Athison is a brand of Manifattura di Domodossola, a company founded in 1913 by Giuseppe Polli. In the first 50 years of its life the company produces cables, ropes for ships, braided items and trimmings and in 1970 created the first machine-braided belts in the world, becoming a world leader above all the luxury and fashion brands.
In 2007 the new futuristic structure was inaugurated, 8,000 square meters of covered area and a thousand machines guaranteeing a very high production capacity and total control of all the working processes.
In 2013 the group celebrates its first 100 years of life by launching two new brands: Athison specializes in the production of high-end leather goods and Oxilla specializes in luxury furnishings
In 2017 the first Athison bags collection is created, unique in the world for technology, history, quality of the raw materials used and type of processes developed. Models designed and manufactured entirely within its headquarters with sophisticated frames able to weave vegetable leather with thin copper wires.
In 2018 the advertising campaign of the brand, called "I colori di Athison", is launched as a world preview on the best newspapers and magazines. The factory is situated in the heart of Val D’Ossola, amongst valleys, lakes, waterfalls, mountains and rivers. This unique landscape has been the setting for the paintings of numerous artists throughout the centuries, as well as an object of study and interest for famous ancient scholars.
The passion for such a unique land is the source of inspiration for the Polli family, also when choosing the name of its brands. Athison is, in fact, the ancient name of a sacred river that flows down from the Alpine glaciers across Val D’Ossola, leading into Lake Maggiore. The river, which is nowadays known with its modern name Toce, rises at an altitude of 1,800 metres and gives life to one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Europe, with a jump of about 143 metres of height among the rocks.
The Athison collection is manufactured with vegetable tanned hide according to the most traditional, natural and environmental-friendly process that was handed down by expert craftsmen from the Egyptian and Roman times to produce footwear and apparel.
This type of work is the perfect technique for all those who are looking for an anti-allergic, environmental-friendly product. It is free of toxic substances, such as azoic colouring agents, nickel or pentachlorophenol and chrome VI, which are harmful both for human beings and for the environment. In this way, the impact on health and on the environment is minimized during production, recycling and disposal. Most of the substances that are used in vegetable tanning are recovered during production and transformed into fertilizers for agricultural use, whereas the final parts (muds) are largely used in the building industry.
Enhanced colours and eco-compatible materials are the foundations of Athison philosophy. All our work is environmental-friendly and we have decided not to abandon the traditional production processes, integrating them with modern technologies. A clear example of this are the methods used to dye the hides and polish the yarns to obtain the Colours of Athison, which are natural and have a high aesthetic value.
Our vegetable tanned leather, before being cut and braided on our old looms, it is dyed by expert hands in our plant with 100% non-toxic, water-based colours to fully respect the environment. Leather maintains its natural look and enhances the magnificent colour shades that are typical of environmental-friendly products.
Also our yarns are dyed and polished with 100% natural products. The method used to polish natural yarns uses a sort of starch made of water and potato flour according to a century-old recipe.
Athison’s colours are a clear demonstration of our culture, which is made of technically advanced, environmental-friendly products. At the same time, they represent a clear stylistic choice that gives priority to colour varieties and their combinations in different materials.
ur natural bent for innovative raw materials and the fact that the production process entirely takes place in our plant allow our designers to follow the work minute by minute, while being free to play with colour and material combinations. For this reason, Athison’s force lies in the power and in the variety of the colour proposals for its models.