Como Candidacy
The pairing of craft and creativity is the cornerstone of made in Italy, it’s the distinctive element of the city of Como and its land. Craftsmanship and the textile industry played such a decisive role in characterising the landscape of Como district that it can be considered the Italian Textile Valley due to its representation of the range of skills involved in textile manufacturing.
Como application to UNESCO is founded on the three pillars of eco-design, sustainable fashion, and textile landscapes through an alliance of district agencies, businesses, artisans and civil society monitored by sustainability indicators.
An inclusive approach has been adopted in the preparation of this application, which is informed by consultations with the local government (the municipalities of Como and Cernobbio, the Como-Lecco Chamber of Commerce), trade associations (Ufficio Italiano Seta, Confindustria, Confartigianato Confcommercio, Cna, Associazione Disegnatori Tessili), training institutions (the University of Insubria, PoliMi, Setificio School, Cometa, IED), cultural foundations (the Silk Museum, Fondazione Ratti, Fondazione Volta, comON, Teatro Sociale), innovation centres (ComoNext, InnovHub, Sustainable Silk Textile Centre), and social cooperatives. The entirety of the local infrastructure is represented in the Como & Seta Committee.
The designation would further internationalisation efforts, aid the recovery of local textile craft, and assist in the sharing of innovations related to sustainability in fashion and textiles. The success of this project would facilitate the development of excellence in training organisations which could foster and host international exchanges and encounters.