JordanLuca partners with Sopravissana Dei Sibillini to sustain Italian biodiversity and craftsmanship.
JordanLuca is pleased to announce a new long-term partnership with La Sopravissana Dei Sibillini created to protect, support and to refine the exceptionally rare breed of Sopravissana sheep. In 2016, the region of Marche, Italy, was left in ruins after a series of devastating earthquakes, stealing hundreds of lives and businesses. In this tragic period, the Sopravissana Dei Sibillini business had been fundamentally jeopardised, as the Sopravissana sheep had also faced near-extinction due to the current rise in synthetic fibres. Persevering through these challenges, the owner, Silvia Bonomi, says how her and many other small, but determined, breeders are laboriously fighting for the recovery of the Sopravissana breed, as they believe that it is a symbol of true Italian biodiversity. Bonomi and her team are resolutely determined by her dedication to her grandfather’s shepherd legacy, and the rich hand-reared history of the Sopravissana sheep, founded in 1703.
Inspired by this story, JordanLuca has invested in the company by acquiring some lambs and spent over a year discerning with Bonomi and other Italian industry experts the best way to exalt and work the Sopravissana wool. This is a shared commitment to spread awareness of this rare species, with a mission to create a sustainable business devoted to the preservation, research and the commercialisation of this unique breed and its natural fibre. Today’s flocks have dwindled down from over 1.2 million in the 60’s to only 7 thousand sheep today, of which those with the finest quality coat are in Sopravissana Dei Sibillini’s possession, which roughly equates to only a couple of hundred knitted garments each year.
The breed originates from a crossbreed between the Italian Vissana sheep and the French Rambouillet Merino rams, which were donated to the Pope by the people of France in the 18th century. The extensive breeding history of the Sopravissana sheep is evident in the fine quality of the coat, which rivals that of Merino wool in thinness and crimp, and surpasses it with a naturally elevated high torsion. JordanLuca will be announcing more exciting developments in the coming months and is honoured to weave this wool and its remarkable story into their knitwear for their FW24 and future collections, paying homage to Italian craftsmanship, and garnering widespread support for the Sopravissana environmental cause.
#sopravissana #wool #biodiversity #craftsmanship
