Essential, the torch that lights the heart of the Games

Milan – April 14, 2025. A symbolic bridge between Milan and Osaka was lit yesterday by the glow of Essential, the new Torch of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Unveiled simultaneously at the Triennale di Milano and the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Japan, the Torch is much more than a sports symbol: it is a masterpiece of design, innovation, and sustainability, entirely Made in Italy.

Its name — Essential — is already a statement of intent: minimal lines, pure elegance, and a technological soul that celebrates the central role of the Flame as a universal symbol of unity, inclusion, and sharing.

Born from the vision of Versalis (Official Supporter of the Games), in collaboration with Carlo Ratti Associati for the design and Cavagna Group for engineering, Essential embodies Olympic values through the lens of functional beauty. Every detail is a tribute to Italian excellence.

Weighing 1,060 grams (excluding the gas cylinder), Essential is made from recycled and recyclable materials such as aluminum and brass. The burner, the true technological heart, is powered by bio-LPG produced at Enilive’s biorefinery in Gela from food waste and scraps — clean energy born from what would otherwise be discarded.

What’s more, the Torch is reusable up to 10 times — a choice that reduces environmental impact and allows the limited production of only 1,500 units, without skipping a single step of the Flame’s Journey.

For the first time, an Olympic torch literally opens to the world: a longitudinal window allows torchbearers and spectators to admire the magic of the flame as it comes to life, revealing its inner mechanisms in a display of transparency and wonder. The outer finish made using PVD* (Physical Vapor Deposition) technology, reflects light and transforms with the environment, creating a shimmering, ever-changing visual effect.

The Torch will officially depart from Rome on December 6, 2025, launching the Journey of the Flame across the entire country until the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. Until then, the two twin torches — identical in form, differing only in finish — will be on display at Expo Osaka and the Triennale di Milano from May 9, 2025, until the conclusion of the Games in 2026.

With Essential, Italy not only lights the Flame, but also illuminates the future — sustainable, shared, and incredibly beautiful.
 

*PVD technology (Physical Vapor Deposition) is a method used to apply a thin coating of material onto a surface — like a “super-resistant paint” made of metals or other hard materials. This technique creates thin films with specific properties, such as wear resistance, hardness, and corrosion protection.