Giulio Bonazzi
Chairman & CEO
Aquafil
Giulio Bonazzi has dedicated his career to evolving Aquafil S.p.A. into a leading player in the global carpet and textile materials industry. The company was founded by Bonazzi’s parents 50 years ago in Arco, Italy. An innovator and disruptor, he is transforming his family’s manufacturing business into a sustainable global enterprise. To achieve this vision, Bonazzi challenged the organization to develop a recycled nylon material by turning nylon trash into high-quality, beautiful fibers.
Where others see waste, Bonazzi saw an opportunity.
After several years of investment in R&D and a relentless pursuit of a new way to regenerate nylon, ECONYL® was born. Aquafil launched ECONYL® regenerated nylon in 2011 and today it is one of the most sought after materials in the world for fashion designers and carpet manufacturers.
Bonazzi was appointed CEO of Aquafil in 2001 and added the role of chairman in 2008. He started his career at Aquafil in 1987, starting on the ground floor at the Aquafil plant in Arco. Since then he has helped the company grow, developing 16 plants in eight countries across three continents. Today, Aquafil is recognized as a sustainability leader, a stalwart example of the circular economy and an innovator within the synthetic textile industry.
Fortune has highlighted Aquafil on its Change the World list of companies that are addressing social challenges through their core business activities and the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy has awarded the company with a Transatlantic Award for fostering positive transatlantic relations between Italy and the U.S. for its investment in a carpet recycling plant in Phoenix, AZ.
He is a sought-after speaker and has shared insights on creating a circular economy at leading conferences including Texworld USA, Fashionnovation, the One Ocean Forum, the Responsible Business Summit, the Ethical Corporation Summit and the Copenhagen Fashion Summit. He is recognized by Forbes Italia as a Top CEO for innovation, international competitiveness and creating a great work environment.