Alpago

“I had fun developing these products, in which I worked to restore a culture that was abandoned when industrialization imposed a new mentality: to optimize and contain costs by increasing the volume of production. This new consumer mentality contributed as a consequence to the exclusion of key areas such as the Alpago region, because they were no longer able to satisfy the demands of industry” (cit. Luciano Benetton)

A more personal and customized approach to the market that brings together product or fashion designers and handcrafting know-how, passed down through the generations, with a history that has been forgotten over time. To create an ethically correct production chain in which everyone involved in the production process earns his fair share.

“I chose to desgin a blanket because it is a simple object yet as absolutely indispensable as bread. A blanket of this kind, made with this raw material, that has no artificial dyes but relies simply on the natural colours of Alpago wool, is an exciting and direct product. This is a product that can create a contact with anyone”. (cit. Luciano Benetton)

We started with a simple linear version like this one, in which the weave is evident and you can see all its defects because the wool is neither bleached nor dyed. The two sides of the blanket are different, one is brushed while the other is felted to respect the traditions of old-fashioned blankets. First, the wool is washed and mixed, then a machine is used to spin it to create the original yarn that is woven on a shuttle loom. Finally the blanket is felted through a process of fulling and brushing, which means the fleece is pulled up and then shaved for a more elegant finish.

The short side, where the blanket is cut, is finished with blanket stitch embroidery, an old-fashioned stitch that has been reinterpreted here in a blue that offers a strong chromatic contrast. The other side is defined by the selvage, also blue, which is woven into the blanket.

Dimensions (LxH): 160 x 220 cm
Materials: natural Alpago wool
Colour: light and dark mélange