The long-term goal of this project is to continue documenting stories, connecting the many voices in the community to reveal the larger underlying narrative. By clicking on the map below, you can listen to a number of participants speaking about the interconnected issues involved. Their stories are brief glimpses into issues and I believe their voices have the capacity to evoke real social change when united. I hope this compilation can create awareness around the issues discussed but also emphasize the need for more sustainable and ethical ways of handling waste, caring for the environment, organizing society and community, and managing the production of goods. I also hope it will connect local actors and promote the construction of a stronger network around wool, because the voice of many are stronger than one. Together we can envision an alternative future where supply chains are more strongly rooted in community and solidarity; a future where we valorize local resources.
Annalisa Di Vincenzo
Annalisa Di Vincenzo is a classics teacher at the Cagnazzi Classical High School in Altamura and she is also involved with Staffetta Artigiana.
Cristina Ferrarini
Christina Ferrarini is a sheep breeder from Verona and founder of Lana al Pascolo, a studio, and shop dedicated to the local wool of Brogna sheep. She is President of the Association for the Promotion and Protection of the Brogna Sheep. The Association collects and pools together the wool of local breeders and processes it down to the yarn, providing farmers with more than double the market value for their wool.
info@lanaalpascolo.it
Dario Colaciccio
Dario is a sheep farmer and heir to Masseria Fragennaro, a farm in Laterza on the Murgia Plateau in Taranto Province. He is also the communications manager of the farm, co-founder of TAM, Tower Art Museum in Matera as well as the podcast, “Volevo Solo Aprire un Museo.” He is a young farmer who learned the trade from his father Peppino.
info@masseriafragennaro.com
Elena Pagliarino
Elena has a Ph.D. in Agricultural, Forest, and Environmental Sciences and is a researcher for the CNR in Torino. She investigates the economy of Italian wool from a circular economy perspective and the enhancement of non-food supply chains.
Filippo Clemente
Filippo is an expert in local wool and founder of Pecore Attive, a project concerned with the recovery and enhancement of native Apulian wool. He was my partner for “Flocking Together” and an integral part of my thesis. Pecore Attive designs products with native wool of Gentile di Puglia and facilitates local events which valorizes local wool.
lab@pecoreattive.it
Francesca Gresia
Francesca Gresia is Communication Manager for the Apulian sweater brand Fortunale which produces in Italy with organic wool sourced from abroad. The company’s aim is to produce as locally and sustainably as possible.
Marco Antonini
Marco graduated in Veterinary Medicine and has been an ENEA Researcher at UTAGRI Inn since 1990. He has been President of the Arianne Consortium (International Consortium for Natural Textile Fibers) since 2008 and Chairman of the ICAR (International Committee of Animal Recording) Animal Fibre Working Group since 2007.
Nigel Thompson
Nigel is the founder of Biella The Wool Company, a non-profit company created in 2008 by a group of experts in the textile sector. They focus on the enhancement and promotion of native European wools with the collaboration of the Biella textile companies. The Biella consortium is one of only two wool collection centers in Italy. He is well-known throughout Italy for his extensive knowledge on wool.
nathompson@biellathewoolcompany.it
Rosa Pagliarulo
Rosa Pagliarulo is an Industrial Design Professor at Politecnico di Bari and curator of the International Exhibition, ̉TransHumance. A New Huumus for Textile Identity. Her work explores material surfaces and our sensorial relationship to textiles.
Saverio Massaro
Saverio Massaro is a university professor, an architect, and president of an association called Esperimenti Architettonici, which deals with urban regeneration projects, civic processes for citizen participation in public life. He is also the founder of Staffetta Artigiana, a project connect young people with artisans.
saverio@esperimentiarchitettonici.it
Vincenzo Netti
Vincenzo Netti is a local farmer and owner of Essenze di Puglia. His company is involved in the production of grains, fruits, and olive oil. Essenze di Puglia is innovative because it produces flax seed, and with the by-product of this production, he uses the oil to make biofuels which then provide the heat for his farm and farm activities. In addition, their flax straw waste is enhanced by supporting the textile sector. Vincenzo collaborates with a local sustainable fashion designer by providing the raw material for her linen fabrics.
vincenzonetti@yahoo.it