ITALIAN TRADITIONS
Since 1978 in Mogoro (Oristano), the textile cooperative Su Trobasciu – “the loom” in Sardinian – is very proactive about protecting and reinterpreting the Sardinian traditional art of weaving. Founded by seven women headed by Wilda Scanu, the cooperative maintains the matrilineal tradition of the art of weaving.
At its origin, women used to weave the items of a bridal trousseau. They created practical items such as tablecloths and blankets, but also purely decorative ones such as tapestries. It was actually precisely in tapestry works that women could fully express their creativity. Su Trobasciu is a stylish and contemporary representative of that skill, proudly carrying such precious tradition into the 21st century.
Su Trobasciu has injected new life into the handloom weaving tradition, enabling the seven weavers to bring about countless weaves and techniques. The materials they use are strictly natural; these include Sardinian wool, cotton, linen and silk, which they enrich with gold and silver threads to create precious tapestries having typical motifs and patterns. Their technical skill and sophistication, along with the in-depth study of tradition, and the expert blending of yarns, motifs, ideas and inspirations have given life to priceless creations.
They use a number techniques on their traditional handlooms. A bagas, for example, are brocade wefts for tapestry, whereas A pibiones is a technique used for carpets whereby wefts are embossed. Each woman starts a job and completes it by progressing slowly and meticulously. It takes them one day to weave seven to eight centimeters of the simplest tapestries. The most complex ones clearly take longer and as little as three centimeters may be completed in any given weaving day. Su Trobasciu has exhibited its crafts at several leading international fairs and has worked with a number of designers.
Among its illustrious partnerships with world-famous designers is that with Patricia Urquiola. The great Spanish designer – longstanding admirer of weaving and knitting techniques – has commissioned from Su Trobasciu some of her finest carpets. Urquiola, in fact, believes that the Mogoro craftswomen have the necessary care and accuracy to interpret her style.