Sourcing in Italy

Italian summer 2018

This summer, I had the privilege of being sponsored to go to Italy to source yarns for my sustainable luxury knitwear collection. The show was held in Florence and it was three days of yarn bliss with vendors from around the world showing their latest collections and innovations with fiber.

I got to meet with the two Italian yarn mills I use as well as my Peruvian mill. That was a treat as I had not met them in person before. My favourite part of sourcing raw materials is the relationship you form with the people behind the product and process.  

     

These yarn mills have been operating for many generations and it's a privilege to participate in their artisanal legacy and hear their plans for the future and how they're embracing sustainable practices in their work. The show, called Pitti Filati, was three days but could have been four as it was so large, I didn't even get to see it all.  

   

The vendors were showing their heavier weight Fall/Winter yarns. I saw alot of natural fibers such as alpaca, merino wool, vicuña, and even yak! There were also machine knitting companies represented, showing the latest technology behind machine knitting.  The beautiful thing about knitting (both hand and machine) is that it's an inherently zero-waste method.  

After the show each day I got to explore Florence which is one of the most beautiful, romantic cities in the world. Walking along the Arno river I enjoyed breathtaking sunsets each evening with a gelato in hand! I also got to see the Birth of Venus which was a treat, I had the whole gallery to myself because I went 20 minutes 'til closing (a Florentine secret to avoid lines).

After Florence I took the bullet train to spend time in Milano visiting a friend and shopping in the Brera district.  That neighborhood has the best architecture! I found that I enjoyed Milan just as much as Paris (even though it doesn't get the same hype) and will definitely be returning, but more on that in my next post.

Fino alla prossima volta l'Italia! Ciao!