I had written in a Substack article back in February:
I have been told by one US based merchant that he always visits the European factories in person that supply his business, as it has become common for sweatshops to import their low-wage workers and set up the same low quality shop in a European country so they can say their products are made locally (Italy was an example he used where he claimed it was particularly problematic. Your “Made in Italy” handbags are not necessarily products of the generational, passed down skills, of the Italian natives, known for their precision and skill and passion.)
- 3 Warning Signs for an Online Clothing Vendor, Feb 16, 2025 <https://open.substack.com/pub/muffyaldrich/p/3-warning-signs-for-an-online-clothing>
And I just read this in The Irish Times:
“People think ‘Made in Italy’ means you’re getting a long-lasting craft item,” says Caoimhe Grant, a Dublin-based designer and founder of the handbag line, August Night. “But real artisans can’t produce at the speed luxury brands demand. If it’s mass produced, how luxury is it?”
- We’re familiar with the evils of fast fashion. But is high fashion so much better? The Irish Times. <https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025/07/20/rachel-odwyer-were-familiar-with-the-evils-of-fast-fashion-but-is-high-fashion-so-much-better/>
The Italians have done a great job guaranteeing the quality of their food and wine with the DOC and DOP controls. Perhaps they can protect these industries the same way.
ReplyDeleteIt’s much easier to oversee Tuscan vineyards, Umbrian olive groves, and Dolomiti dairies than it is to keep track of “here today, gone tomorrow” sweatshops in suburban Naples.
DeleteThose sweatshops would never be eligible for the designation. The system would reward the companies that have a history of craftsmanship and fairness and would ignore the others.
DeleteFrom your mouth to God’s ears. Alas an Italian system, especially in the Mezzogiorno, means one thing to the government and something else to others.
DeleteI agree, exactly so! The French have (had?) a so-called EPV label (Le label Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant) which honors exceptional quality and craftsmanship. As a consumer, I'd love to have similar 'the best of the best lists' available for every country.
Delete“Gomorrah” authored by Roberto Saviano will give you an inside look at what’s often behind the “Made In Italy” label.
ReplyDeleteI heard about this Chinese clandestine scam in Italian fashion a number of years ago, and now advise anyone interested in authentic Italian luxury to go personally to the smaller shops in Naples (and elsewhere), and watch for yourself who exactly is making your shoes and clothing.
DeleteAnd thanks for tip about the Roberto Saviano expose – I’ll be picking up a copy tomorrow. Sounds fascinating.
That is an excellent reading recommendation. Roberto Saviano is a very brave man.
ReplyDeleteGold and silver jewelry. There are many small family businesses where the unique craftsmanship has been passed down through generations of jewelry artisans.
ReplyDeleteMade in Italy in recent years definitely has issues. Now do Ireland, perhaps a bigger offender.
ReplyDeleteIn Italy, this has been the case for decades, with subcontracted sweatshops set up in Italy and staffed by Southern Italians, later Africans, and increasingly Asians. Not all of the luxury brands use these subcontracting firms, but most do. For example, Loro Piano was recently caught doing so.
ReplyDeleteThat said- there is a seemingly intractable challenge in recruiting and training local talent to work as leatherworkers, seamstresses, etc. It is a long apprenticeship with typically lower pay than in the service sector. Young people do not want to those jobs in large enough numbers. All of the European fashion houses are facing major challenges recruiting the next generation of craftsmen. Hermes, Brioni, and Cucinelli can afford to set up academies for talent and pay above average wages, but not every brand can (or wants to).
The "Made in Italy" is a common misdirection which extends beyond apparel. The "GreenPan" company is a Chinese company who placed a small portion of their manufacturing in Italy, fully managing both locations and reportedly with imported workers as well. Their inexpensive "Made in Italy" pans sell in discount stores and do well enough to expand to a "Stanley Tucci" collection. If it's cheap, it's not what it seems to be.
ReplyDeleteThe only Italian goods that I fancy right now are faience pottery pieces done in that very traditional naive style ... for these I turn to The Island Shop of Bermuda. Oh wait ... I pretty much exclusively watch RAI productions on Prime. So, my bases are covered on both of these fronts. Not into the Milan fashion scene whatsoever ... collars up !!!
ReplyDeleteGod forbid someone actually being cosmopolitan.
DeleteMuch of what is bought in the modern era is not quite what it seems . Many formerly trusted companies have been taken over by anonymous financial entities who then outsource products to maximise profit and quality is not important at all .This applies to most countries in the western world and not just Italy .
ReplyDeleteRegarding food, Italians take "Made in Italy" seriously, and rightly so.
ReplyDeleteRegarding clothing and accessories, there's nothing particularly magical. Granted, the ecosystem in Italy for high-quality leather goods at scale is unmatched, but it's not an artisinal process that people prefer to imagine.
Things like Piave cheese and Parma ham are, yes, tightly controlled. But - you still must be careful with olive oil. Some olive oil “Made In Italy” might be more accurately labeled “Bottled In Italy.” Spanish olive oil has been imported to Italy and blended with local oil since the Roman era. Tunisian oil today is often favored. We have friends among the Italian American community in Southern Connecticut. They travel to Frosinone Province every year to source olive oil. They stand next to the trees as the olives are harvested. They watch as the barrels full of olives are loaded onto trucks. They watch the barrels get unloaded from the trucks. They stand by and watch as the olives are pressed. They watch as the oil is put in the 5 litre tins. They watch the tins get boxed and loaded onto a truck. They ride in the truck to the airport and watch as the oil is put on the plane. And, they’re at JFK when the plane carrying the oil lands. It is a ritual for over 20 years now. Keep in mind, also, California olive oil is very reliable because of stringent quality control standards.
ReplyDeleteBought a rather low-priced handbag from Quince, a company that was new to me. The thing that got me to buy was that it was made in Italy. It's fine to serve its purpose, but the leather is not what I expect from "Italian leather". Now I know. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteQuality will out!
ReplyDeleteWhat about Porsches made in Slovakia, or Toyotas made in Mexico? The globalist scourge is universal.
ReplyDelete