Social Fabric /// Fabric for Thought..

The textile factories, the artists, the guided tour and many thoughts…

In the past weeks we visited textile factories in the neighborhood: Zegna and Cerruti. 

Producing thread/yarn/wool/fabric is one of the main characteristics of Biella, and is world wide known for it’s high quality. 

The ‘lanifici’ are amazingly well structured, have big machines-almost Starwars looking-, beautiful big bulbs of wool laying in buckets ready for take off, people checking meticulously every piece of fabric that is woven together before it goes to the client.

The factory even has charts and diagrams of the pieces of fabric produced: to exactly say what will happen to the fabric when you cut it etc.

Almost everyone who lives in Biella and arround is in some way connected to a textile factory. Either a relative works in a factory (or used to work..) or possibly the cousin of the neighbor. 

It seems like the production of yarn is strongly connected to the Biellese social fabric.

but what about China <textile labour costs € 0,30 per hour> 

and what about Cambodia/Laos <textile labour costs €0,18 per hour> ?

To be continued….

Elisa M.