After one year from the launch of the new certification Catas-Cosmob, the result is more than positive: six productions are already certified, involving some of the most important companies representing the “made in Italy”.
The brand that certify the Italian origin has been officially presented in a major world furniture fair, the Orgatec in Cologne. For the first time, some products of Italian companies have been introduced to an important international public with the brand that distinguishes the furnishings certified according to the UNI11674 standard: “Furniture – Requirements for the determination of the Italian origin of furniture”.
A result of great strategic importance, because finally a piece of furniture exhibited at the fair certifies its origin, its “Italianess” with a brand regulated by a national standard.
“We can finally say that the definition “made in Italy” is no longer an abstract concept, sometimes abused or even “usurped”, but can be the result of a certified path, which offers operators in the sector – and especially to the final public all over the world – the absolute certainty of being in front of an Italian product”, commented the director of Catas, Andrea Giavon. “A product that can objectively boast a series of requirements not only in terms of origin, but also and above all quality and performance”.
To date, there are six certified productions: the collection of office desks “Woods” by Fantoni of Osoppo (Udine), the storage units of the kitchens of Ernestomeda in Montelabbate (Pesaro), the bathroom storage units and the kitchens made by Scavolini of Montelabbate (Pesaro), the “WeMeet” collection of office furniture designed by Sinetica Industries (Francenigo, Treviso) and the “Pinch” upholstered seating collection produced by La Cividina of Martignacco (Udine).
“It is really a pleasure to see that the first to join the Catas-Cosmob certification scheme have been some of the most important and renowned brands in the sector, a demonstration of the value of this “license” and the great potential that it can offer on an international level”, added Alessio Gnaccarini, director of Cosmob of Pesaro. “A value that we and Catas immediately grasped, to the point of creating a full and deep synergy to give the necessary structure to this brand”.
A collaboration officially presented in October last year; an almost silent start, waiting to understand if Italian companies were sensitive to make clear and strong the definition and the use of the “made in Italy” considering the existing confusion (even deliberately created) of its real meaning and value. The answer was immediate and significant: these first twelve months have shown the validity of the entire project proposed by the two most important test and certification centers of the wood furniture supply chain.
THE STANDARD
The goal of the UNI standard is clear: to establish precise rules according to which a “made in Italy” furniture can boast of this definition. In a nutshell, the standard establishes that the manufacturer who wants to distinguish his own table, chair, desk or kitchen with a “made in Italy” brand that has an objective value and meaning, must demonstrate that all the significant production phases – starting from the realization of the semi-finished products up to the final furniture assembly – took place in the Italian territory. But this is not all: to consider a product “officially made in Italy” it is not enough that it is produced in Italy, but it must guarantee precise levels of quality, resistance, safety and durability.
This is the real challenge faced by the two test laboratories: to define a complex certification scheme that allows producers to follow a precise path, which leads them to obtain something that can immediately turn into a competitive advantage, on the other to guarantee to the final consumer that he is not only in front of a “beautiful piece of furniture” produced in Italy, but with a object that will accompany him for a long time, which he can use in complete safety and that will add value to the quality of his life.
This is thanks to a series of cross-tests that the two laboratories perform on the products for which certification according to the UNI 11674 standard is required: company audits, mechanical laboratory tests on samples taken in the company, verification of compliance with the expected standards, inspections following the granting of the mark, so as to verify the continuity and compliance with the rules over time.
