A journey back in time. When you cross the threshold of this workshop, you enter a dimension that brings to mind a noble past that is still relevant today. The history of Stamperia Pascucci dates back to 1826. The printmaking technique used for seven generations in the workshop in Gambettola, in the province of Forlì, retraces the route taken two centuries ago: wooden matrices, impregnated with colour, are placed on the fabric and struck with a mallet. Thus, little by little, tablecloths and curtains, velvets and embroideries are imprinted with ornamental and floral motifs from the rich heritage of the Romagna tradition.

“We have now opened a small online shop” – saysGiuseppe Pascucci – “our garments are appreciated all over the world. I love having a personal relationship with the shops - mostly small shops scattered all over Italy - and with the customers, most of whom we have met at trade fairs. We don't have a sales network: there are no agents, representatives or intermediaries. My brother and I manage the entire chain of contacts, made up of small shops scattered all over Italy”.

Milan Home: what hopes and expectations do you have?

“At Milan Home I expect to find new contacts and meet up with contacts with which we have a well-established relationship. In particular I am counting on the presence of European, US and Canadian buyers. We have engaged in lively exchanges with the latter two markets. And, why not, I also hope to meet many young people. They appreciate the handmade product, if it is handcrafted and marked by quality”.

One of the competitive advantages of the old workshop lies in the manufacturing processes, which follow the ancient methodology used since its origins. 

“Hemp, flax and vinegar were and are the main products used”, Pascucci continues. “At the end of the 19th century, in addition to domestic use, canvas printed with the image of St. Anthony, protector of animals, was used to decorate livestock at fairs and oxen. It was precisely this custom that ensured that the art of printing would survive”.

With the development of seaside tourism, printing found further application in beach tents. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Dolce Vita period, Pascucci supplied restaurants in Rome with tablecloths. 

“The tables of many trattorias featured in the films that made Neo-realism history were set with our tablecloths”. From actors to singers, Lucio Dalla and other famous names from the international jet set have passed through the Gambettola workshop. 

The rust colour, the highlight of the craft, is made using flour, vinegar and rusted iron. Hand-engraved on pear wood, the moulds become the matrices for the creation of the printed canvases. The colours are still prepared according to the original - secretly guarded - recipe, the printing technique has not succumbed to the hurried procedures of the assembly line and automation. Each engraving is handmade, just like the printing paintings. Authentic Made in Italy finds its highest expression in the workmanship of the artisans, who are the beating heart of the print shop.