Interview with Innbamboo Creative Director: Piergiorgio Caggiari presents new sustainable knitwear line

Our blog has the pleasure of meeting Piergiorgio Caggiari, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Innbamboo The Original, to preview the details of the new knitwear collection made with bamboo staple and regenerated cashmere. A project that combines innovation, tradition and sustainability in the heart of Tuscany.

Piergiorgio, can you tell us how the idea for this new collection was born?

With great enthusiasm, I can say that this line represents a natural evolution of our path. After the success of the Foulard Bamboo Cashmere line, we decided to expand our proposal with high-quality garments, entirely made in Tuscany. The idea was born from the desire to combine sustainable innovation with the craftsmanship excellence present in our territory, creating unique garments that are both elegant and environmentally friendly.

Why did you choose bamboo staple as the main material?

Bamboo staple is an amazing material, the material from which the yarn is then generated. It is ideal for making knitwear that must offer comfort without sacrificing elegance. In addition, bamboo is a renewable and sustainable resource that grows rapidly without the use of pesticides or fertilizers, making our product not only high quality, but also ethically responsible. When you have in your hands a sweater made from this fiber you realize how amazing and wonderful it all is, to think that from a plant you can achieve this.

What about regenerated cashmere? What is its added value?

Regenerated cashmere represents our concrete commitment to the circular economy. This material draws inspiration from our area, where in Prato textile regeneration has proven to be a key resource over time. Contrary to what one might think, regenerated fiber guarantees its quality thanks to its origin: if it were not pure, it could not be made, thus offering an intrinsic guarantee of excellence. Every garment made from this material tells a story, a soul that is combined with sustainability. Using it means enhancing a luxury fabric in a conscious way, reducing waste and promoting a more ethical and responsible fashion model.

What is the reason for surprise in the result of the union of these two fibers?

Ours is a true fusion: the bamboo staple is processed together with the cashmere fiber until it becomes one, and only then is the yarn extracted. The result is amazing: an innovative fabric that retains the characteristics of both fibers, resulting in a fabric that is as strong as bamboo and as soft as cashmere. It is breathable and thermal, ideal for a season beyond just cold winter. I invite you to visit our retailers or stores and touch this wonder with your own hands-you will be fascinated.

The collection draws inspiration from Tuscan tradition and the commedia dell'arte. Could you explain this choice?

Actually, in our DNA we have the intention of integrating elements into each of our actions and products that allow us to talk about art, nature and culture in a broader sense. I like to think that among our customers there are people who, looking at a sweater, wonder who Brighella or Zanni were. We have already encountered this spirit in our Foulard Bamboo Art project, in which each product is accompanied by a bookmark with quotes from the artist to whom we wanted to pay tribute through a decoration. Many customers, having purchased scarves inspired by lesser-known artists, have written to us thanking us for stimulating their curiosity. For our new Bamboo Cashmere line, we decided to celebrate the artisan tradition of knitwear by dedicating each garment to iconic characters and masks from the Italian commedia dell'arte. This cultural appeal translates into garments that carry with them, in addition to their names, a creative energy and a story, making each piece unique and rich in meaning. It is a tribute to our land and its artistic roots.

What are the distinctive features of the new line of garments?

In addition to the intrinsic qualities of the fibers used, each item - from extra-light sweaters to oversize suits, to accessories such as berets, gloves and neck warmers - is made with handcrafted care and extremely refined garment-dyeing techniques. The exclusively created nuances offer a fascinating mélange effect, the result of traditional methods that enhance the art of textile dyeing. Knitting, carried out with high-quality machines, gives the garments a rich, soft and incredibly durable texture. Looking at them, one immediately gets that feeling of having in one's hands garments made as they once were, with care and passionate craftsmanship.

Can you describe the production and manufacturing process?

The process begins with the production of the yarn, which forms the basis of our garments. The knitting process, expertly carried out by an excellent workshop in Agliana (PT), employs weaving techniques that create different stitch patterns, such as shaved stitch, rib stitch or knit stitch. This stage gives the fabrics elasticity, strength and a pleasant soft feel, ensuring comfort and durability. Together with them we work closely on pattern making and choice of finishing. Within the same workshop we are fortunate to follow the second step, linking, which is entrusted to experienced women artisans and represents a crucial stage in the finishing of the garments. With great care, these craftswomen perfect the edges, ensuring that they are clean, strong and meant to last. This step combines tradition and innovation, with meticulous attention to detail and quality materials. Once completed, the garment moves on to washing, a process that requires patience and attention. Through prolonged baths, the fibers are allowed to "explode," transforming the fabrics from rough and stiff to soft and ready for the next stage of dyeing. Dyeing takes place in hot tanks, divided by fabric type. Each material requires specific times and treatments: garments are left soaked for hours so that they can evenly absorb the color and achieve the desired intensity. After dyeing, the garments are dried and transferred to the department that I jokingly call "the finish line": the ironing room. This stage is crucial, as proper ironing enhances all the previous processing. For fibers like ours, careful treatment at this stage is an added value, helping to present the garment in the most elegant, precise and professional way possible. In summary, our production process combines traditional craftsmanship and innovative techniques, with meticulous attention to every detail, to offer high-quality, comfortable and impeccably designed garments. All this organized in a small, circumscribed space within a few miles of Florence.

What is the message you want to convey with this collection?

We want to communicate that "luxury" can be sustainable and within reach of many more people, that fashion should not only be aesthetic, but also ethical. Our collection is a journey between creativity, tradition and innovation, designed for those who want to be unique inside and out. It is an invitation to rediscover the values of Made in Italy and sustainability, through high-quality garments that last.

Where will people be able to see and purchase this new line?

We collected a lot of orders during our presentation and the first deliveries are scheduled for early August, the rest at the behest of our customers will be delivered in mid-September. The line will be presented on our official channels at the end of August although on this occasion I thought I would do a little spoiler by showing a few things. To learn about this line will be enough to visit our online shop, to be able to touch them by hand will serve to rely on our store locator where all our retailers and flagship stores are included. By contacting our company there is a customer service that allows you to know the nearest or best stocked store, without thus risking going to those who do not specifically have this new line.

Finally, what are your future goals?

Our goal is to continue to innovate while maintaining strong ties to our artisanal roots. We want to promote a more conscious fashion that values sustainable raw materials and local expertise, always including bamboo at the center of our interests, a fiber that more than a decade later continues to surprise us with its quality and employment opportunities. Our hope is to carry this philosophy forward, contributing to positive change in the fashion industry.