The origins of Panno Casentino date back to the medieval wool-weaving tradition of the Stia Valley. Originally created as a durable fabric for shepherds and travelers, it has evolved over time to become an icon of Italian textile manufacturing.
One of the most iconic wool fabrics from the Casentino region, this fabric continues to stand out for its identity, texture, and distinctive character.
The tradition of Panno Casentino woolen textiles has its origins in the medieval “stia”: the region’s climate and topography have inextricably linked the development of this area to textile production since the 13th century.
Sheep farming, which already existed in Etruscan and Roman times, became the predominant activity during the 15th century as a result of the strong demand for wool from the Florentine textile industry.
At the same time, the craft of producing orbace (the fabric used by the Camaldolese monks and the Friars of La Verna to make their habits) began to flourish, though it remained confined to a limited market due to restrictions imposed by the Republic of Florence.
The first Panno Casentino is documented as having been created in 1537: this new fabric became an instant success. Its rough texture and sturdiness immediately won over the working classes, who (especially shepherds, merchants, and carters) needed cloaks that could withstand the elements and prolonged use.
Despite the rather crude nature of the finished products, this fabric from the Casentino region ended up impressing some forward-thinking Florentine officials, who recognized its market potential due to its competitive prices: in 1616, a law enacted by Cosimo II restricted the sale of Casentino fabric to its areas of production alone, effectively preventing its export outside the valley.
Despite harassment by the guilds and opposition from the Florentine authorities, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, fullers and wool artisans continued to settle in Stia as well as throughout the valley: Over time, meeting the growing demand led to the transformation of textile workshops into industrial centers.
In the mid-19th century, the first wool mills began to spring up, events that would profoundly change the social history of the Casentino region.
First Stia (1830) and Soci (1848), then Rassina and Pratovecchio, became major industrial centers, providing employment for hundreds of residents.
During this phase, Casentino fabric underwent a revolutionary evolution, with the manufacturing process being refined to produce a warm, pure-wool fabric that was lighter than the original.
Through the innovative process of “rattinatura,” Casentino fabric acquired its very distinctive and unmistakable “curl”—a characteristic that still makes it highly prized in high fashion today.
The 19th century was also a time when new, vibrant colors began to gain popularity, replacing the old range of somber hues such as sand, gray, and red.
In this regard, legend has it that the orange and bright green (which, according to a famous interpretation by D’Annunzio, “the fire of the sunset and the green of the woods in the Arezzo valley”—and which are now among the most iconic colors of Panno Casentino) were, more realistically, the result of dyeing errors: the early use of rock alum as a mordant, combined with dyes that weren’t quite the right match, led to a curious but useful mix-up: the two new colors—first requested by local shepherds and soon after by the wealthy classes, who were captivated by their highly original vibrancy—became popular.
Starting in the second half of the 1800s, Casentino cloth experienced a veritable boom, to the point that it became a “status symbol” even among the upper middle class, where it was used primarily as a flashy and eccentric hunting or riding outfit.
Suffice it to say that prominent figures from the era of a unified Italy—such as Bettino Ricasoli, Giuseppe Verdi, and Giacomo Puccini—were not immune to the charm of this fabric, wearing garments made in the Casentino region on various occasions.
From its functional origins to its widespread use in high fashion, Panno Casentino has maintained a strong aesthetic identity.
Its colors, texture, and durability continue to make it a recognizable and internationally appreciated material to this day.
Made of wool, Casentino cloth is characterized by its curly surface, achieved through the traditional “rattinatura” process. This technique gives the fabric a compact texture that protects against the cold and retains its qualities over time.
History is often written into the landscape—especially in places where the landscape and history have together given rise to life and culture.
Such is the case in the Casentino, a land well known to Dante, who, in his masterpiece, recalled “the little streams that from the green hills / …descend down into the Arno.” In just two lines, the great poet manages to encapsulate an entire landscape, a whole history, an entire culture, and an entire economy—elements that remain as vibrant today as they were back then.
The green hills and expansive meadows that crown this region were, from spring through autumn, home to thriving flocks—flocks that, for centuries, provided what was once a true “white gold”: wool. In an era when protection against the elements was vital—and far more challenging than it is today—spun wool yielded fabrics that offered excellent defense against the cold, even when soaked by rain. Furthermore, to guard against rain and snow, Casentino wool fabrics underwent mechanical processes that rendered them waterproof. The energy required for this lengthy treatment was harnessed from the flow of those very streams and the Arno River itself. It was a virtuous symbiosis—a synergy that made the Casentino a source of wealth for the most significant industry in the city that, in turn, used its prosperity to give birth to Humanism and the Renaissance: Florence.
The *Arte della Lana* (the Guild of Wool)—the most powerful of Florence’s “industries” since the time of Dante—brought prosperity, and consequently culture, to the Casentino. Indeed, the dense network of Romanesque parish churches, along with the works of art housed within them, stands as a testament to a once-thriving land. An entire sanctuary—La Verna—was funded by the *Arte della Lana* (the Wool Guild of Florence), as was the splendid series of works by the Della Robbia family; in fact, there are more of these pieces in the Casentino region than in Florence itself, the city where the Della Robbia workshop was based.
In the past, Casentino wool fabric was worn by the nobility. The quality of the wool, combined with a unique finishing process—*rattinatura* (friezing)—powered by the energy of local streams, caused the surface fibers to clump into small curls. Beyond their distinctive and pleasing appearance, these curls create tiny air pockets that—then as now—trap body heat, making the fabric warm, durable, and partially water-resistant. These curls were proudly displayed on the garments of the ruling class; they were even meticulously captured in portraits, such as the early 16th-century painting by Agnolo Bronzino of the humanist Lorenzo Lenzi. Look closely at the chest area and the curls on the shoulder, which are deliberately highlighted against a light, uniform background.
This is just one chapter in the long history of a fabric that, in the modern era, evokes the Middle Ages through its robust, tangible quality. Piero Gherardi, the brilliant costume designer for the cult film *L’armata Brancaleone* (“For Love and Gold”), used fabric purchased in Stia—specifically from TACS—to dress his characters. Yet, this textile also speaks to the contemporary world and the realm of fashion: around the same time, cinema showcased Casentino wool on the very embodiment of elegance, Audrey Hepburn. In *Breakfast at Tiffany’s*, she wears a small coat—designed by Hubert de Givenchy—that became iconic for both its cut and its color.
A fabric, a territory, and history—all elements that we can literally touch in Casentino wool, and which we can still experience firsthand in the Casentino region today.
Alongside Panno Casentino, TACS uses a selection of fabrics that share the same production philosophy: a focus on materials, respect for craftsmanship, and continuity with the textile tradition.
Every fabric—whether Panno Casentino, Fustagno, or Tweed—is selected in keeping with our production philosophy and reinterpreted for contemporary use.
