In the romantic town of Follina, a splendid building and jewel of industrial archaeology houses one of the oldest Italian wool mills, producing fabrics for the most prestigious fashion brands in the world.
To make us fall in love with its uniqueness, just tell us that Lanificio Paoletti resisted the arrival of Napoleon, went through two world wars and “defeated” the advent of synthetic fibers without ever ceasing to look to the future with great respect and love for a profession that started a long time ago.
If the legend, in fact, tells that it was the arrival of the Cistercian monks around 1146 that introduced wool processing to these hilly areas of the province of Treviso, the name “Follina” suggests a previous presence of wool fulling (washing) activities, favored by the abundant availability of water, and therefore energy, and a Treviso-Venice axis that, thanks to the support of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, opened the doors of trade in the Mediterranean.
As a family, since 1795 we have never stopped investing in quality and research of a complete Italian production chain.
(Paoletti family)
It is towards the middle of the 17th century that the presence of the Paoletti weavers in nearby Miane is attested for the first time and it is in 1795, following the opening of the first factories in Italy, that Gaspare Paoletti founded the Lanificio, the only one in the area that would survive two world wars.
In 1917, following the Austrian invasion, the family moved to Biella so as not to interrupt production, while, during the Second World War, it was forced to produce uniforms and coats for the opposing troops and to act as an operations center and radio bridge during the retreat of the Nazi troops. But the wool thread has never stopped…
After having gone through the most diverse fashion trends from the 60s onwards, today the tenth generation of the Paoletti family continues to search for the best raw materials (such as Mohair, Cashmere, but also Alpagota sheep) which it works using traditional spinning methods.
A drive towards excellence that has led Lanificio Paoletti to be among the producers of carded wool yarns and fabrics most sought after by the big fashion brands – Armani, Chanel, Lanvin, Valentino… – who entrust Lanificio with the sampling of creative and exclusive fabrics.
Lanificio Paoletti is also constantly working on cataloging, including digitally, its precious historical archive where hundreds of textile collections have been preserved since the 19th century; a treasure trove of unique wool and fabric models created for famous stylists, armies and religious orders, many of which are no longer reproducible today.
Luckily for us, the factory opens for special events at different times of the year, such as ApritiModa, held in October every year, or the end-of-season sales, a real must among local fashionistas to grab the most precious fabrics.
Or, you can visit the adjacent company outlet to purchase one of their products, such as blankets, throws, scarves, as well as fabrics and yarns.
The Secret
In the fascinating field of fiber art, the Lanificio’s “secret weapon” is Mario Tasca, an expert and eclectic designer of unique fabrics who creates with mathematical precision by scanning the historical archive and crossing fibers on the work table, like an artist does with his color palette.
Useful Info
Lanificio Paoletti
Via Cartiera 2
31051 Follina, Treviso
Tel. +39 0438 970335
Just follow the Lanificio’s social networks to keep updated on the latest events and visiting days
Company outlet open upon appointment Mon-Fri during the factory opening times