The Origins of Wool

Since 1733, wool has been in the Piacenza family's DNA.

However, as early as the 14th century, even before the family name became associated with the Biella district, wool held invaluable commercial worth. At that time, merino sheep, jealously guarded by the Spanish Crown, represented a strategic resource akin to gold: exporting the animals was forbidden, and their control was directly managed by monarchical power. In the eighteenth century, however, something changed. Kings began gifting small flocks of merino sheep to European courts as a diplomatic gesture, transforming a monopoly into an instrument of alliance. Thus, wool began its journey beyond Spanish borders, evolving from a symbol of royal exclusivity.

Australian wool

It was through this passage that merino wool arrived first in England and then, at the end of the 18th century, in Australia. Here it found ideal conditions: immense spaces, a favorable climate, and endless pastures. Thanks to these extraordinary conditions, the fiber became even finer and more regular, reaching quality levels that had never been achieved in Europe.

A unique story

In the breed's countries of origin, such as Spain, and in the first areas of diffusion, such as England, it was never possible to achieve the same fineness and uniformity of wool. In a few decades, the Australian colony developed independent selection and became the world's leading producer of fine wool. It is an extraordinary transformation: what originated as the patrimony of the King of Spain became the economic engine of an entire continent. Therefore, telling the story of wool's origin means telling a story of power, migration, adaptation, and entrepreneurial vision.

DISCOVER OUR WOOL GARMENTS

Wool Necklace

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In our historic wool mills, we have elevated the processing of this fiber to a true art form, refining spinning and weaving techniques generation after generation. This total control of the supply chain allows us to guarantee absolute excellence: a promise of quality that can be felt in every creation, from yarn to finished garment.