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Calzificio BONETTI donated tights and socks to raise funds at the LOVE DESIGN fair in October 2019 at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan. Love Design® transforms products generously donated by companies into resources for cancer research, thanks to people closer to AIRC.
Calzificio BONETTI donated tights and socks to raise money at the LOVE DESIGN fair in October 20 and 22, in 2017 at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan.
Below is the interview:
A company that has been considered synonymous with excellence for 60 years. One of the realities that brings honour to Made-in-Italy. Since it was founded, Calzificio Giordano Bonetti has been committed to produce the highest quality socks, which is more of a mission rather than a job. Three generations of entrepreneurs have been at the service of the most demanding customers, aiming at providing them with comfy socks that are always pleasant to wear. Competence, experience, and above all, passion for one’s work are no doubt required. This is what transpires from the words of Mauro Bonetti, president of the company, who runs the business. We were accompanied to discover a truly prestigious company, which manufactures products that most people need.
CALZIFICIO BONETTI GIORDANO HAS BEEN SERVING ITS CUSTOMERS FOR 60 YEARS: HOW HAVE YOU SUCCEDED IN REMAINING AT THE TOP FOR SO LONG?
Passion, determination, commitment, desire to constantly get involved. Our company was founded in Botticino Sera in 1942. The founder was my grandfather Santo, later my mum and dad joined. In the following years, after our studies, my sister Laura and I joined the family business, which brought important innovations, such as the website, marketing activity to the company thus becoming more and more popular. Some of the new customers got to know us thanks to these innovations and through word of mouth among buyers and stylists, who were looking for an excellent hosiery manufacturer.
ONGOING MODERNIZATION: HOW DO YOU IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTS?
Following the market needs and demands, and working closely with our customers, who constantly help us grow and improve. Thanks to our technologies, we produce originally made hosiery that no one has ever offered.
ACRAFTSMANSHIP AND MECHANIZATION: HOW DID YOU EXPAND?
Our company started with the machinery of the past, which was based on mechanics, and moved on to state of the art computerized machines. In addition to the four family members, we have some employees, but we remain artisans: this gives us the opportunity to be able to take the utmost care of our customers and our products.
YOU ARE ONE OF THE COMPANIES SPECIALIZING IN “MADE-IN-ITALY” PRODUCTS: HOW MUCH IS THIS BRAND WORTH IN THE WORLD TODAY?
Today, “Made in Italy” seems to be a highly coveted brand. The demand for medium/high-end products comes from Korea, the United Arab Emirates, China and Russia. By sharing ideas with buyers, we are always up to date, and we are trying to enter emerging countries where Made-in-Italy is highly requested, especially in Southeast Asian countries, where the Italian lifestyle is craved.
WHAT DOES THE WORD QUALITY MEAN TO YOU?
Quality is paramount to us; it is our great hallmark: it demonstrates what a company is worth and the commitment to offering an excellent product to customers.
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF YOUR PRODUCTS?
Excellent quality, research of raw materials and innovative yarns, yarn stock with over 200 colours and the possibility to develop new colours on request with the help of our dyers. Our socks are designed in such a way that the elastic does not run down and squeeze the calf. Our research and design department are continuously working to develop new techniques, new yarn blends and machinery modifications to create innovative and exclusive socks.
WHAT KIND OF MARKET ARE YOU TARGETING?
We work mostly with foreign markets. We ship goods to various parts of the world, America, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Canada, Spain, England, France. We are continuously looking for new markets, we would love the opportunity to expand to other parts of the world to make our products known everywhere.
HOW DO YOU PUT FORWARD YOUR PRODUCTS?
For our company with solid Italian manufacturing foundations, the management of distribution channels is crucial and involves choices, which the success or failure of the company may depend on, in a continuous balancing act of skills, investment decisions and organization.
MAN, WOMAN, CHILD: DOES THE TARGET AUDIENCE STILL REMAIN HIGH?
Definitely! The target audience is medium/high. The fashion and designer brand market always demands top-quality products, despite many Italian companies have their products produced in countries outside the EEC, therefore cutting costs at the expense of quality. We have chosen to remain in Italy and employ people who have been working with us for dozens of years.
WHAT INNOVATIONS DO YOU PROPOSE ON YOUR HOSIERY?
We are always developing new designs, taking advantage of current trend colours; this allows us to expand our production in the future and towards new markets.
DOES BUYING FIRST-RATE HOSIERY ALSO PROVIDE PHYSICAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS COMFORT?
Absolutely! Each type of yarn, from cotton to technical fibres, has specific properties. Suffice to say that we use raw materials able to defeat bacteria or technical yarns/microfibers that can expel moisture and leave the foot dry; an example is Lenpur, a pure cellulose yarn that is environmentally friendly and healthy. The pulp is made exclusively from pruned wood, in full compliance with eco-sustainability standards. Other new materials include yarns made from milk and corn.
HOW ARE NEW TRENDS DEVELOPING IN YOUR INDUSTRY?
Working in synergy with spinning mills, we try to develop and transform customers’ requests, as well as give personality to their designs and plans so as to impress the end buyers, allowing us to understand whether the items produced meet their expectations.
THE WORLD OF LUXURY: WHAT DOES IT REPRESENT FOR CALZIFICIO BONETTI GIORDANO?
Besides collaborating for the realization of their designs, we believe we are a reference point for world-renowned brands we work with. They often take inspiration from our ideas and samples. Every day we try to design and create ideas to anticipate fashion.
WHAT ARE THE PRODUCTS YOU ARE PRESENTING FOR NEXT AUTUMN/WINTER?
Men’s and women’s fashion items, fancy designs with special yarns, wool, cashmere, organic cotton and various technological yarns, knee-highs, over-the-knee stockings, tights and leggings are the most popular products for autumn/winter. Last year we produced thousands of dozens of them for numerous Italian and foreign brands.
