Maglificio Emmevizeta

Knitwear company founded in 1959 by Sergio Monti, specializing in cotton and woolen garments. In 1968 the quality of its products was improved by the acquisition of automatic knitting machines. Over the following decade the company doubled in size. From 1971 onwards it produced designs in cashmere, mohair, and silk and initiated a collaboration with Pierre Cardin. During the mid-1960s, designers such as Ungaro, Ferré, and Valentino worked in its sample studio and the company began to supply the Gruppo Finanziario Tessile. The next generation of the Monti family joined the firm, which improved its equipment technology, the range of looms and formed new alliances with designers. In the 1980s they worked for Gucci, Ferragamo, Westwood, and Donna Karan. In the 1990s, the company targeted Japan, produced all the ranges for Staff International, acquired the Demetra brand, became the licensee of J. Mishra, began a working relationship with Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Escada Sport, and researched and applied ecological dyes in collaboration with the Centro Botanico in Milan. In 1998, this led to an entirely natural collection, down to the buttons, packaging and labels, consisting of vegetable and mineral dyes. The company has a production capacity of 140,000 garments per year.