RadiciGroup.
“Our contribution at Radici Yarn focused on selecting suitable materials and engaging committed supply chain partners to develop a product that is functional, sustainable, and socially responsible. For this project, we selected Biofeel® eleven, a 100% bio-based yarn from castor oil — a low-water, low-impact plant. It combines lightness, durability, and sustainability, proving that performance and environmental protection can go hand in hand.”
The Nova project demonstrates how strategic collaboration across the fashion value chain can foster innovation and accelerate the transition toward circularity. Through the Monitor for Circular Fashion, this initiative contributes to a broader European movement aimed at redefining textile, leather, and footwear production with a focus on sustainability, traceability, and resource efficiency.