Vitale Barberis Canonico
- The range
- The icons
- Natural Stretch
- Knit Icons
-
- The range
- The icons
- DayToday
- CrossOver
- StreetSmart
-
Wool & Blends
The finest fibres from the best areas.
The best fabrics are created using excellent natural fibres, which Vitale Barberis Canonico selects with care, competence and passion directly in the countries of origin.
The finest merino wool comes from the grasslands of Australia and New Zealand, the cashmere comes from China and the mohair from South Africa. Ready to be spun and then woven.
Wool
Australian wool
Stretchy, resistant and naturally crease-free, wool is breathable, water-resistant and provides optimal thermal insulation. It is an exquisite fibre which is completely biodegradable and renewable.
Merino wool is a fine, soft, lustrous fibre which is harvested from sheep with the same name. Originally from the Mediterranean basin, Merino sheep have found their ideal habitat in Australia, where they were imported by the British in the late 1700s, leading to a flourishing breeding. Vitale Barberis Canonico prefers Merino wool because it presents the physical and stylistic characteristics which are ideal for high-quality, beautiful fabrics which are destined to last for a long time.
Since the 1980s, Vitale Barberis Canonico has made the pioneering choice of selecting and purchasing wool directly in its country of origin, building over the years a synergetic relationship with the breeders, and becoming one of the biggest individual purchasers of fine and extra-fine wools. It is present in Australia with its own purchasing office and three of its own farms, the ideal locations where research to improve quality meets the most sustainable management practices. Research to achieve excellence has no boundaries and Vitale Barberis Canonico also buys wool in other parts of the world. For example, the iconic 21 Micron wool comes from the immense lands of South America.
Discover our wool fabrics
Mohair
The finest South African fibres
Mohair is a natural fibre from the fleece of the Angora goat. It is endowed with prized technical and aesthetic properties such as thermal insulation, crease-resistance and sheen. Mohair is traditionally processed in blends with extrafine wools, and is well suited to the production of high-quality summer fabrics that are cool to wear and ideal for humid climates.
Once known as the “diamond fibre”, mohair has endured throughout the changing centuries and fashions, retaining its subtle elegance and discreet luxuriousness. Originally bred in Türkiye from the 16th century onwards, the “Ankara” goats (now known as Angora goats) produce a slightly-curled fleece; the surface of each hair has flat scales with a rounded edge that reflect more light than other animal fibres, giving mohair fabrics their inimitable lustre.
The diameter of the mohair fibres varies according to the age of the animal they are harvested from, ranging from 23.5 micron of the super kid, deriving from the first shearing, to increasing micron measurements from the kid and young goat, and up to 60 micron from an adult goat. Vitale Barberis Canonico purchases mohair directly from South Africa through its own purchasing office and specialised technology which exclusively selects fibres of less than 30 microns. Vitale Barberis Canonico mohair is RMS – Responsible Mohair Standard certified, a voluntary standard which ensures the provenance of the mohair from farms which are responsibly managed with regard to specific criteria for the well-being of the animal and for the reduction of environmental impacts.
Discover our wool and mohair fabrics
Cashmere
The best Cashmere from Alashan region.
Cashmere is a fibre harvested from the fleece of the Hircus goat, whose habitat is the mountainous areas of Asia. The qualities of cashmere arise from the adaptation which the Hircus goats have undergone to survive in the extreme climate of the Himalayas, Caucus and the high plateaus of Tibet. To protect themselves from the rigorous winters, the Hircus goats produce two fleeces: one superficial and course fleece which functions as protection and one more fluffy underfleece which is very fine and warm.
In spring, when the animals naturally moult, the breeders carefully harvest the fleece using tapered combs. The underfleece or duvet fibres have a diameter of only 14-16 micron. The preciousness of cashmere is the consequence of the reduced material from the first harvest from each animal, which for an adult is not more than 200 grams, which after the ejarratura, namely the elimination of the courser fibres, is approximately halved again.
The quality standard of the fibres also takes into consideration other important factors besides the fineness and the length of the fibres. The Hircus goat presents in nature, apart from off-white, a number of other colours nuances ranging from brown, grey, greige and reddish. This means that the most highly-appreciated batches are those with the lightest colour which permits them to be dyed in more delicate, pastel colours. Vitale Barberis Canonico uses exclusively “white” cashmere from the Alashan region, the best.