History

“In the reign of Vittorio Emanuele III and, thanks be to God and the will of the nation, long may he reign as King of Italy, in the year 1907 on the second day of the month of May in Praj-Coggiola, the wool mill Giovanni Tonella & Sons was opened”. These are the words which introduce the constitutional act which is sealed by the Tonella family n 1907 in the presence of a notary in house number 5 of the hamlet of Chiesetta, in Praj-Coggiola. And it is thus that the story begins of a great name in textile production in the Biellese region, but also across Italy. Indeed, the guide of wool mills 1926 describes the company Giovanni Tonella as being well placed to carry out the whole textile manufacturing process: “spinning and carding for their own purposes, weaving, dyeing and finishing of woollen textiles, double-faced overcoat fabrics, ratiné fabrics, beavers, felts, fantasy designs.” Under the guidance of the family, the company, now located in Flecchia, only takes a few years to grow, reaching a size of 300 workers and 100 looms in 1934, as well as “3700 spindles”. The range is increased and now includes fabrics for hats and trousers, flannels, linings of pure wool and wool blends, fabrics intended for civilian and military use, and also for religious gowns. Not only does the company produce for the Italian market, it also has international customers, and in the 1960s, their fabrics are exported to Germany, Holland, France and Switzerland. In the years to follow, Giovanni steps down from the management which passes to his cousin Ermanno. During the 1980s, the two cousins transfer the running of the company to the hands of the younger generation, who take over until 2001, when “Giovanni Tonella & Sons” is bought by the wool mill Vitale Barberis Canonico. And the Tonella facilities continue today to spin and weave woollen fabrics of extremely high quality.