Aimpes tears fakes to shreds July 7th was the first National Anti-Fake Day, organised by Confindustria, with the support of the Ministry for Economic Development and the Prime Minister’s Department for EU Strategies.

Aimpes, the Italian leather manufacturers’ association, organiser of the leather trade fair, MIPEL, at Fiera Milano, has always been among the first to combat fake ‘Italian products’. Aimpes took part in the Anti-Fake Day with a strong protest, organised in Florence together with the city’s Confindustria and the collaboration of Florence City Council.

In Piazza Repubblica, an enormous mound of fake leather goods – bags, belts and wallets – were arranged on the usual white sheet, as seen so often on city pavements or on the beaches. They were then literally torn to shreds with a chopping machine. In this way, Aimpes wanted to make a really strong communication as to how the plague of faking has to be resisted, also by the end-user: because buying fake products means supporting a market based on exploitation and being responsible for loss of jobs of workers who strive to produce the quality goods for which Italian production and craftsmanship is famous.

Fiera Milano news n°27 - july/august 2010