Trash receives new life in the hands of artisans
clio factory
bag production
Milanese craftsmanship at its finest
Excess material used in Lovia bags receives new form at the Clio factory near Milan, Italy. A seven-person team of skilled artisans transforms our trash material into true treasures. In addition to founders Fulvio Galbiati, Jenny Bolschio and Luisella Checuz there are four people working at Clio, each possessing decades of experience in working with designer bags. Instead of a work community Fulvio himself describes them more as a family, where everyone looks out for each other. This does not only mean the practical things, such as ensuring a safe working environment, but also creating a gentle and open atmosphere. In this setting, excess materials get a second chance at life as unique bag designs, and from here their fourney to new homes may begin.
EST. 1983
EMPLOYEES: 7
LOCATION: SEREGNO, ITALY
Design bags from small strips of leather
Fulvio Galbiati, founder of the Clio factory, is a crucial link in our production with over 30 years of experience in bag making and working with luxury brands. He has started his career as an artisan already at the age of 15 as a carpenter and is third generation artisan in his family. In these skillful hands the very first samples of our bag designs are crafted. Together with Fulvio we go through the process, including material choices and structures.
In addition to the three founders, Fulvio, Jenny and Luisella there are Massimo, Roberta, Imma and Luciana making the bags. Utilising the smallest pieces is a challenge in the production process, and finding solutions is not always simple or easy. Clio team has enabled us to use the precious excess material in our bags with their relentless commitment to creating a functioning process around them.
We share the same values with the Clio team on sustainable and transparent fashion. To them transparency presents not only as a key value, but a practical lesson in bag production. “When you have worked in the industry for long, you learn to see through the materials. You learn to identify whether details have been crafted carefully and skillfully. The true quality of a bag is revealed under the surface,” Fulvio explains.
Greetings from the Seregno factory
We want to give the makers of our bags a chance to have their voice truly heard. Here we gathered some greetings and bits of their everyday, just as it appears at the Seregno-located factory.
“Our collaboration with Lovia is based on mutual trust and I feel that my work as well as personality is appreciated. We talk everyday through email or Whatsapp about the production and samples.”
- Fulvio Galbiati, founder of Clio factory
We do a lot of good but we are not perfect
We are already doing amazing things together with the Clio team, creating a process to utilise the excess material in our bags. Still, looking at the production from an environmental standpoint, there is always room for improvement.
Our bag designs are constantly under development, in order to better enable even the smallest of material strips to be put to use. Still, even our own production creates cutting waste. Our goal in the future is to create a sort of kibble from this resource, that could function as a raw material for a newly produced recycled material for our bags.
Also in material transport we find a point of development. The bags are made in Italy, but leather and textile pieces are gathered in Finland, so the process requires their transport to the Milan area. Our goal in the future is to also find streams of material within Italy, to minimise the emissions caused by logistics.
clio factory
bag production
Milanese craftsmanship at its finest
Excess material used in Lovia bags receives new form at the Clio factory near Milan, Italy. A seven-person team of skilled artisans transforms our trash material into true treasures. In addition to founders Fulvio Galbiati, Jenny Bolschio and Luisella Checuz there are four people working at Clio, each possessing decades of experience in working with designer bags. Instead of a work community Fulvio himself describes them more as a family, where everyone looks out for each other. This does not only mean the practical things, such as ensuring a safe working environment, but also creating a gentle and open atmosphere. In this setting, excess materials get a second chance at life as unique bag designs, and from here their fourney to new homes may begin.
EST. 1983
EMPLOYEES: 7
LOCATION: SEREGNO, ITALY
Design bags from small strips of leather
Fulvio Galbiati, founder of the Clio factory, is a crucial link in our production with over 30 years of experience in bag making and working with luxury brands. He has started his career as an artisan already at the age of 15 as a carpenter and is third generation artisan in his family. In these skillful hands the very first samples of our bag designs are crafted. Together with Fulvio we go through the process, including material choices and structures.
In addition to the three founders, Fulvio, Jenny and Luisella there are Massimo, Roberta, Imma and Luciana making the bags. Utilising the smallest pieces is a challenge in the production process, and finding solutions is not always simple or easy. Clio team has enabled us to use the precious excess material in our bags with their relentless commitment to creating a functioning process around them.
We share the same values with the Clio team on sustainable and transparent fashion. To them transparency presents not only as a key value, but a practical lesson in bag production. “When you have worked in the industry for long, you learn to see through the materials. You learn to identify whether details have been crafted carefully and skillfully. The true quality of a bag is revealed under the surface,” Fulvio explains.
Greetings from the Seregno factory
We want to give the makers of our bags a chance to have their voice truly heard. Here we gathered some greetings and bits of their everyday, just as it appears at the Seregno-located factory.
“Our collaboration with Lovia is based on mutual trust and I feel that my work as well as personality is appreciated. We talk everyday through email or Whatsapp about the production and samples.”
- Fulvio Galbiati, founder of Clio factory
We do a lot of good but we are not perfect
We are already doing amazing things together with the Clio team, creating a process to utilise the excess material in our bags. Still, looking at the production from an environmental standpoint, there is always room for improvement.
Our bag designs are constantly under development, in order to better enable even the smallest of material strips to be put to use. Still, even our own production creates cutting waste. Our goal in the future is to create a sort of kibble from this resource, that could function as a raw material for a newly produced recycled material for our bags.
Also in material transport we find a point of development. The bags are made in Italy, but leather and textile pieces are gathered in Finland, so the process requires their transport to the Milan area. Our goal in the future is to also find streams of material within Italy, to minimise the emissions caused by logistics.
