“From sheep to dress”: a gem of the Biellese Alps

The Biellese Alps in Piedmont form a mountain range with peaks of almost 2,000 meters, which delimits the province of Biella to the north.

The city of Biella lies in the foothills of these Alps, in the Bo mountain range near Mt. Mucrone and Camino, an area rich in springs and lakes, irrigated by several mountain streams.

The entire area is just stunning, ready to be discovered in various forms and opportunities.

Outdoor, history, art, food, wine and beer, all well integrated beyond any imagination.

From the Oasi Zegna mountains – a nature area with free access – to the other peaks of the Biella area. You will find cozy chalet and lodges recently renovated on the designs of famous architects, and nestled in the tranquility of nature, among lush meadows and splendid views, a unique and uncontaminated natural setting.

Let’s focus on Valdilana, which incorporate four villages: Trivero, Mosso, Soprana and Valle Mosso.

Trivero Valdilana boasts a wonderful landscape characterized by pine forests of spruce, chestnut, beech, oak and ash at about 2,600 ft altitude. Oasi Zegna is a mountain area of 24,710 acres in the Biellese Alps, and the first Italian example of environmental patronage.

It’s an open-air workshop and a place to practice, all year round, a series of leisure and sport activities – hiking, deep-sea trekking, mountain biking, horse riding, rock gym, tree climbing adventure trails, kite flying and winter sports – all designed with full respect for ecosystems.

The Oasis Zegna has moreover signed agreements of cooperation with who demonstrates to have to heart the future of our planet (Rain Forest Alliance- Moanalua Garden Foundation- American Ocean Campaign- Environmental Media Association).

Here  is the craddle of the The Ermenegildo Zegna Group one of Italy’s most successful family companies in the textile field, representing more than a century of excellence and elegance of fabric and Made in Italy packaging.

The true engine, brain and hearth of this successful entrepreneurial story is Ermenegildo Zegna right at the beginning of the twentieth century – 1910 –  founded his company based on three pillars: work, community and environment.

He had a vision while creating a textile industry at the foot of a mountain, and far from large production hubs and roads.

The market asked for more meters of fabrics and, above all, more quality. Manpower was not lacking.

It was a courageous and favorable opportunity. The art of working wool, already widespread in the Middle Ages, spread in Biella thanks to the abundance and quality of water, the lightest in Europe, essential in the processing of natural fibers, the secret of excellence of fabrics produced for men’s fashion.

The entire philosophy of such a great story is well featured in the Fondazione Zegna, created by the family and available to visit all year round. It shows all the values that Ermenegildo transmitted to his family, his descendants and the people of the local communities. 

The industrial core of the Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Mill, where the most precious raw materials such as merino wool, kid mohair, cashmere and vicuña are still processed today is a fascinating visit involving a great portion of the territory beyond the factory of Trivero.

In fact there are various attractive features that Ermenegildo created: a series of facilities available to its employees and the community, including housing, a center dedicated to health, training, sports and leisure, and a scenic road that was a colossal work. Start with CASA ZEGNA in Trivero, an historical archive and cultural center in a gracious 1930s building that was once the family’s home.

The exhibit ‘From sheep to shop’ narrates via vintage photos, images of samples, fabrics, advertising campaigns and texts the contribution that every generation was able to pass onto the company and the community. Zegna was obsessed with the integrity of the production, from the control of the livestock farms with the up to the production of clothes.

The visit allows you to discover and learn the stylistic, technological and human values of one of the most famous Italian companies in the world, in an extraordinary context that unites the factory to the surrounding mountain environment.

Another incredible attraction is provided by the array of public art pieces generated by the project ALL’APERTO, which has developed since 2008 in the area around Trivero an impressive series of permanent “site-specific” works.

These works of art created by internationally renowned artists such as Daniel Buren, Alberto Garutti, Stefano Arienti, Roman Signer, Marcello Maloberti, Dan Graham and Liliana Moro over the years have characterized the landscape.

Further on the “Panoramica Zegna” is  the road that crosses the Oasis Zegna and allows tourists to immerse themselves in the mountain environment by practicing outdoor activities and sports, overlooking high altitude on the Po Valley with picturesque views, behind, even on the Alps and Monte Rosa.

In the 1930s the mountain north of Trivero was barren and Ermenegildo Zegna supported its reforestation with 500,000 plants among conifers and others.

An amazing commitment to the environment and a well thought “give-back” project. Ermenegildo Zegna not only was an enlightened dreamer, but also a great environmental patron who at the beginning of the 20th century revived an arid and exploited mountain, creating a work of reforestation never seen before.

Once you have finished visiting there are two micro breweries (Jeb and Beer-in) that create non-pasteurized beers, without additives and preservatives.

Using the best raw materials, the experience of the brew master declines in the most famous brewery styles in the world-artists. For those who still need some adrenaline Trivero offers The Colossus bridge, an exciting jump of 498 ft to challenge the acceleration of gravity. The Bungee Center Veglio, is known throughout the world as a true Bungee cult site!