Fermo Fossati 1871

What Fermo Fossati 1871 does

Fermo Fossati 1871 S.R.L. is an Italian luxury textile manufacturer headquartered in Tavernerio, Como province, operating under three distinct brands: the flagship Fermo Fossati 1871 (silk tie fabrics), Carlo Riva (premium shirt fabrics acquired in 1992), and Seteria Bianchi (silk weaving including sacred textiles and institutional flags acquired in 2022). The company is privately held and controlled by CEO Ottaviano Mantero Scheuten of the Mantero weaver family, and it serves luxury fashion houses, bespoke tailors, furnishing manufacturers, and ecclesiastical/institutional clients, with documented anchor demand from the Italian Presidency of the Republic, the Italian Army and Navy, and the Vatican for official flag fabrics.

The company's production is built around traditional shuttle loom weaving (telai a navetta), using looms dating to the early 1900s for tie fabrics and to the 1940s for shirt fabrics — equipment that is unobtainable on the current market and operated by artisans trained in-house. Output includes 90cm-height shirting with traditional selvedge, yarn-dyed and printed tie fabrics in silk, cotton, linen, wool, and cashmere, and accessories. Proprietary technical capabilities include a climate-controlled treatment room replicating Egypt's GIZA 45 microclimate to evoke cashmere-grade softness, hand block printing on 100cm tables, modern inkjet printing at 100cm and 140cm heights, and in-house silk yarn twisting from one to sixteen strands. The firm maintains an archive of approximately 1,800 jacquard designs and over 400 striped patterns accumulated across more than 160 years of continuous operation, and holds exclusive worldwide production rights for grenadine-operated jacquard fabrics.

Fermo Fossati generates revenue through direct B2B and B2C sales of luxury textile fabrics via a proprietary multilingual e-commerce platform accessible in nine languages, with login-gated wholesale pricing tiers for professional buyers and dedicated sales representatives for tie fabrics and Carlo Riva shirt fabrics. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The product portfolio spans six categories: tie fabrics, shirt fabrics, clothing fabrics, scarves and accessories, sacred decor and flag fabrics, and furnishing fabrics. The company holds the registered trademarks Mogabrail© and Irish Brial© for exclusive tie-fabric products, and in 2024 installed photovoltaic panels to support renewable energy self-production and sustainability alignment with luxury supply-chain requirements.

Name

Fermo Fossati 1871

Legal name

FERMO FOSSATI – 1871 S.R.L.

Website

https://fermofossati1871.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Fermo Fossati 1871 is an Italian luxury textile manufacturer producing heritage silk tie fabrics, premium shirt fabrics, and furnishing textiles on rare vintage shuttle looms, serving fashion houses, bespoke tailors, and ecclesiastical and institutional clients globally through the Fermo Fossati, Carlo Riva, and Seteria Bianchi brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Silk Textile Fabrics

NAICS

Broadwoven Fabric Mills (31321), Knit Fabric Mills (31324), Knit Fabric Mills (313240)

SIC

Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221), Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Cotton (2211), Knitting Mills (2250)

akta.pro primary industry

Greige Woven Fabric Mills (IMAOABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Knitted Fabric Mills (IMAOABAB), Scarves/Shawls/Winter Neckwear Manufacturing (IMAOAFAD)

Keywords

• Luxury silk fabrics
• Tie fabrics
• Shirting fabrics
• Jacquard furnishing fabrics
• Ecclesiastical flag fabrics

Headquarters

HQ city

Comun Nuovo

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Textile Fabric Sales: Direct B2B and B2C sales of luxury textile fabrics including tie fabrics, shirt fabrics, clothing fabrics, scarves, accessories, sacred decor fabrics, and furnishing fabrics through e-commerce platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fermo Fossati 1871 manufactures and sells luxury silk and natural-fiber textile fabrics using traditional shuttle looms dating from the early 1900s and 1940s, producing tie fabrics, shirt fabrics (Carlo Riva), clothing fabrics, scarves and accessories, sacred decor and flag fabrics (Seteria Bianchi), and high-end furnishing fabrics. The fabrics are finished in a proprietary climate-controlled room replicating the Egyptian GIZA 45 microclimate, and the company maintains an archive of more than 1,800 jacquard and 400+ striped designs accumulated over 160+ years. Sales occur through a multilingual e-commerce platform and dedicated sales representatives for each category.

Product overview

Fermo Fossati 1871 operates as a traditional textile manufacturing company producing high-quality fabrics for the luxury market. The company manages a portfolio of three distinct brands: Fermo Fossati 1871 (flagship silk tie fabric brand with exclusive patterns like Garza, Mogador, and Super Repp), Carlo Riva (premium shirt fabric brand featuring traditional shuttle loom production with 90cm height and selvedge), and Seteria Bianchi (acquired brand specializing in sacred fabrics and institutional flags). The product range spans six main categories: tie fabrics, shirt fabrics, clothing fabrics, scarves and accessories, sacred decor and flag fabrics, and furnishing fabrics. The company employs traditional shuttle looms dating from the 1940s to early 1900s alongside modern technology, uses exclusively natural fibers, and maintains an archive of over 160 years of textile designs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carlo Riva: Premium shirt fabrics brand producing fine quality fabrics for shirts using traditional shuttle looms from 1940, suitable for high-end prêt-à-porter garments
• Seteria Bianchi

Products and services

• Tessuti per cravatte (Tie Fabrics) High-quality tie fabrics produced on shuttle looms dating to the early 1900s, including yarn-dyed and printed varieties in silk, cotton, linen, wool, and cashmere, featuring exclusive patterns such as Garza, Mogador, Super Repp, and Grenadine for luxury fashion brands and neckwear manufacturers.
• Carlo Riva Tessuti per camicie (Shirt Fabrics) Premium shirt fabrics produced under the Carlo Riva brand using traditional shuttle looms from 1940, with 90cm height fabrics featuring selvedge, crafted from Egyptian cotton processed in a GIZA 45 climate-controlled room to achieve exceptional softness for bespoke shirt makers and luxury prêt-à-porter producers.
• Tessuti per abbigliamento (Clothing Fabrics) Fabrics for ready-to-wear and formal menswear including silk lining fabrics, taffeta, satins, operated fabrics, and printed fabrics suitable for swimwear, wedding dresses, and evening dresses, targeting luxury prêt-à-porter and formal menswear manufacturers.
• Foulard e accessori (Scarves and Accessories) Exclusive selection of foulards and accessories for men and women crafted from premium fabrics in both yarn-dyed and printed varieties, featuring Carlo Riva handkerchiefs in linen and cotton, pure linen with special chains, and artisanal detailing.
• Tessuti per arredo sacro e bandiere (Sacred Decor and Flag Fabrics) Fabrics for ecclesiastical vestments and official flags including moelle in silk and artificial fibers, taffetas, duchesse, rason, shantung, amoerro, and lama in silk/gold and silk/silver, plus ribbons for clerical garments and tricolor fabrics for Italian national institutions produced under the Seteria Bianchi brand.
• Tessuti per arredamento (Furnishing Fabrics) High-end furnishing fabrics in pure silk for heavy drapery and furniture upholstery, including jacquard fabrics inspired by European traditions (brocades, lampas, damasks), striped fabrics with over 400 stripe patterns, and articles in linen, cotton, wool, and artificial fibers for luxury interior designers and furnishing manufacturers.
• Seteria Bianchi (Sacred Fabrics and Flags) Historic silk weaving brand acquired in 2022, originally founded in 1907 by Ettore Bianchi, specializing in sacred fabrics, ecclesiastical vestments, and official tricolor flags used by the Italian Presidency of the Republic, Army, Navy, Vatican, and municipal gonfalons.

Quantifiable outcome

• Third oldest silk manufacturer worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Seteria Bianchi AcquisitioncoreOthers · 1 January 2022In 2022, Ottaviano acquired Seteria Bianchi, a family business started by Ettore Bianchi in 1907. The company achieved significant importance in world silk weaving, notably producing tricolor fabric for official Italian national flags (Presidency of the Republic, Army, Navy) and Vatican flags.
• Carlo Riva AcquisitioncoreOthers · 1 January 1992In 1992, Ottaviano acquired Tessitura Serica Carlo Riva, left by founders to Lecco Hospital which used the sale proceeds to open a full Coronary Unit. Carlo Riva had been producing world-famous silk and cotton fabrics for shirts and pajamas since the 1940s.
• Fermo Fossati AcquisitioncoreOthers · 1 January 1990Ottaviano Mantero Scheuten acquired Fermo Fossati in 1990, a historic silk manufacturing company born in mid-19th century in Binago (Varese) and relocated to Tavernerio in 1964.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Scabal: Belgian/English luxury fabric supplier producing suiting, jacketing, and shirting fabrics for bespoke tailoring. Overlaps with Fermo Fossati in the luxury shirting and made-to-measure menswear procurement market.
• Holland & Sherry: British luxury fabric house supplying worsteds, silks, and furnishing fabrics to bespoke tailors and luxury brands. Comparable customer base in luxury shirting, suiting, and interior textiles.
• Drago: Italian luxury fabric mill based in Biella producing worsted, wool, and shirting fabrics for high-end menswear. Comparable in the luxury shirting and tailoring fabric categories despite a stronger focus on wool suiting.
• Dormeuil: French luxury fabric supplier specializing in worsted wools and silk blends for bespoke tailoring and luxury menswear. Overlaps with Fermo Fossati's shirting and clothing fabric categories at the high end of the bespoke market.
• Loro Piana: Italian luxury textile company (now owned by LVMH) producing premium cashmere, wool, and silk fabrics for apparel. While operating at much larger scale across broader categories, it competes for the same high-end luxury fabric procurement budgets.

Direct peers

• Mantero Seta: Como-based silk weaver founded in 1902 by the Mantero family (the same family that owns Fermo Fossati 1871). Operates in the same Como luxury silk supply chain, producing silk fabrics for ties, scarves, and accessories for global luxury brands.
• Ratti: Como-based silk fabric manufacturer producing printed and woven silks for the world's leading fashion and luxury brands. Operates in the same Como silk district with overlapping customer base of luxury houses and furnishing brands.
• Stephen Walters & Sons: English silk weaving company established in the 17th century, also cited as one of the oldest silk producers globally. Produces jacquard woven silks for ties, scarves, and furnishing fabrics with a similar heritage positioning to Fermo Fossati.
• Tessitura Taroni: Historic Como silk weaver producing high-end silk fabrics for ties, scarves, and fashion accessories. Shares the same Como district heritage and luxury B2B customer base as Fermo Fossati.
• Vanners: English silk weaving mill founded in 1740, cited as one of the oldest silk manufacturers in the world alongside Fermo Fossati. Specializes in jacquard woven silks for ties, scarves, and fashion accessories, making it a direct heritage-comparable peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fermofossati4620
• Facebookfacebook.com/fermofossati1871
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fermo-fossati

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fermo Fossati 1871