Luigi Candiani founded Tessitura di Robecchetto Candiani in its town, Robecchetto con Induno, a tiny municipality between Milan and the Alps, in 1938. Luigi Candiani’s newborn mill only produced a workwear fabric made with Massaua cotton, which is very thick and robust.
Since 1938, TRC has produced in Robecchetto con Induno
Our history begins in 1938 as Tessitura di Robecchetto Candiani, later known worldwide as TRC. Luigi Candiani founded its mill in the tiny town of Robecchetto con Induno, where we still produce our fabrics. Robecchetto con Induno is located between Milan and the Alps, which is at the heart of an area from Biella to Bergamo with an important century-old textile legacy on which our people have shaped their knowledge and skills.
Luigi Candiani chose to produce only one Massaua cotton fabric used for workwear and sell it directly in different markets in Milan. This decision made us competitive from the very beginning. Four workers manufactured 10,000 meters of fabric yearly in the first mill built by the Candiani family. The building has recently been turned by Nicoletta, a great-granddaughter of Luigi, into SAC – Spazio Arte Contemporanea, art and cultural center where contemporary art exhibitions and workshops are held.
What is Massaua cotton?
Massaua cotton gets its name from the homonymous port city in Eritrea. Since the half of the 19th century, Massaua has represented an essential trade hub where cotton from Zimbabwe, grown using traditional and natural practices, was worked.
Massaua was once used to manufacture colonial uniforms and fishers’ clothes. This material has then started to be employed to produce workwear since it can resist intense washes, welding, and rips.
Sanforization is one of Massaua cotton’s main characteristics
Massaua is cotton with a heavy grain and is very robust. Sanforization is one of the main characteristics of Massaua fabrics. This textile process reduces shrinkage from washing in the treated garments.