This fringed poncho is crafted from merino wool from the historic Lanificio Paoletti mill, founded in 1795 in the Veneto region of northern Italy, in the heart of the Follina wool district which has been a hub for wool manufacturing since the Middle Ages. The fabric is manufactured from start to finish in the Paoletti mill with traditional machinery and techniques: from the spinning of blended, dyed wool flock to the finishing of cloth that is carded, spun, twisted, warped, woven, and darned in-house.
The poncho was sewn and finished in collaboration with Cooperative Alice, a Milan-based “sartoria” founded in 1992 with a mission to encourage individuals and companies to develop sustainable lifestyles by fighting prejudice, rehabilitation through the creation of fairly paid jobs, and protecting the most authentic traditions of “made in Italy.” The members of the Alice Cooperative are workers within the women’s sections of the prisons in the Lombardy region of Italy. With a daily commitment of providing training and fairly-paid contracts, the Cooperative has enabled over 450 marginalized women to achieve economic independence and return to being an active member of the local community and economy.
Note that any small flaws in the fabric or fabrication should not be seen as defects, yet instead as a testament to the artisan quality and individual craftsmanship of each item.
