The example of widespread Elbec manufacturing: merino wool hats and headbands

Tradition and innovation meet in Val Pettorina with the production of merino wool headbands and caps

The Dolomites are not just dream destinations for sportsmen, families or trekking enthusiasts: they are areas full of opportunities for forward-looking companies. An exemple? Val Pettorina, a valley at the bottom of the Marmolada mountain where Elbec, a merino wool trekking socks and sportswear brand, starts a project to relaunch the area. Thanks to the collaboration of the inhabitants of the valley, Elbec offers its customers products that are truly unique handcrafted pieces: wool or cotton headbands and caps, made with the production leftovers of the other items available in the store. At the same time, anyone who knows the art of knitting or crocheting can collaborate, managing the work as they prefer both in terms of timing and methods. In this way Elbec contributes to a supplement of income to protect manual activities that are gradually disappearing.

Manufacturing widespread in Val Pettorina: a sustainable project

In addition to the support the local community, Elbec widespread manufacturing initiative also allows to contain waste: the yarns used by the artisans and artisans of Val Pettorina, in fact, are high quality merino wools, organic, certified no-mulesing and organic in addition, of course, to the Italian zero-kilometer wool that are increasingly used in the widespread manufacturing chain. For some models, such as the Vanzarot, the fibers come from the production remains of merino wool trekking socks and tights made with the same raw material. In this way, Elbec minimizes waste and reuses it creatively in respect of the environment. Thanks to this production method, caps and headbands are unique and unrepeatable pieces: it is up to the imagination of the artisans of Val Pettorina to combine colors and combination always in a different way. And for the milder seasons or for those who prefer other materials? Organic cotton headbands and caps are also made by Elbec ! All the models handmade in Val Pettorina are available in the Elbec shop, but also at very few selected retailers in Italy. Elbec caps are unique models, just as unique is the person who made them thanks to his creative spirit and his ability to create an original and unrepeatable product.

From the selection of raw materials to the finished product: a controlled and certified supply chain

Tradition and innovation meet in Val Pettorina with the production of merino wool headbands and caps

The Dolomites are not just dream destinations for sportsmen, families or trekking enthusiasts: they are areas full of opportunities for forward-looking companies. An exemple? Val Pettorina, a valley at the bottom of the Marmolada mountain where Elbec, a merino wool trekking socks and sportswear brand, starts a project to relaunch the area. Thanks to the collaboration of the inhabitants of the valley, Elbec offers its customers products that are truly unique handcrafted pieces: wool or cotton headbands and caps, made with the production leftovers of the other items available in the store. At the same time, anyone who knows the art of knitting or crocheting can collaborate, managing the work as they prefer both in terms of timing and methods. In this way Elbec contributes to a supplement of income to protect manual activities that are gradually disappearing. The widespread manufacturing project in Val Pettorina also aims to guarantee the final consumer a product whose realization is completely controlled and checked by Elbec: from the choice of sheep farmers from which the raw material is obtained, to the companies that make the yarn from work, until the sale of the complete product. What are the yarns used by Elbec for the production of its caps and for the other items available in the online store? Let's see them together:

• 100% organic merino wool processed in Italy (from spinning, carding to dyeing), not treated with chlorine to reduce the environmental impact. In addition, the unprocessed wool comes from no-mulesing farms, which do not mutilate sheep and do not use pesticides harmful to both animals and humans, certified by GOTS and ICEA
• 100% Italian merinized wool that follows the same principles as the previous point, collected by expert professionals who select only the best wools from farms that meet our standards.
• 70% virgin wool and 30% certified organic alpaca GOTS and ICEA. The farm respect animal friendly procedures and not chemical treatement both on the sheeps and the yarn.
• Organic cotton from North Africa, processed and colored in Italy without the use of chlorine or other dyes that are harmful to the environment or people's health

What does no-mulesing mean?

Mulesing is a terrible practice used by some (but still too many) farms around the world. It consists in the mutilation of the perianal area of the sheep to prevent the flies attack. Animals that undergo this mutilation often incur lethal infections. This is a price that no producer should want to pay to obtain the raw materials useful for the processing of its products. That’s why Elbec chooses to rely only on suppliers of ICEA and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified fabrics, cotton and wools, or ZQ consortium in New Zealand For Italian merino wool, we relie on extensive farms in Abruzzo, Molise and Puglia thanks to the skilful selection of experts who select only the best fleeces and obtain the best yarn almost comparable to those of New Zealand. Our 100% merino wool used for trekking socks and other products available in the store comes from New Zealand farms that are part of the ZQ Natural Fiber: an association that chooses to breed animals based on sustainability, ethics and traceability label. This also means not practicing mulesing on animals, as well as not using chemical pesticides and guaranteeing them all the space possible to live a peaceful and stress-free life, with an organic and controlled diet.

How to take care of an Elbec product?

Un berretto Elbec in lana merinos realizzato a mano in Val Pettorina © Ezio Marlier Elbec is committed to minimizing the environmental impact, those who buy its products can choose to commit to supporting its philosophy. Most of Elbec merino apparels, expecially our woll benies and merino cap, must be hand washed in water at room temperature to keep them unaltered in shape and function. This type of washing saves energy and water and is certainly the most sustainable. Obviously ELBEC recommends not using soap, in case of using it organic and never using fabric softeners! Choosing an ELBEC apparel you too will support and become part of its widespread manufacturing project: you will have a unique product of the highest quality and at the same time you will participate in the revitalization of the mountain areas and the people who live there. We like to think that your contribution, although not decisive for the mountain’s future, will help to keep alive traditions and customs that would otherwise be lost and probably also help to avoid the depopulation of some already deeply disadvantaged areas, giving new opportunities for growth and development. Your contribution, above all, will helping us to get across the message that tourism cannot be the only economic activity for the people who live the mountain ! Elbec loves and protects the mountains and those who live there, help us to continue to do our job!