Passion is an internal motivator, a following of one’s values, a regard of one’s intrinsic, unique desires. It’s an energy that comes from within – it is not forced on from without. Passion can be sustained within a business, and that it can be the difference between a daily job, and a daily joy.
The youngest Calabrian craftsman Rocco Vitaliano knows it well, and from a natural curiosity originated when he was only a child observing his grandmother work the loom, he has come to master an ancient form of craftsmanship and make products completely on his own, making his passion shine through the handcrafted textiles he creates with his loom.
Hand-made scarves, bags, shawls and home accessories all in Italian yarns: in his creations there’s a thread that links the old techniques of the sophisticated art of weaving, one of the oldest and most deeply rooted in Calabria, and innovation of traditional know-how applied to the production of sustainable and identity-based items.
Beside being a skilled and impactful career, crafts play a major role in environmental sustainability and ethical production. Indeed, the aim of Rocco’s work is to combine textile culture with sustainability. Inside his workshop finds room not only textile processing, but also the production of raw materials, for example silk production, and use of eco-friendly and recycled materials.
Revitalizing old crafts combining tradition and innovation is also crucial for the valorization of the cultural heritage of a community. The path undertaken by this young designer has in fact helped to carry on a tradition that had been lost in his village by restoring old looms and recovering the know-how of local women who taught him the various manufacturing techniques.
For his close bond with his hometown and his contribution to its development, we consider him a M.O.T.H.E.R. worker!
