In the nineteenth century they were a luxury product, today they are at risk of extinction, due to the change in consumption and the crisis of their original supply chain: but for Abruzzo wool blankets, creatures of a centuries-old district made of mountains, pastures, waters, dyeing plants, men and animals, a new future is emerging, thanks to the sustainable and circular evolution of the fashion industry.
The Blanket Refitting project of the breaking latest news Fashion Institute
The projects that are involved in protecting and reviving this ancient tradition in Abruzzo are multiplying. One of the most interesting brought together the students of breaking latest news’s ITS Moda, the Merlino wool mill, one of the oldest in Taranta Peligna, the “capital” of blankets in the Majella National Park, and Bond Factory, an innovative textile company from Chieti: “Blanket Refitting”, this is the name of the project, has transformed the wool of the company, which was risking closure after 100 years of activity, into contemporary garments made with a “zero waste” logic thanks to 3D design and modern machinery that allow you to use the patch in its entirety.
“We have transformed these wools into outerwear, a coat and a hood that is comfortable even for biking, a Chanel model jacket where the typical fringes of the blankets become Texan fringes – says Chiara Di Bartolomeo, teacher of ITS, a long career in fashion and a passion for the recovery of textiles also through its accessories brand Peonia -. There are also shorts and a miniskirt. The colors and motifs of the capsule we have created are designed for a young audience », continues the teacher, who coordinates the project together with her colleagues Tiziana Musa and Luisanna Mastroleonardo. Blanket Refitting won the Its 4.0 Day award in 2020 and was presented at the Maker Faire in Rome, with excellent feedback: “Now we would like to become a textile supplier, perhaps for big brands, and some students are thinking of launching a start-up – she continues By Bartolomeo -. We also want to give a future to the wool mill, which in turn has invested in the area by building a generator of hydroelectric energy drawn from the nearby river ».
The sustainable luxury of Vusciché
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The luxury of handmade according to Vusciché
The blankets were the creative core on which Vusciché, a brand founded by Diana Eugeni Le Quesne and based in Roseto degli Abruzzi, developed. Vusciché means “mixing” and proposes garments and accessories that are unique pieces, created from recovered traditional fabrics and thanks to the involvement of a local supply chain of textile workshops and artisans. «I also work with old sheets, which perhaps have precious bobbin lace inserts, collaborating with warehouses and collection centers – explains the designer and entrepreneur, an engineer with a PhD in sustainability -. The disposal system should be rethought, to select and encourage the re-circulation of what can be reused ». In addition to wool, Vusciché also works with linen and hemp fabrics made on ancient looms, also giving work to many craftsmen in difficulty. The preciousness and the limited production make the creations luxury objects in all respects: “We are growing, and in February the distribution will begin with the FW 22-23 collection”.