Milan, Italy
LOCATION
1913
ESTABLISHED
82
EMPLOYEES
Belts
WHAT IS MADE HERE
30
PRODUCTS OF US MADE HERE
About the manufactory
When our Braided Belt Factory was first established in 1913, it was far from crafting the beautiful belts it is famous for today. In the beginning, the Factory produced large ropes for ships and ribbons. With the onset of World War I, the Factory had to switch to the production of light textiles made of braids, strings and rubber bands. Everything changed again with World War II, when the company shifted towards the production of shoelaces to supply the Italian army. After the War, the Factory transformed yet again. It invested heavily in R&D and became the very first company in the world to ever produce machine-braided belts. Ever since, braided belts have been their unrivalled speciality. To put it in Giulia’s words, one of the two fourth-generation daughters: “Life is a story about connections. We don’t just make accessories. We braid lifestyles.” We couldn't have said it any better.
The Factory’s ability to adapt to the times and weather the storms throughout the decades is greatly due to the strong family bond, sense of tradition, and care for the community. In light of the recent Covid Pandemic, the Family showed its great sense of compassion yet again by reconverting part of their production to meet the high demand of rubber bands for face masks very early on.
How we found the manufactory
We have always loved the braided belt optic due to its characteristic properties to be easily dressed up or down depending on the occasion. So, in 2017, we set out on the bold quest to find the very best braided belt maker. After months of following many leads into several countries, we finally found what we were looking for in a small city near Milan. Situated in the north of Italy in the heart of a beautiful natural valley between lakes, waterfalls, mountains and rivers, the Manufactory has been producing braided belts of the highest quality for decades. The trip alone was an absolute treat and it only got better once we stepped foot inside the Factory.
Sustainability
In the Eighties, our Braided Belt Factory decided to manage all production cycles 100% in-house to guarantee the highest quality possible and ensure an environmentally-friendly production. This is achieved by using natural raw materials and completely non-toxic components. The vegetable-tanned leathers and yarns are dyed and waxed with fully natural, water-based products according to the most traditional processes. In this way, the impact on the health and the environment is minimized during production, recycling and disposal. Most of the substances that are used in vegetable tanning are recovered during production and transformed into fertilizers for agricultural use, whereas the remaining substances are largely used in the building industry.
Where the materials for our belts come from
The velvety suede leathers we use for our braided belts come from Tanneries Zabri and Mastrotto. Our Braided Belt Manufactory asked us not to disclose the name of the Factories providing the wool, rayon and leather tips which is why we are not revealing their names at this point. The buckles come from our Buckle Manufactory II.
Mastrotto
Conceria Zabri
Buckle Manufactory II
"Life is a story about connections. We don’t just make accessories. We braid lifestyles."
Giulia, Owner
The work that goes into one of our belts
It is easy to forget the complex nature of the products we use every day and the skills required to craft them. At Dalgado, we are very proud to be working with some of the most revered artisans ensuring utmost quality and exceptional durability. Whenever we see our artisans at work, we are amazed by their dedication and handicraft. That is why we want to highlight their amazing skills and show what it takes to create one of our belts.
27
It takes 27min to craft one belt
12
It takes 12 steps to craft one belt
9
It takes 9 artisans to craft one belt
Italy
Made by artisans for you in
Products that are made in this manufactory
Check out our other manufactories
OUR CLASSIC BELTS MANUFACTORY
Hamburg, Germany
OUR SNEAKER MANUFACTORY
Porto, Portugal
OUR GLOVE MANUFACTORY
Naples, Italy