Alice Zantedeschi and Francesca Pievani, in cooperation with the renowned Italian company Limonta, have developed their microfilm with more than 50% marble powder
The Italian media have discovered Fili Pari for a while now and are reporting more and more frequently on the company’s portable natural stone. Our readers will remember: the designers Alice Zantedeschi and Francesca Pievani have developed a microfilm which contains a high percentage of marble powder (over 50%) and which can be used to make clothes. In the meantime, the two have started a cooperation with the Limonta company, and the first results are now available.
Let’s take a closer look at Limonta, because it is worth it: the family business has been dealing with textiles since 1893. It has always been characterized by innovation with research and development. With almost 2000 employees and 5 subsidiaries, the company can confidently be described as one of those hidden champions (inconspicuous market leaders) that exist in every strong economic nation, but which are not listed on a stock exchange and which therefore hardly anyone notices.
Alice Zantedeschi and Francesca Pievani were now invited to spend 6 months in Limonta’s laboratories not far from Como, and of course it was expected that at the end of this, let’s call it: research and working semester, results would be available.
One of the results is that they have learned to better handle the colors of their microfilm. Because it is the marble powder that gives the textile its color: with the local Red Verona marble you get a salmon red, with Black Ebony an anthracite grey, with Green Alps a pastel green and with white marble a milky white. Mind you: „We do not add any pigment from outside”, the two emphasize.
There is an exception in one case where a particularly high opacity must be achieved.
Another research goal was to give the microfilm a stronger ecological profile. Now the designers are combining it with linen, for example, which is known to be made from plant fibers. There is also a synthetic carrier material made of 100% recycled PET. This is a synthetic material like the one used for drinks bottles, for example.
These new carrier materials also have the advantage that they absorb the colors of the stone flour better.
With this, the two hope to attract a new target group within the clientele with a soft spot for innovative textiles: „Anyone who has been interested in portable microfilm so far has only found synthetic materials. With our „MARM \ MORE” newly named fabric, such modern garments not only do not require any problematic dyeing materials, but are also made from natural or environmentally friendly materials.
Otherwise, the properties of the microfilm remain as they were before: it is waterproof, resistant to abrasion, and it breathes. It also feels like stone. „The soft touch feeling comes from the sum of different parts: the production process, the material that we use, and, of course, the marble”, they both say.
Limonta has presented the MARM \ MORE collection at the fashion fair Première Vision in February 2020. In the September issue of the fair, the cloudy structures familiar from marble will probably also be on view, and the designers can now also give it to their microfilm.
By the way: Limonta has a subsidiary under the name of Aunde, which also brings innovative textiles to cars. And Tiba is the name of the branch of the company that deals with dyes for textiles.
Photos: Fili Pari
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(10.04.2020, USA: 04.10.2020)
