In the land of master hat makers
The Biella region in Italy has always been known for its millinery expertise, and the founding of Cappellificio Cervo in 1897 in Sagliano Micca further cemented Biella’s hat-making fame. Shortly after its founding, Cappellificio Cervo became one of the region’s most important manufacturers, employing almost 400 workers and exporting hats internationally. Now a family business with the support of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, the manufacturer is one of the last establishments in the world that carries out its hat production in-house with long-standing techniques and original machinery.
After 120 years in business, Cappellificio Cervo continues to specialise in straw hats, panamas, alpine hats and one-off haute couture pieces for films. Its secret, however, lies not only in the fine knowledge of felt and in the right tools; it is the water quality from the Cervo torrent, which runs directly under the factory, that makes the dyeing and felting processes qualitatively exceptional.
