Just like Au Lit, our Italian Mill is a family-run business with a rich history. The family's tradition in the textile industry dates all the way back to 1891, when the family began work in an Italian textile district known for the production of woollen cloths. With years of experience under their belts, the family founded their very own textile mill in 1947 with a focus on wool goods. By 1960, production was expanded to include cotton and linen textiles in addition to wool. The mill continued to innovate through the 1970s, when they began producing jacquard fabrics and started to make a name for themselves with the production of home linens.
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Our relationship with our partner mill began in the early 1980s, when our founder Peggy Byron flew to Italy in search of the best bedding fabrics in the world. She met with the family-run mill outside of Milan and ordered her first 100 meters of pure cotton sateen in a colour called sage green. While the colour has since been discontinued, the relationship remains. Nearly 4 decades later, we work with the very same team Peggy originally met with to produce thousands of meters a year of our bestselling Italian fabrics. The raw fabric is imported and our finished pieces proudly crafted right here in Canada at our Montreal workroom.
The Au Lit team meets with our Italian partners c. 1990s
Our CEO Joanna had the pleasure of paying a visit to the mill this winter and was warmly welcomed by Gianpietro, the original representative Peggy met with nearly 40 years ago. From a tour of the mill to a spectacular Italian lunch graciously hosted by the team, it was thrilling to come together and reflect on how our businesses have grown together over the past 4 decades.
Our CEO Joanna and CFO Miguel enjoy lunch with our Italian partners.
Our partner mill has long been committed to producing the most exceptional fabrics in the world. From the careful selection of the finest natural raw materials to a long tradition of textile weaving combined with the adoption of advanced textile technologies & a keen focus on sustainable practices, our mill has achieved an exquisite balance of tradition and innovation over 70+ years in business and we are proud to continue working with them to this day.
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Finished fabric is stress-tested and palleted for transport
