HOMI Fashion & Jewels launches ‘NewCraftEra’: How to Take Environment Seriously
HOMI Moda e Gioielli joins the micro, small and medium-sized companies by launching the “NewCraftEra” project, in support of companies in the Italian fashion & lifestyle chainsluc, with particular regard to artisanal realities and a new concept of luxury.
The international exhibition dedicated to the best of fashion accessories, bijoux and trendy jewellery will reveal – across its ongoing editions at Fiera Milano, a section with a high content of innovation, with a careful selection of collections and products with a refined and inspiring design. A human scale project, which will highlight the collections designed for a sustainable future thanks to the use of environmentally friendly materials and the adoption of low environmental impact production processes.
Numerous young craftsmen have participated across editions since the initiative launched, with the roster of sustainable designers continuing to grow each season.
- Paula Castro – Portuguese designer of the LITTLE NOTHING brand that mixes precious materials such as silver with precious elements of Nature such as stones and twigs;
- Eleonora Ghilardi and her game of contrasts that juxtaposes the whiteness of porcelain with the green soul of stabilized lichens;
- The rock soul of Serena Sinibaldi will be expressed through the bags of her Erè line;
- CYCLED which will present its collection of accessories in an upcycling key, transforming wasted material into a product suitable for a new use and which acquires even greater value than the original object.
The idea of ’NewCraftEra’ is precisely to encourage the diversity of businesses in line with the current evolution of the market scenario, that faces a rethinking of the entire fashion and lifestyle systems towards a slowdown in pace. A trend born from the new awareness that leads to enjoy luxury and artisan products at own pace, and no longer as quickly as compulsive consumers. A necessary step to highlight excellent manufacturing activities and to concentrate increasing attention on the care and the way in which an accessory is made.
Specifically, HOMI Fashion & Jewels will give concrete support to brands within this dedicated space: ‘NewCraftEra’ will be promoted through targeted incoming activities, a communication plan that enhances its peculiarities and distinctive features, and the digital community #befashionandjewels. Much more than a showcase, ‘NewCraftEra’ represents a hub of research and comparison for the determination and identification of excellence in the bijoux, jewelry and design accessories universe.
Next appointment with HOMI Fashion & Jewels: from 19 to 22 September 2020, in Fiera Milano (Rho). And next year from 20 to 23 February 2021.
In 2026, the NewCraftEra initiative has gained renewed relevance as global buyers increasingly prioritize traceable supply chains and regenerative materials, trends now central to conversations across Milan's broader fashion calendar.
Why NewCraftEra Matters to a Global Fashion Audience
The launch of NewCraftEra arrives at a pivotal moment for the international fashion industry. Across New York, Paris, and Milan, the conversation has fundamentally shifted from volume to value, from fast production cycles to considered, purposeful craftsmanship. HOMI Fashion & Jewels recognized this transition early, positioning NewCraftEra not as a trend response but as a structural commitment to a more thoughtful model of luxury.
For global buyers and style-conscious consumers alike, the initiative addresses a genuine gap in the accessories market: the absence of a curated, credible platform where artisanal excellence and environmental responsibility converge. The brands selected for NewCraftEra are not simply adopting green language as a marketing tool. They are rethinking sourcing, production, and material life cycles from the ground up.
This distinction matters enormously to the modern consumer, who is increasingly capable of identifying performative sustainability versus genuine structural change. By centering its selection criteria on verifiable low-impact processes and ethically sourced materials, HOMI Fashion & Jewels has built a framework that holds participating brands to a meaningful standard, lending the entire initiative a credibility that resonates well beyond the Fiera Milano exhibition halls.
The Business Case for Slow Luxury: What NewCraftEra Signals for Italian Craftsmanship
Italy’s artisanal heritage has long been one of its most valuable cultural and commercial exports. Yet small and medium-sized workshops have historically struggled to access the international exposure and buyer networks that larger fashion houses take for granted. NewCraftEra functions as a corrective to that imbalance, providing independent craftspeople with a professional platform that amplifies their work without requiring them to compromise the integrity of their process.
The economic model behind slow luxury is also increasingly difficult to dismiss. Research across the European fashion sector consistently demonstrates that consumers at the upper end of the market are willing to pay a premium for traceability, handcraft, and longevity. A single well-made piece, produced with low environmental impact and sold with a clear story of origin, holds greater long-term value than a high-volume accessory stripped of context.
- Artisanal brands gain access to international buyers and press through a targeted, curated platform.
- Participating designers benefit from dedicated digital amplification via the #befashionandjewels community.
- The initiative creates a peer network for independent makers, encouraging collaboration and knowledge exchange across disciplines.
By 2026, this model has proven prescient. Global procurement teams now routinely request supply chain documentation as a baseline condition of purchase, a standard that NewCraftEra participants were already prepared to meet.
Looking Ahead: NewCraftEra's Growing Influence on the Accessories Landscape
Since its introduction at HOMI Fashion & Jewels, the NewCraftEra initiative has grown well beyond its original scope as a dedicated exhibition section. It now functions as a living research hub, tracking emerging materials, evolving production techniques, and the shifting priorities of an international buyer community that has made regenerative practice a core purchasing criterion.
The designers who participated in early editions have, in several cases, gone on to expand distribution across European and North American markets, with their HOMI Fashion & Jewels exposure cited as a formative step in that growth. This trajectory underscores the initiative’s practical value, not only as a showcase but as a genuine career accelerator for independent makers operating outside the traditional fashion industry infrastructure.
Looking forward, the NewCraftEra framework offers a replicable model for other international trade exhibitions seeking to integrate sustainability without reducing it to a branding exercise. Its emphasis on selection rigor, storytelling support, and community building provides a template that is both commercially viable and philosophically coherent. For readers of this publication, whether based in New York, Milan, or anywhere in between, NewCraftEra represents one of the clearest examples of how the accessories industry is quietly rewriting its own rules from within.
