Supply Chain
Creativity and passion are the ingredients that guide Menchi in the creation of a noble fabric, which aspires to be “timeless”. Made up of industry professionals, our team follows the various stages of processing, from raw materials choice to spinning, weaving and finishing. The creative flair of the textile designer meets the most operative part to create a unique fabric.
Since 1961 we entrust the phases of making the fabric to contractors, with some of which we boast years of collaboration. Trust and transparency are the values at the basis of a solid relationship that makes possible the success of the company.
Raw materials
The meticulous choice of the best raw materials is the essential element to create fabrics of primary excellence: a selection cared for in every detail with the awareness that it is the quality of the fibre that depends on the nobility of the finished fabric.
Menchi treats different types of fibres: wool, cashmere, alpaca and camel that can be combined with additional raw materials such as silk, linen, mohair, cotton, hemp and viscose, creating impeccable mixes that fully meet the customers demands.
Colour games and compositions of extraordinary quality are made possible thanks to a dedicated team, which develops and continuously experiments new mixes with accuracy, curiosity and expertise to create innovative and trendy fabrics. Using a hinge, the felter works the raw material making the felt, ready to be spun.
Spinning
In this phase the wool is made nobler to create a thin, resistant and extraordinary yarn.
The operation starts with the opening of the bales to clean the raw material from impurities, avoiding damage. Then the fibre is carded: the short fibres are eliminated while the long ones, which appear more silky and suitable, are maintained.
Once untangled, the raw material is ready to be spun through a process of twisting fibres capable of transforming carded into yarn. The cord you will get at the end of the cycle will be ready to be warped.
Warping
In this phase, the threads are arranged side by side to create the warp, the set of vertical threads that make up each fabric. This is made possible by the use of a special machine, the warp, which allows you to create the desired design.
Then the thread is subjected to a series of processing phases, including the padding and the “incorsatura”: two preparatory steps to strengthen the thread and preparation of the “subbio”, a cylinder in which the threads are first rolled and then passed through the mesh of the slugs and finally into the cracks of the comb.
The warp finally tied up is ready to be loomed.
Weaving
Weaving is the moment when the warp meets the weft to create a high-quality fabric. The weft threads, horizontal, intersect with the warp threads to create endless combinations of structures, designs and colours. The system with which the warp and weft are intertwined is called armour. Menchi collaborates with different weaves of the Prato district to create the perfect mix: this is how the history of the fabric begins, ready to be ennobled in finishing.
Finishing
The finishing stage is the set of treatments that give the fabric its appearance and the final hand. Know-how and experience are fundamental to manage this last process better: each piece is subjected to different treatments to transform into a valuable and quality product. Menchi constantly monitors the individual phases: the competent staff, prepared and attentive to the needs of the fabric, spends entire days in finishing to ensure the highest quality of the processes.
Depending on the treatment used in the process, different types of fabric can be obtained, whose characteristics such as strength, softness, stability and shine vary according to our customers’ requests.