History and Industry

Canepa has been creating textile styles for over fifty years. The company was founded as a silk manufacturer and quickly became a world leader on the high-end market. A hallmark of the Canepa group has always been its ability to look towards the future. Consequently, it has augmented its original business by producing a wide range of supreme quality textiles made from other natural fibres, such as cashmere, wool, cotton, linen and hemp. While expanding its range of products, it has managed to retain the expertise, skill and style which, ever since the beginning, have led the company to excel, always making sure its production remains in Italy. The company is characterised by its ability to combine tradition with innovative processes and an awareness of health and the environment.

The history of the Canepa family dates back to the 18th century, with the Cattaneo of Carnago. The great-grandfather of the current owner Michele Canepa, a serious grower from Ovada, married a daughter of the Cattaneos in the mid-1800s, continuing the tradition of sericulture, spinning, dyeing and weaving.

In 1930, his son Marco acquired Serica Lombarda, a company whose technical knowledge and creative skills were present in the Comasco district from the beginning of the twentieth century.

The current Canepa was founded in 1966 by Marco's son, Giovanni Canepa, father of the current owner. Canepa is present all over the world and has established business relationships with the biggest international brands in the sectors of retail, sportswear and luxury, including furniture fabrics. Fiorio and Tino Cosma are brands directly owned, and market ties, scarves and swimwear. In addition, it produces fabrics for furnishings and possesses Fiorio, La Rana and Tino Cosma brands that sell ties, scarves and swimsuits directly.

Canepa is particularly concerned about the future and the protection of the planet, and accordingly, is guided by this belief in the regions where the company operates.

On that note, Canepa, through the research and development department CanepaEvolution, has created the ‘SAVEtheWATER® - Kitotex®’ patent, which – through the use of non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable natural materials, obtained from chitinous matter found in the exoskeletons of arthropods – allows the reduction of water and energy consumption by 95% and enables the significant elimination of pollutants (CNR_Biella certification). The project was developed in Melpignano in the Province of Lecce together with Tessitura del Salento Industriale S.r.l., following a contract agreement with Regione Puglia as part of a job creation drive.

In keeping with its commitment to sustainable fashion, Canepa , has become the first textile company in the world to sign up to the Greenpeace Detox campaign for a transparent fashion supply chain, free of toxic substances.

Canepa is characterized not only by the quality, creativity and eco-sustainability of its fabrics, but also for the seriousness in its commercial and industrial relations. New materials, special designs and new collections are, in fact, the product of the attention to the many needs of its customers, fairness in relations with its employees and the constant and massive investments in research and development.