Giulio Bonazzi

Giulio Bonazzi has dedicated his career to evolving Aquafil S.p.A. into a leading player in the global carpet and textile materials industry. Aquafil was founded by Bonazzi’s parents 50 years ago in Arco, Italy. An innovator and disruptor, Bonazzi 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 waste such as old carpets and fishing nets into high-quality, beautiful fibers.

Where others see waste, Bonazzi saw 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 in 2011 and today it is one of the most sought after yarn materials in the world for fashion designers and carpet manufacturers.

Today Aquafil is recognized as a sustainability leader, a stalwart example of the circular economy and an innovator within the synthetic textile industry. 

Bonazzi 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.

Franco Rossi

Franco Rossi is the president of Aquafil USA responsible for the company’s growth strategy and operations across the country. Rossi has implemented Aquafil’s innovation and circular economy strategy in the US, including the recent openings of Aquafil’s two carpet recycling facilities—one in Phoenix, Arizona, and one in Woodland, California—that can each process up to 36 million pounds of carpet annually, which is the equivalent of 27 Airbus A380 planes.

Rossi is a textile fibers industry veteran with 30 years of experience leading global manufacturing and sales operations in the U.S., France and Italy. He serves on the board of the Carpet and Rug Institute, as well as on the CARE board and the California Advisory Committee to CalRecycle.

Ian Burt

Ian Burt is the director of sales and marketing at Aquafil USA, a global leader in synthetic fibers production and the creator of ECONYL® nylon. In this role, Burt collaborates with his Aquafil colleagues to continuously improve the company’s offerings and customer experience, connecting manufacturers in the automotive, carpet, furniture and design industries with the opportunity to create innovative products using Aquafil ingredients.

With more than 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, and manufacturing, Burt has a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives to create both short- and long-term value for his customers. He previously served as the director of sales and marketing of Aquafil USA from 2013 to 2019. Before returning to Aquafil, he continued to build experience and connections through sales leadership positions within the design, architecture, and construction markets. He strives to develop strong, meaningful relationships with his peers and customers, and has extensive knowledge of the materials and processes specific to the commercial, residential and automotive flooring segments.

Burt plays an important role in guiding Aquafil’s progress and momentum through collaborative efforts. He partners with Aquafil customers and actively listens to understand their needs, ensuring they have the tools and resources to find stability in this tumultuous market and grow their businesses’ profitability.

Outside of the office he enjoys traveling (only two states to go) and completing the daily New York Times crossword.