The Piacenza Mill

One of Italy’s foremost crafters of luxurious noble fabrics like llama, cashmere & camel.

Founded in 1733 by Pietro Francesco, the Piacenza fabric mill is one of the oldest heritage weavers in the Italian province of Biella. Their respect for nature, use of rare artisianal techniques and uncompromising stance on quality has made them an industry standout. Today, the mill demonstrates the standard when it comes to a balance between tradition, innovation, environmental harmony and social consciousness.

Noble pursuits — The Piacenza mill has been defined by almost 300 years of crafting Italy’s most luxurious noble fabrics.

“ Applying our know-how in all the phases of the production process brings out the very best of their natural properties, with unusual blends and special finishes. ”

Ettore Piacenza, 14th generation of the Piacenza family.

Nature meets knowledge.

The Piacenza mill has equipped itself with both top-tier expertise and cultivated the surrounding land to make use of the finest natural resources. Alongside the abundance of pristine natural waters that are crucial for the purest washing and dyes, the mill taps the area’s local experts to spot the finest thistle flowers required for a unique finishing technique known as teasing. This rare traditional process uses brushes made from this special flower to creates different levels of dense fluff on the fabric, thereby creating a denser, softer, warmer fabric that traps air between the fibers for natural insulation.

Keeping tradition alive — Thistle brushing is still alive and well at Piacenza, making them one of the last mills to use this rare technique.

A sustainable approach.

As Piacenza sees it, crafting world-class fabrics isn’t done right unless it’s done ethically. That’s why they’ve made every effort to create a product that doesn’t sacrifice the nature and humanity that goes into it. When it comes to people, the mill values diversity, gender equality and security, seeing this as a way to retain the talent necessary for a superior product.

They’ve made updates and implemented protocols to reduce their carbon footprint, while placing emphasis on animal welfare and traceability. All of this culminates in their partnerships with universities, designers, other brands to improve responsible craftsmanship throughout the industry while promoting Biella’s rich heritage and empowering future generations.